MEDIA RELEASE

Arts and culture: the future of funding

Released 21 August 2008

Information and Cultural Exchange
PO Box 4033 Parramatta NSW 2124 Australia
T: +61(2) 9897 5744 / F: +61(2) 9897 5766

The funding sources for Australian arts and cultural projects are changing. With more focus on social enterprise and philanthropy, exciting opportunities will be opening up for artists – if they’re prepared.

Learn all about the future of funding at ICE’s free August seminar ‘Arts, Communities, Enterprise: The present and future of support for the arts and culture.’ Four special guest speakers will elaborate challenges and funding opportunities for artists and non-profit organisations in Sydney’s West.

Joanne McNeill is the Community Capacity Building Officer for Social Enterprise at Parramatta City Council and is a passionate advocate of the ‘social enterprise’ model. She says this concept encourages community organisations to adopt business methods. ‘Social enterprises set out to earn profits, create jobs and address community needs using strategies such as business planning andmarketing approaches,’ she says. ‘It doesn’t suit everybody, but in Parramatta, for instance, many artists need to leave the area to find work. So creating local opportunities for employment, at the same time as filling a community needs gap, is a win-win as artists create income from working in their area and local communities gain access to better services.’

Victoria Keighery is the CEO of Community Cultural Development NSW and has 30 years’ experience working in high-profile Australian arts organisations. She will speak on best practice in community arts projects and ways to engage communities. ‘If you look at the really great community arts projects, you can see there are some basic elements that set them apart,’ she said. ‘Learning from examples of best practice is one of the best ways to make your project stand out.’

Lena Nahlous is the Director of ICE, and has worked for over a decade on projects engaging thousands of people, particularly, women, refugees, migrants and young people. She believes the arts are a powerful force for addressing community issues. ‘It’s incredibly important that communities in Western Sydney continue to source and access arts funding, and understand how changes in the sector will affect them,’ she said. ‘This seminar is designed to support that process.’

The seminar will be chaired by Brooke Endycott, Community Development Officer for Research and Programs at Auburn Council.

ICE hosts a free seminar each month, covering hot issues for arts practitioners. Coming up in September is ‘Artist Funding and Sponsorship’, in October ‘Getting Your Music Heard’ and in November ‘Cultural Copyright’.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

Contact Amrit Gill on 0414 684 180 or seminars@ice.org.au