National Cultural Policy

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National Cultural Policy

Not since 1994 with the ‘Creative Nation’ policy has there been a concerted effort by a Commonwealth government to create a national cultural policy and NAVA commends the Arts Minister for his commitment and vision.

Looking back at Labor’s 2007 ‘New Directions for the Arts’ policy, we are reminded that it contained very worthy promises many of which have been fulfilled. For the Australian visual arts and craft sector, in recent years major developments have resulted from the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy (VACS) and government legislative and policy changes.

On 11 August 2011 Arts Minister Simon Crean released a National Cultural Policy discussion paper, which centred upon four key goals: 

• To ensure that what the government supports and how this support is provided reflects the diversity of a 21^st century Australia and protects and supports Indigenous culture

• To encourage the use of emerging technologies and new ideas that support the development of new artworks and the creative industries, and that enable more people to access and participate in arts and culture
• To support excellence and first class endeavour, and strengthen the role that the arts play in telling Australian stories both here and overseas
• To increase and strengthen the capacity of the arts to contribute to our society and the economy.

Feedback and submissions on the discussion paper could be given until 21 October 2011.

NAVA activities

As part of its work to include the sector in deliberations about the policy, NAVA took three steps:

i) ‘Imagineering the Arts: a Cultural Policy Roundtable’ was organised by NAVA in collaboration with Sydney College of the Arts and held on Monday 1 August. The 24 participants came from across all artforms, film and design and were academics, practising artists and directors of arts organizations. The 4 discussion facilitators were Prof Terry Smith, Prof David Throsby, Nicholas Tsoutas and Tamara.

ii) helped to organise and participated in the meeting between the Arts Minister in Canberra and representatives of ArtsPeak (the confederation of national peak arts bodies) on 17 August and is continuing a dialogue with senior staff of the federal Office for the Arts and with the Innovation section of DIISR re design policy

iii) convened a meeting of National Visual Arts, Craft and Design Network representatives on 29 September 2011 to discuss their views and with reference to these, formulate NAVA’s response on behalf of the visual arts, craft & design sector. 

NAVA also participated in similar meetings organised by Arts NSW and the Council for Humanities Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) and later will appear in the ABC's 'Artscape' program discussing the policy.

National Cultural Policy Submission

On 21 October 2011 we submitted our response to the National Cultural Policy discussion paper.

In the submission we suggest four new goals to replace those listed in the NCP discussion paper. One of the goals we would like to see attained is that "Australian artists are internationally recognised as innovative high achievers supported by a strong, dynamic, sustainable infrastructure enabled to achieve its potential".

NAVA was very pleased to have the opportunity to provide input into this very important policy. Thanks to all who gave us feedback and offered advice - we hope you're happy with the result.

If you would like to read NAVA's National Cultural Policy submission just click on the link below:

NAVA's National Cultural Policy discussion paper submission

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Useful Resources
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Read NAVA's submission to the previous National Cultural Policy consultation (2009).