Event Session - Little Lunch #49

Live Stream / Recording

Friday 5th June, 12:00pm - 12:30pm AEST

Sydney

The Australia Council is working on an overarching national plan to Re-ignite arts and cultural activity across the Country. This work includes the development of a Re-Imagine, a new Industry Plan to position arts and culture at the heart of the nation’s COVID recovery. 

For Little Lunch #49 Council's Head of Sector Development Jade Lillie joins Sandra Fields to get our input into the new plan. What are conditions under which arts and cultural activity is both possible and viable for the industry to move from surviving to thriving?

The Australia Council recently launched a user-friendly guide, Re-Activate, for independent artists and organisations about how to confidently comply with the government guidelines to resume practice and open doors to welcome communities, audiences, visitors and customers. It is a practical guide to complying with the existing requirements of stage two and three of the Federal Governments Three-Step Framework.

We are also working on an Industry Plan, Re-Imagine, to position arts and culture at the heart of the nation’s recovery. It will seek to influence aspects of Steps Two and Three of the current framework, however, the main focus is on Step Four and Five; offering conditions under which arts and cultural activity is both possible and viable for the industry to move from surviving to thriving.

Questions and Comments

  • What are the barriers for you to resume your practice, or open your doors, or rehearse together or come together? What can we do (or what have you already done) in response to these barriers?
    Sandra Fields Sandra Fields Fri 5th Jun, 10:08am
    Comments
    • Görkem Acaroğlu Fri 5th Jun, 12:06pm
      The Majors receive large amounts of money (not an equal share of the pie) yet they are not required to engage and create pathways for artists or to ensure equal access for artists from diverse backgrounds - this needs to change.!they perpetuate a citrus of Australia that is extremely biased
    • Görkem Acaroğlu Fri 5th Jun, 12:07pm
      Perspective!
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • What are the challenges that you are dealing with as a result of COVID? Do you have any ideas about what we can do in response?
    Sandra Fields Sandra Fields Fri 5th Jun, 10:04am
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • The question of resources has come up (of course!) and whilst we aren't trying to deal with how much is needed to do what we need to do we are interested in what the priorities are for you if there were more resources available - keen to get your ideas on this.
    Sandra Fields Sandra Fields Fri 5th Jun, 9:36am
    Comments
    • Feral Arts Fri 5th Jun, 10:38am
      we think support for independent artists and unfunded small companies has to be the 1st priority at the moment - more money for the Council's Resilience Fund would help.
    • Julie Skate Fri 5th Jun, 1:29am
      Our priorities, as always is our artists. More resources would allow us to further subsidise the hiring fees at our facility to ensure that artists maximise their profits on the works they make. We would also like to offer more residencies and mentorships as that is what they are telling us that they need at the moment.
    • Elliott Bledsoe Fri 5th Jun, 12:10pm
      The results from the Audience Outlook Monitor dashboard and the Australia Snapshot Report provide many valuable insights, but given that many artists and small-to-medium arts organisations have lost income how can they action those insights?
    • Suneeta Peres da Costa Fri 5th Jun, 1:26pm
      In the 17-18 Financial Year, Oz Co allocated just 6% of funding to Literature - the lowest percentage of any single artform. While it was an improvement on past years, it is still not proportionate to or commensurate with funding of other areas of practice. Particularly hamstrung by successive funding cuts to Oz Co and now Covid-19, Literature needs to be given itz due with a bigger slice of funding. How will Re-imagine redefine the importance of Literature?
    • Julie Fri 5th Jun, 5:07am
      I was also a little disappointed to see that there were artists who received Resilience funding are employed full time in the public service.Could funding be means tested? That would be so much fairer.
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • If you missed yesterday's Lunch here is Jade outlining Council's planned Re-imagine work over the next few months - this sounds like a great opportunity to bring the myriad of future conversations underway through the Little Lunches and being planned for the Arts Front 2030 gathering in November

    https://youtu.be/YKkSwKwNNic
    Feral Arts Feral Arts Fri 5th Jun, 9:27am
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • When is Australia to come into line with Europe & UK and pay broadcasting royalties to orchestral & session players - the effects of the virus on their employment has been devastating. Elsewhere these royalties create a buffer against such difficulties
    Peter Thoms Thu 4th Jun, 7:15am
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • What is the Australia Council focus on artists with disability during COVID 19? Will the Re-Imagine plan focus on the effects this pandemic has had on us?
    Kate Hood Thu 4th Jun, 3:01am
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • We have heard in the past that Australia Council can’t do the advocacy that the Sector is calling for. Has a solution for this been thought about?
    Melissa Robertson Melissa Robertson Thu 4th Jun, 12:31pm
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • Keen to understand the position of children and young people and the sector that serves this specific audience, in the re-imagine section. This is an artform/ecology query as well as an acknowledgement of resilience and social cohesion impact. Happy to share sector knowledge and current advocacy.
    Sue Giles Thu 4th Jun, 2:22am
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • I would like to know what Program Officers are doing to reach out directly to their network. I am particularly concerned about the wellbeing of individuals within the sector and organisations and who is checking in with them. And in particular those in leadership roles. Who is checking in on them?

    This will be the reason many have not submitted applications or on funding bodies radars. If someone is a public servant, I feel they have a civic duty to check in with their network.
    Melissa Robertson Melissa Robertson Thu 4th Jun, 10:49am
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • Will Re-imagine include increased support for literature, a historically underfunded arts sectors?
    Michele Seminara Wed 3rd Jun, 11:27pm
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • Will the Re-imagine plan include strategies to support writers, publishers, literary magazines and other literary organisations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
    Angela Savage Wed 3rd Jun, 10:57pm
    Comments
    • Görkem Acaroğlu Fri 5th Jun, 11:43am
      Artists from non Anglo backgrounds were used to marginalisation and discriminatation prior to COVID. Now the entire sector is experiencing this marginalisation - will artists from non Anglo backgrounds have equal access to being leaders and decision making in a reimagined future?
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
Little Lunch #49 - Zoom Meeting

Questions and Comments

  • What are the barriers for you to resume your practice, or open your doors, or rehearse together or come together? What can we do (or what have you already done) in response to these barriers?
    Sandra Fields Sandra Fields Fri 5th Jun, 10:08am
    Comments
    • Görkem Acaroğlu Fri 5th Jun, 12:06pm
      The Majors receive large amounts of money (not an equal share of the pie) yet they are not required to engage and create pathways for artists or to ensure equal access for artists from diverse backgrounds - this needs to change.!they perpetuate a citrus of Australia that is extremely biased
    • Görkem Acaroğlu Fri 5th Jun, 12:07pm
      Perspective!
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • What are the challenges that you are dealing with as a result of COVID? Do you have any ideas about what we can do in response?
    Sandra Fields Sandra Fields Fri 5th Jun, 10:04am
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • The question of resources has come up (of course!) and whilst we aren't trying to deal with how much is needed to do what we need to do we are interested in what the priorities are for you if there were more resources available - keen to get your ideas on this.
    Sandra Fields Sandra Fields Fri 5th Jun, 9:36am
    Comments
    • Feral Arts Fri 5th Jun, 10:38am
      we think support for independent artists and unfunded small companies has to be the 1st priority at the moment - more money for the Council's Resilience Fund would help.
    • Julie Skate Fri 5th Jun, 1:29am
      Our priorities, as always is our artists. More resources would allow us to further subsidise the hiring fees at our facility to ensure that artists maximise their profits on the works they make. We would also like to offer more residencies and mentorships as that is what they are telling us that they need at the moment.
    • Elliott Bledsoe Fri 5th Jun, 12:10pm
      The results from the Audience Outlook Monitor dashboard and the Australia Snapshot Report provide many valuable insights, but given that many artists and small-to-medium arts organisations have lost income how can they action those insights?
    • Suneeta Peres da Costa Fri 5th Jun, 1:26pm
      In the 17-18 Financial Year, Oz Co allocated just 6% of funding to Literature - the lowest percentage of any single artform. While it was an improvement on past years, it is still not proportionate to or commensurate with funding of other areas of practice. Particularly hamstrung by successive funding cuts to Oz Co and now Covid-19, Literature needs to be given itz due with a bigger slice of funding. How will Re-imagine redefine the importance of Literature?
    • Julie Fri 5th Jun, 5:07am
      I was also a little disappointed to see that there were artists who received Resilience funding are employed full time in the public service.Could funding be means tested? That would be so much fairer.
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • If you missed yesterday's Lunch here is Jade outlining Council's planned Re-imagine work over the next few months - this sounds like a great opportunity to bring the myriad of future conversations underway through the Little Lunches and being planned for the Arts Front 2030 gathering in November

    https://youtu.be/YKkSwKwNNic
    Feral Arts Feral Arts Fri 5th Jun, 9:27am
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • When is Australia to come into line with Europe & UK and pay broadcasting royalties to orchestral & session players - the effects of the virus on their employment has been devastating. Elsewhere these royalties create a buffer against such difficulties
    Peter Thoms Thu 4th Jun, 7:15am
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • What is the Australia Council focus on artists with disability during COVID 19? Will the Re-Imagine plan focus on the effects this pandemic has had on us?
    Kate Hood Thu 4th Jun, 3:01am
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • We have heard in the past that Australia Council can’t do the advocacy that the Sector is calling for. Has a solution for this been thought about?
    Melissa Robertson Melissa Robertson Thu 4th Jun, 12:31pm
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • Keen to understand the position of children and young people and the sector that serves this specific audience, in the re-imagine section. This is an artform/ecology query as well as an acknowledgement of resilience and social cohesion impact. Happy to share sector knowledge and current advocacy.
    Sue Giles Thu 4th Jun, 2:22am
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • I would like to know what Program Officers are doing to reach out directly to their network. I am particularly concerned about the wellbeing of individuals within the sector and organisations and who is checking in with them. And in particular those in leadership roles. Who is checking in on them?

    This will be the reason many have not submitted applications or on funding bodies radars. If someone is a public servant, I feel they have a civic duty to check in with their network.
    Melissa Robertson Melissa Robertson Thu 4th Jun, 10:49am
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • Will Re-imagine include increased support for literature, a historically underfunded arts sectors?
    Michele Seminara Wed 3rd Jun, 11:27pm
    Comments
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.
  • Will the Re-imagine plan include strategies to support writers, publishers, literary magazines and other literary organisations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
    Angela Savage Wed 3rd Jun, 10:57pm
    Comments
    • Görkem Acaroğlu Fri 5th Jun, 11:43am
      Artists from non Anglo backgrounds were used to marginalisation and discriminatation prior to COVID. Now the entire sector is experiencing this marginalisation - will artists from non Anglo backgrounds have equal access to being leaders and decision making in a reimagined future?
    Unless you login as a registered user, we need your email and name address.

Key Points