The Federal election has been called for 21 May and voters may be asking, where is the Arts and Culture policy and how can I support the sector in the lead up to the election?
Currently, neither the Liberal Party, Nationals, Labor Party or the Greens offer a clearly defined policy on arts and culture in their future plans. This only highlights the need for the sector to join together and advocate for arts and culture policies now more than ever.
To start campaigning for the arts, there is already a healthy selection of support materials on hand. One such tool is NAVA with their #VoteForArt campaign aimed at increasing government support for the visual arts to explore the full social and economic potential of communities.
NAVA is meeting with candidates to promote their campaign and call on candidates to support five key policy priorities:
- Put First Nations first
- Stimulate long-term sustainability
- Pay artists for their work
- Prioritise equity, cultural safety and accessibility
- Nourish arts education
For an in-depth look at each of these key policy priorities, and to utilise NAVA resources such as social media assets and banners, visit the NAVA website.
Cultural policy is the foundation of all policy, outlining the ethics, experiences and stories that define us as a nation. The elected government should make decisions on behalf of the people in line with infrastructure that supports the expertise of artists, teachers and researchers. Not as an interference to them.
Arts and culture are everywhere and are essential for our National identity and wellbeing and all Australians would benefit from ambitious art and culture experiences made possible through policy and funding opportunities. Use your vote to support bold action for a thriving visual arts community.
Regional Arts Australia have also provided an election toolkit that supports a unified voice across all art forms and geographies. ‘Art and Culture are Everywhere’ and ‘Art and culture are Essential’ are the two major slogans for the campaign.
The hashtags #ArtAndCultureAreEverywhere #ArtAndCultureAreEssential #VoteForArt are a key part of this messaging with resources such as social media tiles and banners located on the Regional Arts Australia Website.
Theatre Network Australia has provided a useful template for writing to your local MP to advocate for arts and culture which can be found on their website. They have also gathered facts and statistics to include, as well as an interactive map from the Australia Council to find your electorate, MP and candidates.
Arts and culture can be found in the cities, in the regions, in remote communities, and in every state and territory. Art and culture is a vital tool for health, education, jobs, social cohesion, mental health, national identity, and a successful recovery. During the pandemic, 73% of Australians sought out arts and culture to improve their mood and quality of life.
Consider what level of personal commitment you would like to make. Will you share a social post? Have a conversation with friends and family? Get on the phone with a candidate?
Any action is good action in the effort to make our voice heard. For a guide on how to get involved, speak to candidates and really advocate for arts and culture, check out the excellent article by Esther Anatolitis on the Arts Hub website.
Join the unified movement to bring arts and culture into the conversation, better define policy and shape the 2022 Federal election.
Download RANSW social media tiles and banners for the 2022 election below.