The information & links contained in this article were published in 2022 and may no longer be current. We recommend checking the following sections for more recent content - Policy & Research
As another election looms, we have gathered here some tools and resources to help advocate for the social, cultural and economic value of the arts and creativity.
Join the Art & Culture Messaging Campaign
Theatre Network Australia together with fifteen other national art and culture peak bodies have joined forces to create a sector-wide message that drives awareness and influence in the lead up to the Federal election.
The key messages in the campaign are:
Art and Culture are EVERYWHERE
We want to emphasise the breadth and reach of art and culture. Art includes entertainment, creative, and cultural activities. Art covers every part of Australia; every state and territory, metropolitan and regional. It includes a huge cross section of the Australian population. Art enriches lives whether people work in the sector or are a participant or audience member.
Art and Culture are ESSENTIAL
We want to emphasise the importance of art and culture. The arts sector is critical to so many other parts of our economy. Art is how we project our national image. Art is entertainment, diversity, mental wellbeing, childhood development, employment, tourism, and much more.
USE YOUR VOTE to Support Art and Culture
We want people to think about which party and/or candidate supports the arts and culture the best.
You can get involved simply by sharing these messages across their networks and social media.
In their Downloads section you will find a collection of images suitable for social media posts and banners featuring images from artists and organisations around the country that you can share instantly. And use the following hashtags in your posts:
- #ArtAndCultureAreEverywhere
- #ArtAndCultureAreEssential
- #VoteForArt
Article: Practical arts activism for the election year
Esther Anatolitis, one of Australia’s most influential advocates for the arts, penned this article for Arts Hub providing a practical plan for your advocacy efforts. Included in the article is a list of tools available from government art agencies and industry peak bodies who all offer ways to champion the value of arts and culture with research and data to back up our argument.
Research and Data
As Esther mentions in her article, there is a copious amount of research available that backs up the importance of the arts and creativity to the economic, social and cultural life of our nation.
Australia Council for the Arts
The Australia Council for the Arts is the Australian Government’s principal arts investment, development and advisory body. The organisation conducts research and analysis that deepens our understanding of the role and value of arts and creativity – a public good with positive impacts on all our lives and communities.
Read more: https://australiacouncil.gov.au/advocacy-and-research/
Regional Arts Australia
Regional Arts Australia is a not for profit peak body that is the national voice for arts in regional Australia. The organisation seeks to ensure the arts in regional Australia are recognised as essential. RAA are actively engaged in research that:
- Evaluates the social impact of the creative arts in regional communities
- Measures and articulates the impact and outcomes of the Regional Arts Fund;
- Evidences a range of indicators that convey the health and self-care capacity of communities are improved through arts and cultural activities;
- Provides a national framework and international connection
Read more: https://regionalarts.com.au/advocacy