{"id":17418,"date":"2014-04-17T17:49:28","date_gmt":"2014-04-17T07:49:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nofibs.com.au\/?p=17418"},"modified":"2019-04-13T23:58:07","modified_gmt":"2019-04-13T13:58:07","slug":"creating-communities-with-a-common-voice-burgewords-interviews-theartsparty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/creating-communities-with-a-common-voice-burgewords-interviews-theartsparty\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating communities with a common voice: @burgewords interviews @TheArtsParty"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Digital<\/a>

Digital producer PJ Collins of The Australian Arts Party.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Motorists, shooters and fishers have all got one, so have sex enthusiasts and christians. Why not creatives?<\/p>\n

Micro political parties have leapt into the Australian voters’ consciousness like never before, and right at the launch of this column, one of our readers tipped us off about the imminent formation of a new party named The Australian Arts Party.<\/p>\n

They’ve been getting their act together, the people behind Australia’s newest micro party, but what else would we expect from a collective of creatives?<\/p>\n

Digital producer and Arts Party Australia founder and registered officer, PJ Collins,\u00a0spoke to No Fibs<\/em>.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve grown tired of waiting for a positive win-win, cross-party parliamentary voice to appear in Australian politics, so we\u2019ve created it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Michael Burge:<\/strong> Why an Arts Party?<\/strong><\/p>\n

PJ Collins:<\/strong> To provide something that\u2019s long overdue \u2013 a dedicated voice to support and encourage arts and creativity for all Australians. We want a more unified and economically prosperous Australian society, built on thriving, vibrant communities, which benefit and improve the quality of all our lives. A thriving arts sector is a key component of preparing us for this future, as it creates a ripple effect of seemingly unconnected benefits throughout the community, both socially, technologically and economically.<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s creative economy already generates billions of dollars in revenue each year and that is set to grow substantially, as it must do \u2013 we can\u2019t base our future on the global price of iron ore or coal. The future of Australia will be decided by the quality of our ideas, and the skills we develop among us to make them happen. The best investment this country can make is in its own people. When we encourage creative activity we plant the seeds for innovation, and that is what will power Australia\u2019s future prosperity.<\/p>\n

Finally, after the last decade of watching and listening to our federal representatives in Canberra, we\u2019ve grown tired of waiting for a positive win-win, cross-party parliamentary voice to appear in Australian politics, so we\u2019ve created it.<\/p>\n

MB: Is there a gap in representation for Australia’s artists?<\/strong><\/p>\n

PJC:<\/strong> Artists and our creative industries are certainly in need of a committed voice. There are many support organisations that do the best they can to help them within limited mandates, but there has been no committed political and federal voice to speak on their behalf until now. Like all Australians, these companies and individuals just want a fair go, the opportunity and support to achieve their potential \u2013 hand-ups not hand-outs. We all gain as a society when creative individuals and organisations fulfil their potential.<\/p>\n

MB:<\/strong> Which parts of the current funding models for Australian arts needs to be overhauled?<\/strong><\/p>\n

PJC:<\/strong> What we need is a more efficient, better supported arts industry, funding more creativity, taking more risks and offering greater opportunity for all Australians, as both creators and audiences, to get involved. The amount of pure funding that reaches artists and communities is simply too low, once all the ancillary administrative costs are deducted, and sadly no art or community project is funded on merit alone \u2013 there are just so many conditions to access funding. In fact there is no real autonomy for any of our arts funding bodies, and that needs to change.<\/p>\n

We also want to see the audience, the actual funders, given central importance. Public investment should come with the proviso of connecting with as many members of the public as possible. For certain areas, such as major film funding, we\u2019re even considering a crowdsourcing approach to deciding what projects get significant investment. We\u2019re throwing around a lot of ideas at the moment!<\/p>\n

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In the @auscouncilarts<\/a> windows – Women in Theatre. Who do you think deserves a shout out for their theatre work? pic.twitter.com\/xQCrx0cQl0<\/a><\/p>\n

— The Arts Party (@TheArtsParty) March 24, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n