The date of launching this plan – April’s Fool Day (1 April) – could be viewed as a little insensitive. Are the arts considered a joke? Well, if the pipeline of funding promised by the South Australian Government is testament to their value position, then no.
A Place to Create has been a long time in coming, and follows a period of funding instability across changing governments and agendas in recent years. The Marshall Government’s 2019 Arts Plan was delivered with no significant boost in funding for the arts and culture sector, so today’s announcement of $80 million, initially, to support the policy’s goals, is welcome news.