The Australia Council for the Arts is encouraging Australians to #TakeYourSeats to get vaccinated to support the reopening of our cultural and creative venues and events.
The campaign features seats at a range of cultural venues – from open mic nights, to galleries, live music and theatre. It highlights what is at stake – and what we can look forward to returning to. The Australia Council is working to reach as many Australians as possible with translations of the video in Greek, Italian, Vietnamese, Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hindi, Punjabi available from early next week. The video is also Auslan interpreted.
The Australia Council is pleased to release our new International Engagement Strategy 2021-25
The strategy has been informed by national and international sector consultation, and an evaluation of the activity delivered under the Australia Council’s International Arts Strategy 2015-2020.
Image caption: Betty Grumble’s Enemies of Grooviness Eat Shit, produced by Performing Lines. Credit: Joseph Mayers Photography
Australia Council Awards 2022
These prestigious national awards recognise outstanding and sustained contributions by Australian artists in music, literature, community arts and cultural development (CACD), emerging and experimental arts (EEA), visual arts, theatre, and dance. They are awarded by the Board of the Australia Council, informed by key industry advisors.
Creativity at Work: Interdisciplinary learning in industry and community settings
Creative practitioners are increasingly working and applying creative skills in non-creative sectors. Creativity is also key to the kinds of interdisciplinary approaches that will be required for future work environments. Together, these trends point to potential alternative career pathways for creative practitioners, and the need to prepare creative graduates for future interdisciplinary work.
Our new national Digital Culture Strategy
The Digital Culture Strategy sets out our vision for a digitally enabled and thriving arts and cultural industry. It provides an overarching framework to guide our approach and priorities for digital development.
Our objective is to increase digital engagement with arts and creativity, leading to greater community connection and wellbeing. To achieve this, we also aim to build capability and resilience across the arts and cultural industries.
Image caption: Sue Healey’s On View Panorama. Credit: Naoshi Hatori.
In Real Life: Mapping digital cultural engagement in the first decades of the 21st Century
Produced through a partnership between the Australia Council for the Arts and National Arts Council Singapore, the report provides insights and guidance for the cultural and creative industries as they grapple with the implications of digital transformation.
Image caption: Nancy Mauro-Flude, Beyond Hall of Marvels, Performance installation 7-act monologue / spoken word by computer (1h.17min) / Loop Station / Marshall Amplification. In exhaust, Curated by Erin Sickler, 2016, Contemporary Art Tasmania. Credit: Lou Conboy.
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Australian Pavilion Invigilation Program – Venice Biennale 2022
For the Venice Biennale 2022, the Australia Council is inviting applications for invigilators of the exhibition in the Australian Pavilion. Marco Fusinato is the artist commissioned for Australia’s national representation at the Venice Biennale 2022. The exhibition is curated by Alexie Glass-Kantor.
Sync Australia Online Leadership Program
Sync Australia – Online is a new online leadership and coaching program exploring d/Deaf and disabled leadership in arts, culture, heritage and media. Founded over 10 years ago by Sarah Pickthall and Jo Verrent, two disabled leaders in the UK, this disability-led program combines leadership theory with one-on-one coaching and support for participants to reflect and progress their leadership potential. Sync Leadership programs have been successfully rolled out globally, including Australia in 2014 and 2015 and now in a new modular format, as an online program is 2021.
International Engagement Fund
This pilot fund supports the Australian arts, cultural and creative sectors to explore opportunities to engage internationally, in the wake of unprecedented global change and disruption.
Image: Daniel Kok and Luke George, Hundreds + Thousands. Commission for National Gallery Singapore, Performing Spaces 2021. Credit: Ken Cheong.
Leadership Program
The Australia Council Leadership Program is dedicated to transforming the cultural and creative industry’s knowledge, skills and capabilities by investing in emerging, mid-career and established leaders. Our program recognises the diverse nature of leadership and builds on the rich knowledge and experience across the industry.
Applications are now open.
Caption: Mandingalbay Yindinji Deadly Dinner, 2017 Arts Leaders Program. Credit: Australia Council.
COVID-19 Audience Outlook Monitor 2021
An additional ‘pulse check’ short questionnaire was delivered between the fifth (July 2021) and sixth (November 2021) phases of the survey, designed to ‘take the temperature’ of audiences in light of rapid changes to outbreak conditions and planned lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in some states/territories.
Between 28 September and 1 October 2021, over 2,000 audience members responded to the ‘pulse check’ (2,146), from all over Australia. Results for the three outbreak-affected states (NSW, ACT and VIC) were reported separately to the rest of the country.
International Curators Program: Asia Pacific Triennial x TarraWarra Biennial
Curators, creative and cultural producers who identify as First Nations and/or of the Asia Pacific diaspora based in Australia are invited to apply for funding support to participate in a series of online and in-person exchanges in partnership with the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial (APT10) in Brisbane in 2021-22 and TarraWarra Biennial in Healesville in 2023.
Image: Gordon Hookey, Waanyi people, Australia b. 1961, MURRILAND! (detail) 2017, oil on canvas, 200 x 1000cm. Click on the link to see full image caption.
Sector response to COVID-19
Stay up to date with the latest COVID-19 sector and government updates. New guide to Government COVID-19 Assistance for the Arts 2021 is available now.
Emily Crockford
Recipient of the 2020 Australia Council National Arts and Disability Award for an Emerging Artist
Emily Crockford’s broad creative practice encompasses painting, textiles and soft sculpture. Her work can be seen in large scale across Sydney and in high profile institutions.
Digital Business Model Innovation Lab
An opportunity for arts organisations to transform and innovate digital business models in partnership with Tata Consulting Services.
Image credit: Soft Centre Festival 2018. Artist: Meagan Streader. Photo: Charl Anfield.
re(situate) Biennale Delegates Program
The Australia Council Biennale Delegates Program is a professional development opportunity for individuals based in Australia. The 2022 theme is re(situate), an offer to refocus and reposition as we step into this next era in international engagement within the visual arts.
Image caption: Biennale Delegates 2019 at the Assembly exhibition opening. Image credit: Zan Wimberley.
The Australia Council is the Australian Government’s principal arts investment, development and advisory body. We champion and invest in arts and creativity to benefit all Australians through an integrated suite of activities.
The Australia Council is the Australian Government’s principal arts investment, development and advisory body. Our purpose is to champion and invest in Australian arts and creativity.
We invest in arts and organisations through peer assessed grants, fellowships and awards that enable art to be created and experienced.
We deliver strategic sector development initiatives that build industry capacity, networks and digital mobility and increase markets and audiences for Australian creative work.
We advocate for the social, cultural and economic value of the arts and creativity.
We provide advice to government on matters connected with the arts.
We manage government-directed initiatives and frameworks in support of the arts.
We conduct research and analysis that deepens understanding of the role and value of arts and creativity.
We collaborate with state, territory and local governments.
We partner with others to increase investment in and support for creativity.
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