ArtsPeak update—November 2017

After much consultation and discussion, the ArtsPeak Executive Committee has sent the following letter to all members. The committee will monitor any developments at national political level to ensure that there is still a voice, when, for example, a Federal election is called. The letter reads as follows:

Thanks so much for your feedback and thoughts, and also your kind words about the Executive’s role with ArtsPeak. We heard back from more than half of the current ArtsPeak membership. 

Overwhelmingly you have supported our proposal to put ArtsPeak on the backburner for now, to support other initiatives such as The New Approach, to monitor where the advocacy gaps are, and to look at what model would be appropriate to build for the future. 

It was clear from responses that ArtsPeak is well regarded for its work to date, particularly its role in reversing the budget changes of 2014 and 2015, and there is sadness around having to put that work on hold. 

No alternative suggestions were made about how we might resource some pro-active work in the short-term, and everyone agrees that the work can’t continue at the same pace without human and dollar resources. 

The following has been agreed (from November 2017):

  1. Observe and support the work of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and Newgate Communications (as the successful tenderers for the New Approach project), as well as projects such as Arts Front, and the new wave of First Nations service organisations;
  2. Retain the ArtsPeak brand and collateral under the supervision of the Executive, to use at a future date if and when appropriate; 
  3. Support the current individual ArtsPeak members to continue to liaise with each other and work towards a stronger arts sector (but not for the moment under the ArtsPeak brand);  
  4. As the New Approach rolls out and other work is implemented, the Executive will monitor where the gaps are, and look at what model would be appropriate to build, at a future date.  

You are welcome to get in touch with any of the executive members, or the broader ArtsPeak membership at any time. Below is the list for your information and for one-on-one communication. 

Executive Committee

  • Henry Boston, Chamber of Arts and Culture WA
  • Merryn Carter, Performing Arts Touring Alliance (PATA) 
  • Norm Horton & Sarah Moynihan, Feral Arts
  • Julie Dyson, Ausdance National, the Childers Group and NAAE
  • Lena Nahlous, Diversity Arts Australia
  • Nicole Beyer, Theatre Network Australia (until November 2017). 
National ArtsPeak forum held in Sydney in 2015 to hear from Arts Minister Senator Mitch Fifield about cuts to Australia Council funding. Photo: Julie Dyson

Further Reading

News / Blog / Press Releases / Events

ArtsPeak calls for Senate Inquiry

Ausdance joins other members of ArtsPeak (the confederation of national peak arts organisations) in a call for a Senate Inquiry into the recent federal Budget announcement that $104.8m over 4 years will be stripped from the appropriation of the Australia Council for the Arts to establish a National Programme for Excellence in the Arts (NPEA) under the control of the Arts Minister.

News / Blog / Press Releases / Events

ArtsPeak calls for Government to act on Senate Inquiry recommendations

ArtsPeak (the confederation of Australian national peak arts organisations and state arts industry councils), at its meeting on Wednesday 2nd March, called on the Commonwealth Government to urgently provide a positive public response to the recommendations of the Senate Inquiry into the impact of the 2014 and 2015 Commonwealth Budget decisions on the Arts.