Table of Contents
This appendix contains a detailed historical periodisation of Australian arts and cultural policy (Chart B.1) and a chronology of major events in the sector arranged according to government regimes and major reports to government (Chart B.2).
David Throsby (2001) has identified three periods in Australian arts and cultural policy:
1900-1967, when an explicit policy was ‘virtually non-existent’;
1968-1990, when there was a ‘rapid expansion’ of arts and cultural organisations and policies; and
1990-2000, when there was a moderate expansion of the sector combined with the articulation of a broad cultural policy framework. This period also saw the development of an interest in the production of cultural statistics and monitoring of cultural trends in the light of policy shifts.
This seems to borrow from Jennifer Radbourne’s model that also identifies three broad periods:
1940s-1967, establishment of Australian cultural organisations;
1968-1975, establishment of semi-government finding organisations; and
1975-present, arts as industry (Radbourne 1993).
By contrast, I would offer this more elaborate model of cultural policy development:
|
Period |
Characteristics |
|---|---|
|
Pre-1900 -Federation Establishment of Settler Cultures |
Colonial/state based models of cultural survival, moral regulation and assertion of settler independence. |
|
1900-1939 State Cultural Entrpreneurialism |
Early state cultural entrepreneurialism particularly through the establishment of the Australian Broadcasting Commission (e.g. orchestras, concert broadcasts, tours by overseas artists) and development of commercial cultural entrepreneurs (such as J. C. Williamson). |
|
1940-1954 Setting Parameters of Australian Culture |
Wartime state regulation of culture and communication; concern about external negative cultural influences (fascism, American black music, Hollywood films/popular culture) but apart from measures of regulation, ‘all talk no action’ in terms of cultural facilitation. |
|
1955-1966 Organisational Patronage |
During this period a number of cultural organisations were established with government playing the role of elite architect. |
|
1967-1974 Growth and Facilitation |
A period of growth and facilitation with a diversity of cultural organisations and funding bodies plus recognition of multiculturalism as an important influence on national cultural development. |
|
1975-1990 Access and Equity |
Continued policies of previous era with emphasis on the mantra of increasing access to cultural resources and addressing issues of equity and marginalisation. |
|
1991-1996 Cultural Policy and Cultural Industries |
Revision of the scope of cultural corporations and activities under new governance strategies and concepts of corporatisation and cultural industry models within Australia’s first articulated federal cultural policy, Creative Nation. |
|
1996-Present The Review Cycle and Neo-Patronage |
Bifurcation of cultural policy between promotion of creative industries and sustainable cultural forms, and shoring up of unsustainable and elite cultural forms by a return to neo-patronage. |
The following timeline draws together some major events in Australian cultural policy including governmentally-established inquiries, and sets this against incumbent government regimes, on the one hand, and major discourses or critiques of arts & cultural policy, on the other.
|
Pre-1900- Federation Establishment of Settler Cultures |
1818-19 Michael Massey Robinson, the colony’s poet laureate was rewarded with the gift of two cows for his services. This is credited with being the first cultural grant in Australia. The late nineteenth century witnessed the establishment of state art galleries: 1861 National Gallery of Victoria; 1871 Sydney; 1880 Adelaide; 1895 Queensland; 1887 Hobart; and 1901 Perth. |
|
1900-1939 State Cultural Entrepreneurialism |
Barton Government (Protectionist Party) 1901-03 1901 National Library established within the Parliamentary Library (independent building 1968) Deakin/Fisher (ALP) 1908-10 1908-66 Commonwealth Literary Fund — the first explicitly cultural body/scheme funded by the federal government 1912 Commonwealth Art Advisory Board 1900-1930 160 silent films made Bruce Government (Nationalist) 1923-29 1928 Royal Commission on Wireless (Hammond [4]: January 1927-October 1927/8 mths) 1928 Royal Commission on the Moving Picture Industry in Australia (Marks [7]: May 1927-April 1928/11 mths) Lyons Government (United Australia) 1932-39: 1935 National Film and Sound Archive established (statutory authority 1984) 1938 Royal Commission on Performing Rights (Owen [1]: September 1932-May1933/8 months) |
|
1940-1954 Setting Parameters of Australian Culture |
Curtin Government (ALP) 1941-45 1943 Arts Council of Australia (NSW division) followed by divisions in other states 1944 National Archives (national cultural institution 1984) 1945 National Film Board established Chifley Government (ALP) 1945-46 1946 Sydney Symphony Orchestra; 1950 W.A. Symphony Orchestra; followed by same in all states Menzies Government (Coalition) 1949-66: 1954 Royal Commission on Television (Paton [6]: February 1953-September 1954/18 months) 1954 Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust (EATT); |
|
1955-1966 Organisational Patronage |
1956 Elizabethan Trust Opera Company (became Australian Opera 1969); 1958 National Institute of Dramatic Art established 1962 Australian Ballet; plus Union Theatre Repertory Co (→ Melbourne Theatre Co) and Old Tote Theatre Co (→ Sydney Theatre Co) 1964 Australia Council for the Arts (federal division) |
|
1967-1974 Growth and Facilitation |
Holt Government (Coalition) 1966-67: 1967 Harold Holt → Australia Council for the Arts (operational in 1968) followed by state govt. departments and statutory authorities 1967 Committee for Assistance to Australian Composers (Holt) Gorton Government (Coalition ) 1968-71: 1969 Interim Committee for the Film and TV School (John Gorton) 1970 Australian Film Development Corporation (AFDC) → AFC 1975 McMahon Government (Coalition) 1971-72: 1972 Committee of Inquiry into the Crafts in Australia (Bonython 1972)[1] 1972 Australia Council for the Arts rationalised and separate board amalgamated into AC structure (7 boards), e.g. Commonwealth Literature Fund became Literature Board in 1973 Whitlam Government (ALP) 1972-75: 1972 ACA rationalised and separate board amalgamated into AC structure (7 boards), e.g. CLF became Literature Board in 1973 1973 Opening of Sydney Opera House 1973 Australian National Gallery’s purchase of Jackson Pollock’s Blue Poles causes outcry about wasted public money — Whitlam puts it on his Xmas card 1973 Australian Film and Television School established (1980 Australian Film Television and Radio School) 1974 Australian National Gallery formed (building opened 1982; later National Gallery of Australia) Expansion of symphony orchestras and state art galleries 1974 Committee of Inquiry into Museums and National Collections (Piggott 1974) 1974 Auditor-General ‘Australia Council for the Arts’, Section 3, report of the Auditor-General 1974, AGPS. 1975 Australian Film Commission established 1975 NAISDA (National indigenous dance training institution) |
|
1975-1990 Access and Equity |
Fraser Government (Coalition) 1975-83: (NB. The Whitlam govt. policies lasted thru the Fraser govt 1975-83) 1976 Industries Assistance Commission Inquiry into the Performing Arts: Assistance to the Performing Arts (Canberra: AGPS) 1977 Senate Standing Committee on Education and the Arts (1977). Report on Employment of Musicians by the Australian Broadcasting Commission. Canberra: The Acting Commonwealth Government Printer. 1978 10BA Tax concession scheme for film investment Hawke Government (ALP) 1983-91: Australia Council 1983 The Artist in Australia Today Australia Council 1984 What Price Culture? David Throsby and Devon Mills 1989 When Are You Going to Get a Real Job? (Sydney: Australia Council) 1984 Task Force on Education and the Arts for Young People (Boomer [11]: August 1983-November 1984/15 months) 1985 Cultural Ministers Council set up Statistical Advisory group who produced copious cultural statistics (under UNESCO guidelines) 1985 Cultural Ministers Council Study into the Future Development of Orchestras in Australia: Report of the Study Group to the Cultural Ministers Council. Canberra: APGS 1985 Tim Rowse Arguing the Arts: The Funding of the Arts in Australia (Ringwood: Penguin) 1986 McLeay Patronage, Power and the Muse: Inquiry into Commonwealth Assistance to the Arts (House of Representatives Standing Committee on Expenditure; Canberra: Parlt of the Comm. of Aust) 1987 Philip Parsons Shooting the Pianist: The Role of Government in the Arts (Sydney: Currency Press) 1987 Committee of Inquiry into Folklife in Australia (Anderson [3]: April 1986-August 1987/17 mths) 1988 Film Finance Corporation formed 1989 Review of Aboriginal Arts and Crafts Industry (Altman [3]: October 1988-March 1989/5 months) |
|
1991-1996 Cultural Policy and Cultural Industries |
Keating Government (ALP) 1991-96: Hans Guldberg 1991 Cultural Funding in Australia: Federal, State and Local Government (Sydney: Australia Council) 1992 Stuart Cunningham Framing Culture 1992 Justin Macdonnell Arts Minister? Government Policy and the Arts (Sydney: Currency Press) Waks, N. 1992 Review of ABC Music Policy. Unpublished Report 1993 National Portrait Gallery established (statutory authority 1998) David Throsby and Beverley Thompson 1994 But What Do You Do for a Living? (Sydney: Australia Council) 1994 Creative Nation: Commonwealth Cultural Policy (Canberra: AGPS) 1994 John Garden-Gardiner Arts Policy in Australia: A History of Commonwealth Involvement in the Arts (Canberra; Dept of the Parliamentary Library, Background Paper No. 5) |
|
1996-Present The Review Cycle And Neo-Patronage |
Howard Government (Coalition) 1996-Present: Cultural Ministers Council (1996a). Structural Options for the Orchestral Network / Cultural Ministers Council Standing Committee Paper. Unpublished Paper Cultural Ministers Council (1996b). Cultural Ministers Council Meeting Minutes 17 December 1996. Unpublished Paper 1997 Review of Australian Film Industry (Gonski: July 1996-February 1997/7 months) 1999 Major Performing Arts Inquiry Securing the Future: Final Report (Nugent [4]: December 1998-December 1999/12 months) (Canberra: Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) 2000 Australian Business Arts Foundation (AbaF) established (formerly Australia Foundation for Culture and Humanities) 2001 National Museum of Australia opened 2002 Inquiry into the Contemporary Visual Arts and Craft Sector Contemporary Visual Arts and Crafts (Myer [1]: July 2001-May 2002/10 months) 2004 Major Performing Arts Board (2004). Securing the Future: An Assessment of Progress, 1999-2003. Australia Council for the Arts 2005 Review of Australia’s Symphony and Pit Orchestras. A New Era– Orchestras Review Report 2005 (Strong [3]: May 2004-March 2005/10 months) Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts 2005 National Museum of Australia Review of Exhibitions and Public Programs (Carroll): Jan 2003-July 2003/6 mths) National Museum of Australia 2006 Inquiry into the Indigenous Visual Arts Sector (Senate Standing Committee on the Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts: 15 August 2006-June 2007?). The Senate, Parliament of Australia. |
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[1] Appointed by McMahon Government but terms of reference extended by Whitlam Government along with some membership changes. |
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