The results of an independent review of the Australia Council (AC), which will inform the forthcoming National Cultural Policy, were released by the Federal Arts Minister, Simon Crean, last week (May 15). The review could be good news for smaller, independent arts groups and individual artists, with a call for a large injection of funds specifically for this sector. The report also recommends that the current rigid artform boards be dismantled in favour of a more generalised approach, which may make application for funding a more transparent and easier exercise.
The review was conducted by Angus James, a merchant banker, and Gabrielle Trainor, a corporate communications expert.
The headlining reform is the disassembling of the AC’s separate categories such as dance, music, theatre and literature that have existed for the past 40 years. The review says that under the existing arrangements, “funding via artform is historically based with no clear reference to audience participation, practitioner numbers, or artform cost”. It recommends an entirely new model for funding the arts, that:
a) Replaces the standing artform board structure with a general stream for grant applications across all artforms; and
b) Maintains the centrality of peer assessment but promotes flexibility and breadth by adopting, but adapting, the model employed by the Canada Council for the Arts that allows for more peers to become involved in assessment and thereby diversifying the mix of peers.
As research for the report, James and Trainor met with a range of interested parties, and measured the views that were put forward through over 450 written submissions to the National Cultural Policy. They also released an online survey which received more than 2000 responses earlier this year. People who completed the survey were more likely to be female, aged between 18 and 64 years old, and from a metropolitan location in NSW, the ACT or Tasmania.
The review shows respondents are concerned about funding distribution, and think the Council does not fairly distribute funding in a way that reveals the true diversity of the Australian arts and culture sector. Simply put, respondents think that too much funding is given to major organisations and too little to individual artists and smaller arts organisations.
Suggestions for changes to the operations of the AC included:
- To ensure that funding allocation is representative of the Australian arts and culture sector, especially for emerging artists, contemporary music and community arts;
- To change the grant application process to make it more accessible through fast-response grants, smaller seeding grants, and for the decision making process to be more transparent. (Just over half of the respondents had not applied for AC funding in the last decade. From those who had applied for funding, 61 per cent had received at least one grant. Organisations were significantly more likely to have applied for, and received a grant compared to individuals. Seventy-two per cent of respondents agreed that the chance of getting funding is perceived as too low);
- That delivery of funding be delegated to more localised channels that have stronger connection to the community;
- Investigate other best practice models for arts funding, yet consider in the Australian context;
- Better communicate and proactively foster relationships with potential applicants through providing more practical advice and support;
- Boost funding to the arts in Australia through investigating ways to support philanthropy and crowd-funding;
- Make being an artist more financially sustainable through lobbying for an artist’s allowance and tax incentives.
The Review recommends the AC focus on four areas of activity in pursuing its purpose: providing funding to promote and sustain excellence in the arts sector, promoting a sector that is distinctly Australian, ensuring there are audiences and markets for the work it funds and promotes, and working to maximise the social and economic contribution made by the arts sector to Australia. The review also recommends $21.25 million in additional funding to the council, which will mainly be distributed amongst artists and organisations who are not part of the major performing arts sector.
In good news for the AC, 87 per cent of respondents considered that the purpose of the Council (“to support the arts in Australia through delivering funding, and advocating for the sector through lobbying, marketing and research”) is still valid for the 21st Century, and that its modus operandi - that is, acting at arm’s length from government, and decision-making regarding funding based on the assessment of artistic merit by a panel of peers, and leaving the primary work of policy development and programs supporting broad access to the arts to the department of state (Office for the Arts), should be maintained.
The Minister welcomes responses to the review report by Friday 8 June. These will be considered as part of the development of the Government response. Dance Australia readers can forward responses via email to here.
- ASTRID LAWTON