Dear Senator,
This has been a historic day for Australia.
All around the country, the creative minds responsible for pulling in $50 billion for the economy every year put their intellectual property protection aside – and fought for a single, shared idea.
That the arts are the future, and the future must be protected for the next generation.
Culture is the surest long term investment there is. While financial markets have crashed, and commodities tumbled, cultural capital has continued to rise – pulling communities, districts and cities with it. In 2015, $4.8bn was generated in business income by arts and creative industries in NSW alone.
At a time when Australian arts have won increased global visibility, with more artists then ever before shown at the last Venice Biennale, and the surge in homegrown art fairs like Sydney Contemporary attracting collectors from all over the world, we must step up investment, not strangle it.
Today this country has reached a crossroads: forge on with investment in contemporary culture, or recede from the world stage. Australia needs to decide whether it wants to be a first-rate cultural destination, and build a robust knowledge economy. It needs to decide whether it wants to retain its arts community and attract the best minds in the world.
Australia is home to the world’s oldest living culture. It is the only country in which Jørn Utzon said would it be possible to build his extraordinary and experimental Opera House – now celebrated as the only 20th century building awarded UNESCO world heritage status.
Sydney is experiencing breakneck urban transformation. Urban developers now understand the long term benefits of investing in culture and are reaping the rewards.
9 in 10 people in New South Wales take part in a cultural event every year. But many of the organisations that produce this cultural capital are facing closure, job losses and loss of space due to the recent cuts.
This is no time for government to stand still, and lose ground. The Prime Minister’s National Science and Innovation Agenda sets out what is needed to support a healthy economy. Culture and capital is top of the list, alongside the need for skills and a clear commitment that government must lead by example.
As cultural placemakers, we at Futurecity understand the challenges of reduced budgets. We use our knowledge to devise cultural visions for new places, from London to Boston to Sydney. We connect cities, districts and entire states with world-class artists and makers. What we’ve learned is that the places with ambition to sit at the cultural high table are the ones whose economies are rewarded.
Generating positive interest in a place – from businesses, developers, philanthropists and the public at large – is what we do. But no matter how exciting the vision, how talented the artists, or how engaged the community, if the support isn’t there, the place will fade.
It is clear that government cannot be expected to provide the only line of support for culture – but it must lead the way in acknowledging that creative production is the heart, head and hands of a thriving society.
Make today stand tall in the history of the Australian arts – and stand with us.
Yours,
Sarah Carrington
Futurecity Australia
#istandwiththearts
An open letter to Australia’s Minister for the Arts
17/6/2016
Dear Senator,
This has been a historic day for Australia.
All around the country, the creative minds responsible for pulling in $50 billion for the economy every year put their intellectual property protection aside – and fought for a single, shared idea.
That the arts are the future, and the future must be protected for the next generation.
Culture is the surest long term investment there is. While financial markets have crashed, and commodities tumbled, cultural capital has continued to rise – pulling communities, districts and cities with it. In 2015, $4.8bn was generated in business income by arts and creative industries in NSW alone.
At a time when Australian arts have won increased global visibility, with more artists then ever before shown at the last Venice Biennale, and the surge in homegrown art fairs like Sydney Contemporary attracting collectors from all over the world, we must step up investment, not strangle it.
Today this country has reached a crossroads: forge on with investment in contemporary culture, or recede from the world stage. Australia needs to decide whether it wants to be a first-rate cultural destination, and build a robust knowledge economy. It needs to decide whether it wants to retain its arts community and attract the best minds in the world.
Australia is home to the world’s oldest living culture. It is the only country in which Jørn Utzon said would it be possible to build his extraordinary and experimental Opera House – now celebrated as the only 20th century building awarded UNESCO world heritage status.
Sydney is experiencing breakneck urban transformation. Urban developers now understand the long term benefits of investing in culture and are reaping the rewards.
9 in 10 people in New South Wales take part in a cultural event every year. But many of the organisations that produce this cultural capital are facing closure, job losses and loss of space due to the recent cuts.
This is no time for government to stand still, and lose ground. The Prime Minister’s National Science and Innovation Agenda sets out what is needed to support a healthy economy. Culture and capital is top of the list, alongside the need for skills and a clear commitment that government must lead by example.
As cultural placemakers, we at Futurecity understand the challenges of reduced budgets. We use our knowledge to devise cultural visions for new places, from London to Boston to Sydney. We connect cities, districts and entire states with world-class artists and makers. What we’ve learned is that the places with ambition to sit at the cultural high table are the ones whose economies are rewarded.
Generating positive interest in a place – from businesses, developers, philanthropists and the public at large – is what we do. But no matter how exciting the vision, how talented the artists, or how engaged the community, if the support isn’t there, the place will fade.
It is clear that government cannot be expected to provide the only line of support for culture – but it must lead the way in acknowledging that creative production is the heart, head and hands of a thriving society.
Make today stand tall in the history of the Australian arts – and stand with us.
Yours,
Sarah Carrington
Futurecity Australia
#istandwiththearts