1. Artists’ Resale Royalty
In its arts policy, Labor made a firm commitment to the introduction of an Artists’ Resale Royalty scheme to provide a valuable income stream, particularly for Indigenous artists. What is now needed is the adoption by the Labor government of an updated version of the model recommended in last year’s submissions to the Attorney General from art industry partners. Liaison with the industry also will be required to achieve a smooth process of implementation.
2. Visual Education
Under Labor’s Education Revolution there is the intention to bring training and industry closer together. The rapid development of the use of visual modes of communication (digital cameras, video phones, computers etc), means that ‘visuacy’ has become an equally fundamental skill for C21st kids to that of literacy and numeracy. As part of the realisation of the joint federal and state/territory Education & the Arts Statement, NAVA will be encouraging the new Labor federal Arts and Education Ministers to:
- give committed consideration to implementing the suite of recommendations expected to result from the government funded National Review of Visual Education (due before the end of the year)
- appoint the Visual Education Roundtable, (a coalition of key stakeholders*) to be an advisory body to CMC & MCEETYA, on the practical implementation of measures to achieve visual competency for all children including:
- mandating visual education in the school curriculum nationally as a stand alone subject K-10
- making radical changes to ensure pre- and in-service ‘visuacy’ training for primary and secondary school teachers
- introducing artists in schools programs
- supporting better connection of schools with the arts & cultural sector.
3. Sedition and Freedom of Expression
Labor has recognised that sedition law poses a considerable threat to artists’ freedom of expression. NAVA will be seeking a commitment from the Arts Minister to secure the new Attorney General’s agreement not only to get rid of the word ‘sedition’ but to make ALL the changes recommended by the Australian Law Reform Commission including:
- for the word ‘sedition’, substituting ‘intentionally urging political or inter-group force or violence’
- changing Section 80.2 of the Criminal Code under the ‘good faith’ provisions to specify the need to have regard to the context in which the conduct occurred:
- in the development, performance, exhibition or distribution of an artistic work; or
- in the course of any statement, publication, discussion or debate made or held for any genuine academic, artistic or scientific purpose...
4. Funding Support
The visual arts sector greatly values the VACS funding which has restored our industry to a position of relative sustainability and vitality. However, there are still important financial shortfalls. We will be looking for the following commitments from the Labor government:
- $3 million per annum to be allocated for the payment of artists’ fees for work exhibited in publicly funded galleries (and therefore not offered for sale)
- $4 million per annum to enable smaller arts organizations to develop their on-line management, communication & information systems to keep pace with technological change
- $12+ million per annum VACS commitment needs to be adopted as the new baseline level of additional support and fully indexed every year.
5. Artists’ Income Generation
Cultural economist Prof Throsby revealed that artists’ incomes have fallen by about 16% over 15 years. Labor has included the ArtStart initiative in its arts policy to make moves to address this serious problem in an otherwise booming arts economy. NAVA looks forward to providing industry advice on ArtStart’s implementation as follows:
- requiring Centrelink to recognise appropriate professional endeavours by visual artists as fulfilling the mutual obligation criteria
- training Centrelink staff to assist artists to build their businesses and/or find work in appropriate creative industry contexts
- provision of start up assistance for professional artists
- provision of arts business training under the NEIS scheme
- recognition of work for arts organisations and community arts projects as appropriate Work for the Dole activity
- adoption of a Social Security and the Arts policy which harmonises the treatment of the earnings and royalty payments for artists on welfare.
NAVA is also calling for two other key elements to expand income opportunities for artists:
- Artists’ work agencies
- support by the Labor government for the establishment of new agencies in NT, SA, Vic, NSW (already exist in Qld, WA & Tas) to broker artists’ commissions/consultancies.
- ‘Own Art’ Scheme
- introduction by the Labor government of an interest free incentive scheme (based on the UK model) for the instalment purchase of work of contemporary (emerging) artists
6. Indigenous Art Industry Support
NAVA has almost completed work (in collaboration with Desart & ANKAAA) on the Indigenous Australian Art Commercial Code of Conduct (IAACCC) and the linked Standards document with advice from the ACCC. We are seeking support from the Labor government to:
- act on the recommendations of the Senate Inquiry into Indigenous Visual Arts and Craft
- provide adequate funding to support the full implementation of the IAACCC & NAVA’s Ethical Trade Strategy
- introduce equitable Indigenous Communal Moral Rights legislation
- fund the employment of Indigenous people previously assisted under the NT CDEP scheme which provides valuable development opportunities within the Indigenous arts sector
- restores the permit system in the NT.
7. Tax – Non-commercial losses
Given the introduction in 2005 of the ATO’s Tax Ruling “Carrying on a Business as a Professional Artist”, NAVA will be asking the Arts Minister to seek the agreement of Treasury to exempt all artists from the Non-Commercial Losses law.
* The Visual Education Roundtable, is an advocacy group of key stakeholders which includes parent groups, art teachers, education training providers, and school education (State, Catholic and Independent systems), primary and secondary school principals’ and teachers’ associations, teacher training institutions, galleries and visual arts peak bodies.
