NAVA hears, speaks, participates

This month we’ve been analysing the data received from the NAVA Survey recently undertaken with NSF Consulting. We warmly thank so many of you for your contribution to this work.

With response rates higher than in previous years (more than 1,000 online and a further 30 took part in focus groups and one-on-one interviews), this research has shown that NAVA’s Members are highly engaged with the organisation. Advocacy remains the most important role for NAVA in the minds of all Member segments, particularly as we cope with a pandemic, and 76 percent of you want to see NAVA collaborate with other representative arts organisations to present a united voice. 

The Code of Practice, NAVA’s professional development resources, as well as the insurance package all rated very highly as perceived Membership benefits. At the same time, it was noted Membership offerings could be streamlined and better communicated. Many Members are looking to connect and value the process of contributing directly to NAVA’s work. Lastly, it was noted by the researchers that NAVA needs to find a balance between offering individual support for Members and advocating on behalf of the sector. 

As NAVA develops its plans for 2021 and beyond, it is in a good position to incorporate findings from this research to improve its communication and offerings to artists and organisations Australia-wide, and to reinforce its already strong position as a national leader in the contemporary arts sector.

The second in a series of kick-start consultation conversations for NAVA's major revision of the Code of Practice were held over 12-14 October. Each one-hour session focused on different areas of the Code: funding; commissioning new work; loans and touring.

The month NAVA responded with concern for the future creative and cultural sector seemingly neglected by the Federal Government’s Budget 2020-2021. Despite Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s promise to prioritise jobs, the Budget makes no mention of the job-rich arts sector. 

One Budget initiative which will be useful for some parts of the arts sector is the expansion of the current instant asset write-off scheme. Previously only available to small-to-medium sized businesses and capped at purchases of $150,000, the instant asset write-off is now allowing businesses with a turnover of less than $5 billion to deduct the full cost of all capital assets purchased from 6 October 2020 until 30 June 2022. The cost of improvements to existing eligible depreciable assets made during this period can also be deducted in full. 

Artists, arts workers and arts organisations are eligible for this scheme when purchasing assets for their business, such as computers, equipment etc. The purchase of artwork is also considered eligible for the instant asset write-off for any business to display in their foyers, meeting rooms and other public spaces. Raising the turnover eligibility requirement has greatly increased the number of businesses which can purchase fully tax-deductible artwork. Detailed information will be available on the ATO website soon.

On 22 October, NAVA made a submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Australia’s creative and cultural industries and institutions. We made numerous recommendations drawn from our vision for a comprehensive approach to arts policy bolstered by clear and enforceable industry standards. NAVA encourages the Standing Committee on Communication and the Arts to implement a set of frameworks that develop Australia’s creative and cultural industries and institutions ethically, strategically and ambitiously. We will be speaking to our recommendations at the upcoming public hearing on 13 November 2020.

NAVA's submission is available on the Inquiry submission page among the many contributions by our great Members and colleagues.

NAVA is proud to participate in the upcoming Know My Name virtual conference hosted by the National Gallery of Australia (NGA), celebrating all women as artists, activists, researchers, intellectuals and mentors now and into the future. 

Genevieve Grieves, a Worimi woman and NAVA Board member will present the opening keynote at 1pm Tuesday 10 November offering First Nations perspectives on art, gender and feminism. On Friday afternoon, 13 November, Georgia Mokak, a Djugun woman and NAVA’s First Nations Research and Engagement Coordinator will join the wrap up panel session facilitated by Professor Denise Ferris, Head of School of Art & Design at ANU.

Know My Name is part of a global movement to increase representation of women identifying artists. It builds on the work of groups supporting gender equity cross the arts including Countess and the Sheila Foundation in Australia, and the #5WomenArtists campaign by the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC.

NAVA is thrilled to offer concession rates of 50% off for our Members. Tickets are on sale until 5pm Monday 9 November 2020.

NAVA is offering four paid mentorship opportunities for early-career visual arts, craft and design practitioners, specifically for those with a current project in development and who are looking to take their professional practice to the next level.

This is a unique opportunity to work one-on-one with advising artists and arts workers to inspire confidence and self-awareness, and to build the knowledge, skills and capacity to pursue projects and goals. The advising arts practitioners are Rusaila Bazlamit, Megan Cope, Franchesca Cubillo and Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran.

Supported by the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund, this program is based on a flexible, collaborative model. It is expected that both the adviser and early-career practitioner will benefit from the accumulated experience and combined knowledge, ideas and perspectives of each other.

Applications are open until 14 December 2020.

Disaster Preparedness

On 13 October, NAVA joined colleague organisations in promoting disaster planning and awareness as part of the International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction with a new guide for artists and organisations on disaster preparedness. NAVA's guide also links to useful information provided by Blue Shield Australia, the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material, Museum & Galleries Queensland and more. 

As severe weather season has hit Queensland early this year, we strongly encourage preparedness to reduce the impact of disasters. 

Safety considerations when working with artists and communities from diverse genders, sexualities and cultures

Written by Samia Sayed and Claire Pettigrew on behalf of Twenty 10 inc GLCS NSW, and commissioned by NAVA, this new guide invites arts institutions, arts workers and peer artists to critically reflect on their approach to working with artists and communities who experience intersections of diverse gender, sexuality and culture. The aim of this free resource is to offer space to consider the specificities and complexities of experiences of gender, sexuality and culture and to share suggestions for adopting culturally safer practice. 

Claim your unpaid image royalties

Each year, our friends at Copyright Agency pay royalties to writer and artist Members whose works are available for use under licences to educational institutions, government and businesses.

If your written works or images have been published in books, journals, magazines, newspapers, or online, you may be eligible for a royalty payment from the Copyright Agency.

Voluntary resale payments

In 2009, NAVA enthusiastically welcomed the introduction of the Resale Royalty Right for Visual Artists Bill which became law in Australia. Under this scheme artists get 5% of the sale price every time an eligible work is resold on the secondary market for AUD$1,000 or more with no upper limit. The resale royalty only applies to works that were acquired by the seller after 8 June 2010. 

The Copyright Agency have just announced that due to market requests they have modified the resale reports to enable buyers and sellers to pay the resale royalty voluntarily for artists whose work they had acquired before the legislation existed and are not eligible under the scheme.