Something close to my heart… Yesterday along with over 100 other local supporters of the arts, I attended the Rally Against Arts Funding Cuts at Parliament house, Adelaide. Organised by the Arts Industry Council South Australia (AICSA).
I was there making some documentary photographs for the AICSA, but more importantly I was there to support a cause that is close to me and my industry. As a photographer, Im a small part of the arts industry, for my creative work and my professional services, so it simply has to mean a lot to me and does!
SA’s arts organisations and artists are facing the prospect of significantly reduced state government funding, putting our cultural industry at risk.
Many local companies are under threat of closure and jobs will be lost without sustainable funding, affecting our state’s reputation as an arts capital. The proposed state funding reductions of up to $8.5 million are happening in an environment where the arts are also being cut at a federal level. While we are here showing our concerns, at the same time also released in the news yesterday, the Vic Government has announced $115 million ‘new’ funds for the arts (40 new initiatives). Thats amazing!
Artists, arts workers and arts lovers joined the Arts Industry Council of SA to voice concerns about these significant arts funding cuts, on the steps of Parliament House. It was great to see so many faces there.
Over the couple of hours we were making our show, key speeches were made by some significant figures locally in the arts.
Tamara Winikoff, Co-convenor of ArtsPeak and Executive director of Nation Association of the visual arts.
Ross McHenry, independent composer, musician and producer and also Music program marketing manager at Nexus Arts.
Rob Brookman, Executive director/producer at State Theatre company of SA. You can read Rob Brookmans speech notes here..
http://aicsa.net.au/rally-speech-notes-rob-brookman/
It was great to see so many people out to support Arts in our State, its such an important part of society, we hope this doesn’t have to be a regular event and that we can just meet up to enjoy art.
Please enjoy the photographs.
For more info and updates, go to AICSA
http://aicsa.net.au/profile/
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