Page 384 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 14 February 2017
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Arts—funding
MS CHEYNE: Can the Minister for Arts and Community Events report on how the government is delivering on our commitment to the arts in the midyear review arts package?
MR RAMSAY: I thank Ms Cheyne for her question. I note her particularly strong interest in the arts in the ACT and notably her excellent work with the Belconnen Arts Centre in our electorate of Ginninderra. I am pleased to advise that the midyear budget review delivers some very good news for the Canberra arts and festivals scene in line with our goal for bigger and better events in Canberra. We are funding the Art, Not Apart festival in 2017. We are committed to ongoing funding of this unique event which showcases local artists and helps to promote Canberra as in innovative arts and events destination. Now in its fourth year Art, Not Apart is a festival like no other. It pushes the boundaries of what is traditionally seen as art and it explores new connections between art forms and between artists and audiences.
We will also be supporting the inaugural Floriade Fringe to add to the already famous Floriade experience by creating a companion fringe festival which will offer an innovative, provocative and eclectic festival program. We are funding new signage for the Gorman House arts centre and the Ainslie Arts Centre to assist users of and visitors to the centres to find their way around these well-utilised and recently renovated facilities.
We have also announced an additional $230,000 for the 2017 arts project round, which brings the number of projects by individual artists, groups and organisations able to be funded in 2017 to 28. All successful applicants have been notified. They include all arts disciplines, and they will contribute to the vitality and the diversity of the Canberra arts scene.
MS CHEYNE: Can the minister advise how the government will build on these commitments in 2017-18 and beyond?
MR RAMSAY: In accordance with our election commitments and the parliamentary agreement, we will be delivering the largest single increase in arts funding since self-government. That will reflect the value that art and artists provide to our local community. We will be providing ongoing funding for Art, Not Apart, and three years funding to Kulture Break, as well as additional ongoing funding for the arts grants program.
We are providing ongoing funding to the DESIGN Canberra festival, which is now in its fourth year. This fantastic festival, which I was pleased to attend last year, capitalises on Canberra’s growing reputation as a livable, creative city, to bring together local, national and international design and craft communities and to celebrate design and craft.
We will begin work scoping a new Canberra arts biennial, a Canberra innovation festival and pop-up community arts festivals. We will be funding, to the tune of
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