Member Bulletin: our take on the National Cultural Policy
Dear Members,
As you know, last week the government launched ‘Revive’ the country’s first national cultural policy in a decade.
There is a lot to read online about the policy, including reactions from industry, perceived gaps, and what it means for us as a country. Start with Arts Hub! Richard Watts’ article; and Kate Larsen’s article.
Below is TNA’s take on what it might mean for our sector over the next five years and where the points of impact/future work might be. It’s a bit long, sorry!
Our overall position is that this is indeed an important milestone to celebrate, and that we need to continue to work with the government on implementation. We will continue to advocate for greater support for the independent and small to medium performing arts sector.
We will be in touch with members as it rolls out.
Regards,
Nicole Beyer
Background – TNA’s recent work
In November, TNA coordinated a joint letter to the Prime Minister, Treasurer and the other members of the Expenditure Review Committee, on behalf of 20 national arts peak bodies. We understood that the policy was close to final, but that it needed committed investment.
As the pre-budget submission process for 2023-2024 closed on 27th January, we took the opportunity of adapting that letter as a joint submission to the budget process.
TNA’s own pre-budget submission was sent after the launch of the policy. It congratulates the government for the commitments and urges full support as those commitments now go through the formal budget process (they are not formalised until that process is complete).
(You can read TNA’s original NCP submission from 2022.)
What’s Ahead?
Cross Portfolio / Whole of Government leverage
The policy indicates a shift towards working more across government and aligning with non-arts portfolios. This will allow us to leverage non-arts investment, and to imbed arts and cultural solutions in other areas.
Of note is the Steering Committee on page 96: “A National Cultural Policy Steering Committee, comprising representatives from across government, will oversee the implementation of the National Cultural Policy.” TNA will monitor the composition of the committee, and its work and progress. We will also advocate for the inclusion of artists on the committee.
Mentions of alignment with other areas include in education, regional growth, urban policy, natural heritage, disability, multicultural policy, youth, and health.
The policy specifies that the Government “also invests in arts and culture through a broad range of portfolios – including Infrastructure, Foreign Affairs and Trade, Indigenous Australians, Environment, Home Affairs, Veterans’ Affairs and Defence – and using a variety of investment, regulatory, revenue and policy mechanisms.” (p. 71).
There is also a return to a commitment to work across all three levels of government through intergovernmental meetings. This promises to facilitate “partnership and coordination between the Commonwealth, states and territories and local governments.” (p. 72).
TNA’s (and other peaks’) role is to hold the government to account for these commitments, and work constructively to get the best out of them.
Where is some relief for the small to medium and independent sector?
The return of $11mil per year for four years to the Australia Council (to be called Creative Australia, which is a name change only, not a legislative change) will provide some relief to the tight grant programs and the four-year investment program. The works of scale fund of $19 million (presumably over 4 years) will also take some pressure off the grant rounds. TNA supported and advocated for a works of scale fund, as the current caps and limits have curtailed artistic ambition. The increase to the Regional Arts Fund of $8.5mill is over 4 years and will make a big impact to arts and culture in the regions.
TNA will also advocate that the funding for the new bodies (see below) will build capacity in all areas across the Australia Council. For example, music and literature applicants will have their own grant programs which will free up support for the other artforms, including youth arts.
For artists to be recognised as workers is an important signal, and will have some practical outcomes. Changes to mutual obligations through Centrelink will be valuable, and the awards review may mean better pay and conditions for some artists.
What do the new ‘bodies’ mean?
The three new bodies plus the First Nations board will all sit under the governance of the Australia Council for the Arts. They will not be separate entities with their own boards. TNA believes this is the right approach. We support efficiency in bureaucracy and administration, so that more of the investment can go to artists, projects, and organisations. At this stage they are high level commitments and the detail of the bodies has not yet been planned.
The timeline is as follows:
The establishment of Music Australia ($69.4 million) will kick off mid this year (2023).
The Centre for Arts and Entertainment Workplaces ($8.1 million) will also commence this year.
The First Nations board will begin mid 2024.
Writers Australia ($19.3 million) will provide direct support to the literature sector from 2025.
TNA is keen to be involved in consultation on the Centre for Arts and Entertainment Workplaces ($2.025 million per year), given its role to “provide advice on issues of pay, safety and welfare in the arts and culture sector”. It will not duplicate the work of Fair Work Australia or the unions.
What are the gaps?
Climate Action is not visible at all in the policy. We will continue to push for a commitment to supporting the arts and cultural sectors to implement green policies such as divestment plans. There could also have been mention of the role that arts and cultural activity plays in helping communities adapt and heal from climate-change induced disasters.
While there is mention of multi-cultural projects, there is no statement about the urgent need for racial equity to be a driving rationale for investment.