Output 8.8 Arts Engagement
Overview
In 2015-16, the directorate focused on our vision of a diverse and dynamic arts ecology valued locally, nationally and globally through community participation and access to the arts; supporting great art and great artists; promoting the vitality of the Canberra Region arts ecology and engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and cultures.
The directorate commenced implementation of the 2015 ACT Arts Policy and artsACT Strategic Plan 2015-16 and promoted the findings of the Economic Overview of the Arts in the ACT report. It managed the ACT Arts Fund, the ACT Government public art collection and oversaw the development and management of a range of ACT arts facilities. CMTEDD also maintained links with other arts and cultural organisations and agencies at a local and national level.
Highlights
Against this output in 2015-16 the directorate:
- commenced implementation of the 2015 ACT Arts Policy and artsACT Strategic Plan 2015-16 which included:
- engaging with the arts sector through CBRarts forums (Creative Spaces, Creative Places and Making CBRarts Happen);
- undertaking public and sector consultation to develop a Cultural Infrastructure Plan;
- undertaking public and sector consultation to develop an Arts Funding Plan;
- the delivery of stage one of the pilot arts and health project;
- reviewing the existing Community Cultural Inclusion Program and subsequent establishment of the new Community Arts and Cultural Development program;
- involvement in the development of the new CMTEDD Reconciliation Action Plan;
- establishing connections and securing future funding for a one year initiative for engaging and developing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and cultures; and
- continuing to facilitate the CBRarts Comms Network to promote arts activities in the Canberra Region;
- commenced work on the development of a Cultural Infrastructure Plan, works so far has included:
- consultation with the ACT Arts Sector through the delivery of an open forum, Creative Places, Creative Spaces and an Arts Facilities specific Workshop;
- undertaking a Cultural Infrastructure Survey to better understand the needs of the sector; and
- undertaking planning for further consultation including a workshop for artists with a final plan proposed for release in 2017;
- commenced the highest priority electrical and fire system improvements across the arts facility portfolio, as identified in the artsACT Strategic Asset Management Plan (September 2014) and funded in the 2015-16 Budget, this included:
- fire separation of the artist in residence accommodation at Gorman House Arts Centre which was completed as the first major component of this project;
- improvement works, including the installation of residual current devices to prevent electric shock and the replacement of switch boards at three arts facilities;
- fire system improvements including emergency lighting upgrades and installation of fire strobe lights;
- completed minor capital works at arts facilities including the installation of a heating and cooling system and insulation in the upper gallery at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre, improvements to Ralph Wilson Theatre at Gorman House and acoustic improvements at the Street Theatre as well as ongoing responsive and programmed maintenance across the portfolio;
- provided support and encouragement to private developers interested in commissioning public artwork for areas within private leases, with a number of meetings held with developers and the ACT Government Public Art Guidelines made available online as a resource for government and non-government businesses;
- completed the installation of two kinetic public artworks, in the stream and breezing in Canberra, at the National Arboretum Canberra by high profile Japanese artist, Kozo Nishino;
- completed major conservation works on the public artworks Circuitry by artist Fiona Hooton and Toku by artist Skinki Kato, with the surface of Circuitry fully re-finished and Toku restored and re‑painted to address surface failures;
- prepared a detailed functional brief for each arts organisation proposed to be accommodated at the Kingston Arts Precinct, which formed part of the sale documentation issued to developers interested in purchasing Section 49 Kingston from the Land Development Agency;
- managed the ACT Arts Fund, which ensured that ACT artists and arts organisations were able to develop and present their work whilst encouraging participation, engagement and excellence as outlined within the 2015 ACT Arts Policy and enabling over 230,000 members of the community to engage with the arts through active participation or as audiences at ticketed and non ticketed events in the 2015 calendar year;
- through arts funding supported:
- 17 Key Arts Organisations;
- 8 Program Organisations;
- 53 Projects;
- 22 Out of Round individual artists;
- the ACT Book of the Year Award; and
- a range of Government initiatives;
- supported the Arts Residency ACT program which provides opportunities for artists from across Australia and around the world to develop new works inspired and enabled through engagement with new surroundings and facilities, the six residences approved in 2015-16 were:
- Canberra Glassworks – to support an established Australian contemporary artist engaging with neon to work with an experienced neon maker/technical specialist to inspire local artists and produce new work;
- PhotoAccess – in partnership with Ainslie and Gorman Arts Centres, to engage one interstate mid-career artist to create and exhibit new, experimental photo-based work at PhotoAccess;
- Craft ACT – to support an international and national artist, as well inviting the previous residency artists, curators, writers and partners, to re-engage in the residency program;
- Belconnen Arts Centre – in partnership with the Islamic Society Belconnen and Strathnairn Arts, to support a nationally recognised Australian Muslim woman artist to build upon her innovative participatory arts practice in ceramics;
- National Portrait Gallery of Australia – to support a residency for George Khut to develop and present a new digital work, and interact with local artists and Gallery visitors; and
- ACT Writers Centre – in partnership with the Museum of Australian Democracy, to support the ACT Eminent Writer-in-Residence Program, which provides an opportunity for an Australian writer of significance to live and work in the ACT;
- supported the final year of the Artist in Schools Program in which four ACT artists worked in four ACT Public Schools (funded by the Australia Council), these were:
- Amelia Zaraftis (visual artist) at Charles Conder Primary School, whose project focused on the school’s Friendly Five Values, beginning with drawing workshops focusing on representing their lived experiences of school, resulting in a Word Wall and a series of collaborative charcoal drawings representing the students’ collective experiences being installed in the school foyer;
- Marianne Mettes (puppetry artist) at Duffy Primary School, who introduced students to the various aspects of puppetry, and engaged students in developing their own puppetry skills as a channel for self expression;
- Sean Davey (photographer) at Charnwood-Dunlop School, who taught students across the school about photography in general, and his practise specifically, and then provided digital cameras he bought with the grant funding to teach students stronger photography skills, resulting in two edited books of photographs taken by students at the school; and
- Ruth Oliphant (glass artist) at Franklin Early Childhood School, who taught preschool to Year 2 students to engage with their direct surroundings and express this in the material of glass, with the students developing the design for a glass window that Ms Oliphant made in collaboration with them, and the school noting that skills and knowledge learnt through the placement have strengthened the ongoing arts activities at the school;
- supported the ANU Community Outreach Program which delivered a suite of programs for the ACT Community through the School of Music and School of Art, including:
- the provision of music and visual arts education programs for ACT students, teachers and the general public;
- provided access to Llewellyn Hall for local music organisations, including the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and Music for Canberra;
- delivered 466 individual workshops or classes, for over 6,500 participants, including:
- over 71 Visual Arts Access courses were run, employing 27 artists and attracting over 600 students for the delivery of 2,000 hours of face to face teaching;
- through the Open School of Music delivered subsidised tuition to 89 secondary students and free tuition and ensemble training for 22 college students in both classical and jazz streams;
- through the Music Engagement program provided outreach, including contact hours for students, teacher training and on-site support visits to schools;
- an ANU student artist in residence program for ANU visual arts students to work in ACT schools; and
- an internship program for ANU School of Music students to undertake internships within local community music organisations, with eight internships taking place in 2015.
The directorate exceeded one target and did not meet the other target against this output. The target not met was (b) tenant satisfaction with management of Community Arts Facilities, where two respondents were dissatisfied, resulting in an 80 per cent satisfaction level against a target of 85 per cent. The target (a) Number of arts organisations supporting community participation was exceeded by four per cent.
Future Direction
In 2016-17, the directorate will:
- continue to engage with the arts sector through CBRarts engagement activities;
- release the Cultural Infrastructure Plan and Arts Funding Plan;
- finalise the Communications Plan and Research and Data Plan;
- deliver stage two of the pilot arts and health project;
- work with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and cultural sector to deliver specific funding for grants or programs as identified through consultation;
- continue to work with the CBRarts Comms Network to investigate how the arts can leverage Brand Canberra to further support audience engagement and promotion of the arts;
- undertake the highest priority electrical and fire protection works at arts facilities in 2016-17, as identified in the artsACT Strategic Asset Management Plan (September 2014) and funded in the 2015-16 Budget;
- complete fire system improvements within the main theatre at the Street Theatre as identified in the artsACT Strategic Asset Management Plan (September 2014) and funded in the 2016-17 ACT Budget; and
- continue to focus on public art collection management including artwork restoration activities and ongoing responsive and programmed maintenance of the collection.
For further information contact:
Jeff House
Deputy Director-General
Enterprise Canberra
+61 2 6207 7279
Jeff.House@act.gov.au
