A new arts and cultural development program will be introduced from 2015 to replacethe Arts Funding Program, Minister for the Arts, George Souris, announced today.
Mr Souris said the new Arts and Cultural Development Program will deliver quality artsand cultural experiences to diverse audiences across the State, and support a resilientcreative sector.He said the introduction of the Arts and Cultural Development Program followed acomprehensive review of the structure of the Arts Funding Program in 2013.
“The structure of the new program responds to the feedback we received from thesector which called for increased stability of funding, a more transparent application process and reduced red tape,” Mr Souris said.“The new structure offers arts and cultural organisations the opportunity to progressfrom project funding to annual program funding, and then on to multi-year funding,depending on their capacity to achieve sustained success. This will ensure stability inthe sector, and allow Arts organisations to secure their future and establishthemselves in the community.”
Mr Souris said the new program strikes a balance between the needs of the sector and the capacity to deliver the program within a tight fiscal environment.
“The NSW Government has responded to calls from the sector for enhancedtransparency around access to longer term funding and wider flexibility within
available programs. Changes to eligibility will also ensure that the NSW Government continues to be open to funding a diverse range of activities.
“The new program offers clear direction on the terms for NSW Government artsfunding. Funding will continue to be competitive, but there is now clear direction on how projects and organisations fit into the funding structure.
The Arts and Cultural Development Program will focus on:
Project funding for one-off arts and cultural activities,
Program funding for annual and multi-year programming that rewards success,
Professional development for artists, and
A new strategic fund that will target priorities and identified needs of the sector.
Arts organisations will be contacted by Arts NSW staff to discuss how the newprogram affects them.
Information sessions will also be held across the state for interested parties, with details to be published on the Arts NSW website in the near future.
More information on the review and the Arts and Cultural Development Program is
available from www.arts.nsw.gov.au
