Bob Clutterbuck, Newstead
I’m writing to endorse the sentiments expressed in the letter you recently received from Suzanne Donnisthorpe penned to Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards (Opinions, June 10) about arts funding. Specifically how the available funds are distributed and how little goes directly to artists themselves.
Ms Edwards will remember the numerous meetings from a couple of years ago, in which the RedShed Arts Workshop (previously the Newstead Arts Salon) and the Newstead Arts Hub, met with representatives from various bureaucracies including, DEWLP, Regional Development Vic and Mt Alexander Shire Council? Ms Edwards attended some of these meetings herself. The focus of the meetings was to highlight the difficulties and inadequacies of the current funding model, and to develop a new model which could properly meet the needs of community organisations such as ours.
Among the criticisms and frustrations we had then included the short term nature of funding, the way in which grants are procured, the number of hoops required to jump through, and the crumbs on offer in most cases, if one was successful. Nothing has changed.
Suzanne rightfully points out that most of the large grants available are for building/s. Little funding goes directly to artists.
RedShed Art Workshop is in the fortunate position of having access to a long term sublease of the Newstead Good Shed through the VicTrack Vacant Rail Buildings for Community Use Program. VicTrack are indeed spending a sizable amount of money on renovating the building and we are looking forward to shortly being able to operate out of that facility. To be sure, we are very grateful for it, and to you Maree in helping us secure the building. But you, more than most, know how long we had been pushing to get that space and the machinations required to get it.
There are a number of things common to most of the groups Suzanne listed, including ours. Across the arts, these organisations act as core groups… promoters, facilitators, venues, galleries, vectors, propagators, workshops, call them what you will, they all foster engagement by, with, for artists, practitioners and supporters alike. They are nearly all run voluntarily. They are all cash strapped.
They create all sorts of community benefits well beyond the services which they provide directly. Economic spin offs for small business, tourism, as has been pointed out, as well as numerous cultural, educational and health benefits, particularly mental health benefits etc. Chiefly among them is employment opportunities for artists and artist venues. In our case, once we are fully functioning, we hope to be employing between 6-8 art teachers a week, for forty weeks a year, as well as an administrator and technical staff. Many groups would similarly be employing artists directly or indirectly through art projects, concerts, performances etc, if the funding was available.
The funding model needs to change.
As Suzanne said, what is required is REAL funding.
That means long term, sizable grants which would allow for some stability, longer term planning and the alleviation of the constant turnover of members of volunteer committees due to burnout. Arts funding needs to reflect the strength, economic significance and potential of the arts industry, especially in Central Victoria.
Funding to directly or indirectly employ artists or applicable positions should be a big part of the available grant monies.
There needs to be a significant redistribution of grants towards grass roots arts funding and not just prioritising high end art product, be that buildings or otherwise.
The artists should get a bigger share of the pie! The process of applying for these grants needs to be kinder, simpler.
There needs to be a different approach to funding with different priorities and that necessitates a different approach from the state government.
As a community, the arts collectively has always been progressive and has long supported progressive parties like the Labor Party. Time to return the favour. To borrow from our new Prime Minister…’We can do better than that.’