Update on Arts Funding
05/12/2015Most of you know about $120 million unexpectedly ripped from the Australia Arts Council (by George Brandis former Minister for the arts), for a discretionary Excellence in the Arts Fund. This huge reduction in arts funding was going to impact individual artists and small to medium arts organisations, like Umbrella. In response I submitted one of the 2,719 submissions and was one of 218 representations from artists and organisations in 10 public hearings across the nation. (I want to thank Tony and Alan for their support during my stomach churning conference call to the Senate hearing being held in Cairns.) The Townsville based organisations who also gave evidence, are AFCM, Dance North, Full Throttle and Lorna Hempstead on behalf of Theatre NQ.
I am very proud of what we achieved as an organisation and as a sector. Our participation highlights the important role Umbrella plays as an advocate on behalf of arts in North Queensland. This issue has raised the profile and value of the arts sector.
– Vicki Salisbury
Read more information: http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/content/speeches-parliament/tabling-arts-inquiry-report
