There is a perception among our leaders that art, culture and creativity are optional extras in our society, an unnecessary drain on our country’s finances. That funding these things is an indulgence: so long as they sign the same size cheques their predecessors did, and send them off to the usual agencies to disburse, it can just be written off as status quo marketing. After all, it’s not really important, and there are no votes in it anyway.
Of course the absolute opposite is true. Arts and creativity, in all their forms, define how we see ourselves, and the environment we live in – who we are, what we’ve become and ultimately, where we’re going. It’s essential we reprioritise them in our national political agenda.
Australia’s creative economy generates billions of dollars in revenue each year. Our artistic and creative output also profoundly improves the quality of life for Australians. The events, exhibitions, festivals, performances, screenings and many other gatherings this output inspires ultimately achieve the same result – they bring us together and open up our minds to shared experiences and emotional responses. Thankfully this is happening every day in our cities, suburbs and communities.
Tangible financial results from our artistic and creative works are desirable and commendable. The intangible results of creating a united people who tolerate their differences and celebrate their many similarities, are absolutely crucial. It’s the glue that holds us together, that strengthens and defines us as a people and a nation.
Because is you don’t have a voice, you won’t be heard
There’s no doubt that art and creativity need a dedicated national platform. There’s also no doubt that our current political landscape needs more of the open, inclusive and innovative kind of thinking that the arts generates.
We’ve grown tired of waiting for a positive, cross-party parliamentary voice, looking for win-win solutions – so we’ve created it.
The last four years of grinding negativity from the opposition may only be matched by the next four years of grinding negativity from the new opposition. Why? Because the approach clearly works, but at the cost of alienating a huge percentage of Australians from politics in general. The job of defining this country’s future should involve all of us and be inspiring work. There’s no more important a job than this.
We’ve seen over the last few years that a small political party in the current system can have a completely disproportionate level of influence – and this system is not going to change anytime soon. We don’t believe there is a better time, or a better opportunity, to make a difference to art and culture in Australia.
So while it’s easy to categorise us as ‘just another small interest party’, it isn’t correct. Our primary focus is to encourage artists, audiences and human creativity, which basically covers the entire population!
Because the audience is essential!
A book without a reader, a song without a listener, a painting unseen. It’s all rather pointless isn’t it? We create because we want to share and affect others with our work. Funding audience participation is the flip side of funding our creativity. There clearly needs to be some new, creative thinking around our current funding models. When you define ‘success’ as ‘only fund buzzword projects‘ or ‘get your money back at least’, then funding bodies often end up supporting the status quo, at the expense of fresh approaches and ideas.
‘Success’ should be defined as engaging far more Australians in works funded by their tax money. With audiences, that engagement should occur far earlier, be made more affordable and far more accessible.
What we need is a more efficient arts industry, funding more creativity, taking more risks and offering greater opportunity for all Australians, as both creators and audience to get involved.
We’re hoping that the people reading this will want to be part of the solution to creating a better Australia for creative Australians. We urge you to join us in ensuring that we are given a sporting chance to achieve at our highest level.
We, the artists, the audience and supporters of the arts are determined to ensure that our stories, our images, our music and our voices will at long last achieve the recognition they deserve.
Please, lend your support by becoming a founding member to enable the greatest opportunity we will ever have in redefining the future of the arts in Australia.
Find out more from The Arts Party site, on Facebook or Twitter.
