The Arts Party is the first political arts party that has emerged to provide a platform to reinstate arts funding in Australia. Under the Liberal Government, the Australia Council, our primary arts funding body, has lost over $100m in funding commitments for community organisations, bringing the entire Australia Council appropriation down to $185m in a federal budget that last year totalled over $451bn.
Widespread closures in the arts and creative industries, with more expected to come in 2016, has raised concern among Australians who value their creative and cultural lives. PJ Collins, founder of The Arts Party is adamant the Federal Government isn’t doing it’s bit.
“We cannot allow this Government to decimate our cultural heritage, institutions and creative opportunity, which will affect all Australians now and for generations to come.” The party believe that the arts are a crucial link between Australia’s past and future and are pivotal in bridging culture divides, and creating a more tolerant, cohesive society, essential to our sense of community, belonging and identity.
The Arts Party will be standing candidates across the country this year and Collins affirms “to give every Australian the opportunity to vote for something they believe in for a change.” Among the eight candidates that have been announced so far is Anthony Ackroyd, the comedian, who says he is a passionate advocate of the arts and believes that the significance of the arts “needs to be recognised more broadly and artists of all stripes need a louder more effective voice in mainstream society”.
For those wanting more information on The Arts Party, get in contact with Kelly Noble at [email protected]. Alternatively head to their website or visit them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
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