The ACT Greens have committed to double the arts budget, ensuring the arts scene thrives despite financial difficulties.
The ACT’s creative industries contribute $2.9 billion and around 8 per cent to the local economy, but they are in decline, the Greens claim. Festivals, venues and individuals struggle to stay afloat: organisations do not have the funds to maintain facilities, roll-out programs, or pay artists and art workers wages. Most ACT Government funding for the arts goes to capital works, not creatives; and the Government has not followed through with the investment needed to have Canberra recognised as Australia’s arts capital.
“We are hearing from our artists that in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis they’re struggling to make ends meet,” Jo Clay MLA, ACT Greens spokeswoman for arts and culture, said. “Artists can’t even afford to live here, let alone practise here. We need to do better if we want art to thrive.”
The Greens would double funding for artists, arts centres, and arts organisations from $8 million to $17 million, and provide four-year funding agreements with CPI indexation. Arts grants would double in value from $959,000 per year to $2 million.
Artists would be offered multi-year contracts for two or three festivals (such as Floriade or Enlighten) in a row, rather than on a one-year gig basis. This would give them longer-term job security and more certainty.
The Greens would double funding for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Arts Program from $100,000 to $200,000 per year.
A commissioning officer in ArtsACT would connect local artists with ACT Government opportunities and projects. They would commission First Nations art and art that promotes and showcases the circular economy. Art spaces would be included in new shopping centres, suburbs, and precincts.
To ensure everyone can visit theatres and galleries, a $50,000 accessibility fund would be established.
“Our plan will put art at the heart of the capital by funding art, artists, and art organisations, not just buildings,” Ms Clay said.
“The Greens initiative will ensure that our artists are paid a fair wage. We will more than double government funding for our arts organisations. We will make our arts scene more accessible for people with a disability.
“For too long, Labor has targeted arts investment at buildings, not people, undervaluing the contribution that art makes to the lives of individuals and our community as a whole. I’m yet to hear any plan for the arts from the Liberals.”
Last month, the ACT Greens promised to support the live music industry.
