Proposals for a National Cultural Policy

Submission to the Minister for the Arts, the Hon Simon Crean MP

Prepared by Dr Richard Letts
October 21, 2011

This document was written in response to a general invitation to suggest components of a new National Cultural Policy. The Minister for the Arts provided a Discussion Paper which frame some of the government’s priorities. While acknowledging the intrinsic values of the arts, it very much emphasises their instrumental values in achieving outcomes for the economy, social inclusion and cohesion and others and by this means, involving the whole of government in supporting the arts.

Because the Music Council attempts to represent the interests of the entire music sector, it is appropriate that its proposals for a national cultural policy also attempt to do so. So the submission includes, for instance, proposals for community and regional music development, the entire span of education from preschool onwards, support to the arts as components of the creative industries, multiculturalism, Indigenous music and more.

The Music Council thanks these persons for their contributions to the submission: Ray Argall, Paul Bodlovich, Tony Breese, Mary Jo Capps, Helen Colman, Julie Dyson, Sebastian Flynn, Lynn Gailey, Catherine Haridy, Ian Harvey, Rich Heath, Hans Hoegh-Guldberg, Robyn Holmes, Jehan Kanga, Prof Julian Knowles, Dr Helen Lancaster, Jane Law Alex Masso, Beverley McAlister, Nick O’Byrne, Dean Ormston, Prof Huib Schippers, Nathan Shepherd, Michael Smellie, Mandy Stefanakis, Andrew Stone, Carolina Triana, Dr David Worrall.

Read the submission. (1.3 Mb download)