Ben Eltham
Ben Eltham's Latest Articles
Creative industries inquiry demonstrates need for national cultural policy as hearings continue
Australia’s Parliament is holding an inquiry into the creative industries. Ben Eltham looks at the evidence given in public hearings.
Local councils picking up arts funding slack
A new report says cultural funding ‘reached its highest point ever’ in 2017/18 – but the real story is a…
What’s wrong with excellence in the arts
Excellence sounds like a motherhood concept but it is actually a code word for a narrow conservative agenda.
Proving the real value of the arts
The arts needs to stop trying to justify itself in economic terms and embrace the real public value it delivers.
Arts to come in innovation policy, says Minister
The absence of the arts from the recent Government Innovation statement is not the last word, says the Minister for…
Australia Council showing the stress
The Australia Council is restructuring for life to manage Fifield’s Catalyst regime. Some current staff have been made redundant and…
Catalyst contradictions revealed at Senate Estimates
A top public servant says Australia Council nominated the figure of $8 million as the amount needed to save small-to-mediums.…
Sorry but the NPEA's not dead yet
The new Minister has admitted he is thinking of 'adjustments' to the NPEA. We examine the evidence that the Budget…
Indigenous theatre booms with stories to tell
Excavating the untold history of the Stolen Generations is providing a rich seam of stories for Indigenous writers and performers.