Cultural Ministers Council (CMC)
The CMC was established in 1984 to provide a forum for the exchange of views on issues affecting cultural activities in Australia and New Zealand. It comprises Australian Commonwealth, state and territory government ministers responsible for arts and cultural heritage, as well as the corresponding New Zealand government minister. The relevant minister from Papua New Guinea participates with observer status.
One of the CMC's core activities is the commissioning of studies and investigations through the appointment of working or advisory groups and/or consultants. In November 1985, the CMC established the Statistical Advisory Group, now known as the Statistics Working Group. This group liaises with the ABS on cultural statistics, monitors the need for the development, collection and dissemination of culture and leisure statistics, commissions studies, and provides advice to the CMC on statistical matters.
Australia Council
The Australia Council is the Commonwealth Government's arts funding and advisory body. It was formed as an interim council in 1973 and was given statutory authority by the Australia Council Act 1975 (Cwlth). The Australia Council supports Australian artists and arts organisations in order to allow them to pursue artistic excellence, to create and present their work, to take advantage of opportunities to improve and develop their skills, and to tour and promote their work to wider audiences. It directly supports young, emerging, developing and established artists through a range of grant programs. These programs cover: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts; community and cultural development; dance; literature; major performing arts; music; new media arts; theatre; and visual arts/crafts. During 2000-01, some 4,369 grant applications were made to the Australia Council, of which 1,721 were successful. These grants totalled $78m in 2000-01.
Training in the arts
Training in the arts in Australia involves a broad range of organisations. Formal training is available through courses in TAFE institutions, universities and private institutions. A number of on-the-job training programs are also available in the arts, and many organisations offer in-house training programs for their staff. The last decade has seen the development in some states of multi-disciplinary tertiary institutions providing training in the arts.
A number of national specialised education institutions have been established to provide training in cultural fields. For example, the Australian Film, Television and Radio School is the national training centre for the film and broadcasting industries. The National Institute of Dramatic Art is the national training school for people who wish to enter the profession of theatre, film or television as actors, directors, designers, stage managers, theatre crafts technicians, production managers or teachers of voice and movement. The Australian Ballet School provides full-time training to the highest standard for young Australian dancers seeking a career in the classical dance profession. The Australian National Academy of Music offers master classes and short-term programs which bring distinguished national and international performers and music educators into contact with students.
CREATE Australia is the national Industry Training Advisory Board for cultural industries. Its primary task is to help cultural industries develop and run high quality, relevant vocational education and training programs. CREATE Australia supports cultural industries by:
- developing quality training programs for industry - including competency standards, training packages, curriculum and assessment
- encouraging innovation in training development and delivery, and giving advice to industry about training
- encouraging partnerships between industry and training providers
- giving advice to government on policy and training priorities based on industry consultation.
Products developed and produced by CREATE Australia include: the national entertainment industry training package; the national library and information services industry training package; the national museums industry training package; resource materials to support the implementation of these training packages; language, literacy and numeracy resources to support training in the entertainment industry; and the community cultural development training directory.
In June 2001 CREATE Australia launched two new national industry training packages, one for film, television, radio and multimedia, and one for music. CREATE is currently developing a national industry training package for visual arts, craft and design. Scoping studies to investigate training needs for the writing, publishing and journalism sectors and the performing arts sectors are in progress.
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