The Victorian Liberals Arts Policy – coming soon?

We shouldn’t be surprised, given past elections, that an arts policy from the Victorian Liberal party is hard to find, and for this election it seems nigh on impossible. Frankly, it’s frustrating.

What statements on the arts there have been amount to a curious grab bag of ideas and pledges rather than a fully-fledged policy. It all seems a bit odd, particularly as Liberal leader Ted Baillieu, who is also the Liberal arts spokesperson has some background and cred in the arts.

The Victoria Liberal’s website lists four policy announcements in the past 12 months. The first and most recent of which, is a commitment to forge ties between the Victorian film industry and the monolith that is Bollywood.

It’s a bit left field but the potential is obvious, and it neatly stones the second bird of improving relations damaged over treatment of Indian students in Melbourne. It would seem to be a relatively inexpensive plan, offering $500,000 over four years to the Melbourne International Film Festival to coordinate a Bollywood Film Festival. Also on offer are six fellowships of $20,000 for young Victorian producers and directors, giving them the opportunity to undertake short-term overseas study missions to movie production bases ‘such as Bollywood'. There's a promise to set up technical and artistic exchange programs to strengthen and promote commercial and professional ties. Then through the Victorian Major Events Corporation there’s to be a bid to host the annual International Indian Film Academy Awards plus a Bollywood Ambassador to promote Melbourne as a film and tourism destination would be appointed. Finally a review of the film permit systems is promised to cut red tape.

The other ‘what the...?’ policy to come from Baillieu was the suggestion that Melbourne be the first Australian city to host a Paris-style Nuit Blanche Festival. This would be an annual ‘sleepless night’ festival, similar to those held in Paris, New York and many other European cities, where museums, galleries, theatres, music venues and cinemas stay open from ‘dusk to dawn’. The hope would be for bars and restaurants to also remain open with... ‘Dancing, music, singing, live performances, and artistic displays of every medium …on offer as visitors and families wander in the twilight, experiencing Melbourne’s world- class cultural delights.”

“This once-a-year event will entice hundreds of thousands of local, interstate and international visitors to spend the night with Melbourne and fall in love with the city again,” Baillieu said.

It appears to be another low budget idea. There’s no mention of funding for any of the arts organisations that would have to foot the bill, only a $50,000 prize ‘for the best festival event, as voted each year by audiences’.

The idea was aired at the Arts Industry Council (Victoria) conference in September, when Arts Minister Peter Batchelor, the Greens’ Sue Pennicuik and Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu were brought together to talk about their respective parties arts policies. It was reported back then that plans for such a festival were already in development by the Victorian ALP government.

The AICV Chairman, Jeremy Gaden was quoted at the time as saying, ‘The questions remains, is yet another festival in an already heavy festival-laden context really going to support the arts or is it just an opportunity for political grandstanding?’ (The Age, 29/9/2010 download via AICV)

Also around that time, the funding shortfall at the VCA was a prominent issue and Baillieu was quick off the mark to promise that a Liberal State Government would fund the $6m gap facing the ailing institution. Since then the stare-down between the Victorian and Federal Labor governments has resulted in that $6m being shared between both parties, to be funnelled through the newly created VCA Foundation, saving Victoria a few million.

However, Baillieu’s promises to the VCA included more than just the cash. In an open letter Ted Baillieu said, ‘if Melbourne University is unable to adequately meet the requirements of the VCA and the intent of theMelbourne University (Victorian College of the Arts) Act 2006, a Baillieu government will move to return the VCA to its previous independent and autonomous status, ensuring that it is able to provide teaching and instruction in accordance with the practical requirements of a school of the arts, and that it has full control and direction of its curriculum, operation and the structure of its schools and courses.’

The Liberals have also pledged to reopen City Museum and early this year Baillieu was vocal in his criticisms of the Brumby government’s changes to liquor licensing and what it was doing to Victoria's live music scene.

So as there’s not much to look at, consider last time round. In the 2006 election campaign, there was a bit more on the table. Around $5.32 million was to be taken out of ACMI and a number of Melbourne festivals, though particularly the Melbourne International Arts Festival and the money channelled into increased funding for Victoria’s 28 eisteddfords. There was to be more money, around $6.5m, for the National Gallery of Victoria, Film Victoria Opera Victoria and the Melbourne International Film Festival. However, Arts Victoria was to be have its ‘accountability restored’ and ACMI was to be ‘overhauled’. Given the way ACMI has gone from strength to strength over the past few years, such a move may have been a highly premature knee-capping. The Liberal policy was in stark contrast to the Labor governments substantial commitments to the arts sector in 2006, which included the development of the Wheeler Centre. Though, remember at the time Baillieu had been leader only seven months.

So, what if a Baillieu government wins on Saturday, what will they do for the arts? Well we’d like to tell you, but we just don’t know.

To see more video of Ted Ballieu visit - his YouTube site.