Leading contemporary arts bodies unite to develop long-term vision for Australia's arts agenda
Media Release
Clockwise from front centre:
Michelle Newton, Deputy Director, Artspace; Claire Sourgnes, Deputy Chair, ACDC and Director, Artisan; Alexie Glass-Kantor, Chair, CAOA and Director, Artspace; Mikala Tai, Deputy Chair, CAOA and Director, 4A Centre of Contemporary Asian Art; Channon Goodwin, Convenor, All Conference and Director, Bus Projects; Deborah Tout Smith, Deputy Chair, ICOM Australia and Senior Curator, Museum Victoria; Tristan Chant, Copyright Agency; Alex Marsden, National Director, AMaGA; Esther Anatolitis, Executive Director, NAVA.
With a focus on long-term, sustained collaboration for the benefit of Australia’s contemporary arts, the Australian Museums and Galleries Association (AMaGA) and the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) today kicked off an ambitious four-year initiative to build on shared values and lead national policy priorities – not only for this year, but with a sustained approach up to the 2022 election and beyond.
Esther Anatolitis, Executive Director of NAVA, and Alex Marsden, National Director of AMaGA, hosted a national roundtable with an unprecedented breadth of representation from ACDC (Australian Craft and Design Centres), artist-run initiatives network All Conference, CAAMD (Council of Australian Art Museum Directors), CAMD (Council of Australian Museum Directors), CAOA (Contemporary Arts Organisations Australia), Copyright Agency (formerly Viscopy), GLAM Peak (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums), and ICOM Australia (International Council of Museums), with written contributions from Arts Law and Artists in the Black.
These organisations represented a vast depth and breadth of experience and commitment. Together, the group affirmed shared values prioritising First Nations first, the ethical frameworks shaping everything they do, and the public, social and cultural value of the sector for Australia’s diverse communities.
The group championed the power of collaboration to identify bold new opportunities for investment, drive creativity, develop sustainability and strengthen community resilience across Australia.
In exploring new ways to work together, the group discussed their roles in the growing sophistication of the arts ecosystem, urgent research priorities, and ambitious and fair frameworks for cultural production and audience development.
“We shared the will and the vision to champion Australia’s artists, and the organisations who support them,” said Alex Marsden. “The contemporary arts are the lynchpin for so much of Australia’s future innovation and the creative industries.”
“In an election year, it’s vital that we’re looking at both the immediate and the longer term,” said Esther Anatolitis. “Contemporary artists are ready for the national discussions that Australia needs. We’re excited to work together with such a broad range of Australia’s premier organisations.”
Further policy positions will be announced by individual organisations ahead of the federal election.
