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Major Australian arts festivals have released a statement calling for the return of Australia Council funding, published in full below.
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The Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals is dismayed by the drastic reductions in funding for the small to medium arts sector as the impact of last year’s cuts to the Australia Council emerges with their announcement of the four-year funding results. We reiterate the LPA’s call “for the “$72.8 million cut by the Coalition from the Australia Council budget to be returned so that jobs, growth and innovation in the live performance industry can be sustained”.
Our Festivals thrive on a healthy ecosystem of Australian arts companies that must include a diverse industry engine room: the small to medium sector. Over the last ten years, Festivals nationwide have premiered works by Australian companies including the now defunded: Force Majeure, Legs on the Wall, Slingsby, Arena Theatre Company, Vitalstatstix, Brink, Phillip Adams Balletlab and more.
Some of the Australia Council decisions are to be applauded. The maintenance of Indigenous organisations and the geographic and art form spread are what the Australia Council does so well, but the fact remains that the Australia Council was working with disastrously reduced resources brought about by the Federal Government cuts.
The recent confusing Catalyst announcements will do little to address the devastating losses and longer term impacts. Whilst they provide support for organisations and some extraordinary projects they are not, like Australia Council organisation grants, a strategic investment in the long term viability of a diverse and vibrant arts ecology. They run the risk of restricting the national flow of high quality adventurous and future focussed work in the arts ecology.
The Festivals support industry demands for clarity and transparency, and add our voice to calls for a coherent strategy for investment into the small to medium sector that includes support for core operating costs allowing the sector to grow and thrive.
In lieu of such a strategy, the Festivals support calls for a reinstatement of Australia Council funding to the levels that pre-date 2015.
Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals Members:
Adelaide Festival, Brisbane Festival, Darwin Festival, Melbourne Festival, Perth International Arts Festival, Sydney Festival, Ten Days on the Island
