Resources and funding - Culture sector news

Events and Projects | Call for entries | Announcements

Events and Projects

Australia Council for the Arts, Strategy paper, Arts content for the digital era

June 2009

This is the Australia Council's blueprint for supporting arts content and its creators in the digital era. The strategy addresses: digital infrastructure and where and when artists engage with their audiences; how traditional artforms - from Indigenous music to literature and the performing arts can use digital technology; and how our arts heritage will be preserved in a digital environment.

Developing and Revitalizing Rural Communities Through Arts and Creativity: Australia

Maintenance Milaby house

Sean Cordeiro & Claire Healy, Maintenance, Milaby Farm, Ballidu, May 2004. Image courtesy of IASKA Project, Kellerberrin, Western Australia.

March 2009, released July 2009

This chapter by Kim Dunphy of the Cultural Development Network, Victoria investigates the revitalisation of rural communities through arts and culture in Australia, especially Port Fairy, Victoria, Sheffield, Tasmania and Natimuk, Victoria. The Simon Fraser University, Vancouver and the Creative City Network of Canada have released a new research report on cultural and creative business development in rural communities across Canada, Australia, the United States, and Europe. It is intended to assist rural communities to take best advantage of their creative capacity. IASKA, a situation specific project, developed mainly around Kellerberrin Western Australia was used to help illustrate the international research report.

Remote Indigenous internet access agreement

2 July 2009

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, announced a new agreement that will bring improved internet access and basic computer training to remote Indigenous communities. Council of Australian Governments has endorsed a National Partnership Agreement that will provide public internet access facilities to remote Indigenous communities.

Import Export - online

Import Export, Lee lin chin

Import Export presenter Lee Lin Chin. Image courtesy of Museums and Galleries New South Wales.

Ongoing

Import Export is a two-part seminar series exploring cross-cultural relations between Asia and Australia generated by museums and galleries. Increasingly, creative strategies are demanded of the cultural sector to bridge national boundaries, diverse audiences, hybrid industries and new technological terrain. These seminars address progressive programming, museum development and projects positioned in an Australasian context.

Australian Music Markets Guide - online

Australian Contemporary Music Market

Image courtesy of OzArts.

2008/2009

The Australian Music Markets Guide (4Mb) booklet is a guide to some of Australia's music business events. The markets and conferences included showcase the best in fresh and emerging Australian talent. The guide aims to promote Australia's vibrant and diverse contemporary music scene.

Call for entries

IMAGinE awards - News South Wales, Australian Capital Territory

Entries by 31 July 2009

Nominations are now open for the IMAGinE awards. Launched in 2008, these annual awards are an opportunity to honour the achievements of the NSW & ACT museum and gallery sector and those who work within it.

The Qantas Spirit Of Youth Awards (SOYA)

submissions due submission 31 July

The Qantas Spirit Of Youth Awards (SOYA) is the leading grants program for emerging creative talent. SOYA provides practical support in the form of $10,000 in flights and cash and the opportunity to build a professional mentoring relationship with creative leaders. Marc Newson, Zimmermann, Vince Frost and Liz Ann Macgregor will help young innovators expand their horizons, build up their business base, and learn the ropes from leading industry icons and some of the greatest creative minds in the world.

Regional Arts Fund (NSW) - New South Wales

Entries by 14 August 2009

Applications for the Regional Arts Fund (NSW) 2010 funding round are now open. The grants support arts and cultural activities in regional NSW that are sustainable, have long term cultural, economic and social benefits, develop partnerships and cultural networks and provide skills development opportunities.

Scholars and Artists in Residence at the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) - national

Entries ongoing

The NFSA invites research proposals from academics, performers, artists, audiovisual industry and archive professionals to draw fresh, innovative perspectives from the national audiovisual collection.  Fellows will use the NFSA's collection to create a new sound or moving image work, a publication, an exhibit, a live audiovisual event or a combination of these and other approaches. The Fellowships offer specially facilitated access and research into the national collection; close collaboration with NFSA curatorial and technical experts; access to the Library; modern accommodation; and a fully equipped work space provided on-site.

Announcements

Australia Council announces ArtStart initiative

20 July 2009

The Australia Council for the Arts will shortly be announcing details of the Australian Government's new ArtStart initiative. ArtStart will provide grants of $10,000 to recent arts training graduates as a contribution towards the costs of establishing a practice as a professional artist. The program will be a jump-start for artists early in their careers, assisting them to earn income or gain employment from their arts practice.

Appointment of Australia Council Chair and Deputy Chair

1 July 2009

Minister for the Arts Peter Garrett congratulated James Strong AO on his reappointment as Chair of the Australia Council and John W.H. Denton on his appointment as Deputy Chair. Both positions will be for a term of three years. "The reappointment of Mr Strong and appointment of Mr Denton to the critical roles of Chair and Deputy Chair will provide strong and experienced leadership for the Australia Council and the arts sector," Mr Garrett said.

Arts funding for regional communities

30 June 2009

The Australian Government is supporting home-grown arts activities in regional Australia with more than $550,000 for 60 new arts projects. Arts Minister Peter Garrett said the Government is funding innovative and exciting cultural projects created by local artists living in regional Australia. "Through the Regional Arts Fund, artists work with members of their community to bring vibrant arts and cultural experiences, such as festivals, events, performances and other artistic enterprises, to regional and remote communities," Mr Garrett said.

Regional Arts Australia Online Survey

Closing 31 July 2009

Regional Arts Australia invites you to complete a survey as part of a national consultation which will inform future directions for our work aimed at strengthening regional communities through arts and culture.

Central West Creative Industries Survey Launch

May 2009

Results of a survey undertaken last year of the New South Wales Central West region's creative industries contributed around $62 million in 2006–2007. The survey confirmed what an important role artists, performers, creative businesses, galleries and cultural events have in boosting the region's economy and supporting communities.

Resale royalty response tabled in parliament

28 May 2009

The Government's response to an inquiry into the Resale Royalty Right for Visual Artists Bill 2008 has been tabled in Parliament. The resale royalty scheme is one of the Government's key election commitments and will give artists the right to earn ongoing income from their work, long after the initial sale.

Creative Sydney 2009

May 2009

Creative Sydney 2009 has launched the inaugural CREATIVE CATALYSTS list - honouring and exposing 100 inspirational and innovative Sydneysiders who have made a unique contribution to the city's creative culture.

Northern Territory Government's 2030 Strategy

May 2009

Northern Territory Government's 2030 Strategy aims to establish the territory as a major centre for creative industries.

NSW government announces increased film and TV funding

13 May 2009

Premier Nathan Rees said that the NSW Government had secured post production of Peter Weir's (Gallipoli, Dead Poets Society and The Truman Show) new film, The Way Back, in Sydney. This on the back of last month's announcement by Premier Rees that Green Lantern will be made in Sydney, with 500 new jobs across the creative sector. Mr Rees said that the NSW Government will also invest more than $1 million through the NSW Film and Television Office for two feature films, one telemovie, one children's television series and three factual programs.

Funding for bands to tour regional Australia

6 May 2009

Australian music acts are set to hit the road and tour regional and remote centres with $127,000 in Australian Government funding. Arts Minister Peter Garrett announced that 13 bands will receive grants from Round 17 of the Contemporary Music Touring Program.

Government responds to 2020 Summit

2020 Summit logo

2020 Summit logo

22 April 2009

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has released the Australian Government response to the Australia 2020 Summit. The response highlights the Australian Government's recognition of the critical importance of the arts to our identity, community and economy. Minister for the Arts Peter Garrett said the Australian Government will tackle many of the core themes addressed by the Creative Stream at the Australia 2020 Summit, including arts education, funding support, public access to arts and culture, and the importance of Indigenous culture.

Arts in Australia's national school curriculum

17 April 2009

Australian children are guaranteed an arts-rich education following agreement by federal, state and territory education ministers that arts be included in the national curriculum. Arts Minister Peter Garrett said he was thrilled that arts subjects – including the visual and performing arts – would sit beside English, maths, history, sciences, geography and languages in the national curriculum.

Regional Arts receive culture funding boost

15 April 2009

Arts Minister Peter Garrett announced $1.2 million in funding for 16 national strategic cultural development projects across regional Australia. Through the national strategic component of the Regional Arts Fund program, Regional Arts Australia will administer these 16 projects as part of a four-year framework developed in collaboration with the Regional Arts Organisations across Australia.

Government releases producer tax offset review

8 April 2009

The Assistant Treasurer, Chris Bowen and Minister for the Arts, Peter Garrett, released the review into the refundable tax offsets contained in Division 376 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. The review examined the impact of the film tax offsets, introduced in 2007, on levels of production by independent and in-house production by Australian television broadcasters.

Key online resources

Institutions and government organisations

Peak bodies and associations

Featured websites/projects