Arts Lives
Arts and culture are an important and growing contributor to our economy particularly in remote and regional areas. There is enormous opportunity to increase this economic benefit as well as leveraging arts and culture to make healthier societies. This includes that every Territorian, whatever their location, will have access to arts programs in their region.
In 2009, Arts NT has instigated a process of review and reflection of all programs, including funding.
Draft new directions for Government support of the arts in the Northern Territory are outlined in the Arts Vision - Discussion Paper Arts Lives (pdf 476 Kb)/ (word 76Kb). Informed by current Northern Territory Government priorities and the development of the Territory 2030 strategy, the arts vision aims to place arts and culture at the heart of Territory lives to foster a creative, healthy and engaged community.
An arts forum 'Are we Arts Wise' was held in Alice Springs on 23 April and in Darwin on 14 May. The minutes from both forums are attached at the bottom of this page.
Responses to the discussion paper were sought. A summary of responses received, and considered by Arts NT in its planning processes, is now available.
Arts NT is now in the process of finalising new policy directions and resulting programs which will deliver on the new priorities. Arts policy will link in strongly with broader NT policy directions such as Territory 2030 and A Working Future. Internally our newly formed teams of arts brokers in Central Australia and the Top End, supported by the systems team will enable us to deliver on priority areas.
Documents available below.
Vision
Our vision is to place arts and culture at the heart of Territory life by actively promoting and supporting a healthy, engaged and creative community that engages of all Territorians in the creative arts and reflects their diverse experiences, cultures and realities. We will do so by empowering regional communities to determine their arts and cultural priorities and supporting those priorities through partnerships and brokerage.
Programs will complement broader Northern Territory Government objectives:
- A Working Future: outlines a strong vision for remote areas. It’s about government and local people working together to make our towns and communities better places to live.
- Territory Growth Towns envisages that the growth towns will be vibrant places to live and work, and will be the economic and service delivery hubs for communities in their local regions.
- Territory 2030 is a long-term strategic plan for the next 20 years, with sets targets and goals on key areas of importance to all Territorians.
- Ecologically Sustainable Development as a means of supporting a strong, diversified and healthy Territory society and to promoting equity and social cohesion.
Discussion Paper
- Arts Vision - Discussion Paper (pdf 476Kb)
- Arts Vision - Discussion Paper (word 76Kb)
- Minutes from Alice Springs arts forum (pdf 223Kb)
- Minutes from Darwin arts forum (pdf 126Kb)
- Arts Lives - Responses to Discussion Paper (pdf 186Kb)
