Organisations Program Review
In December 2011, the Premier and Minister for the Arts Ted Baillieu announced that Arts Victoria will undertake a comprehensive review of the Organisations Program and the portfolio of organisations it supports.
The Organisations Program provides some $24 million each year to small to medium arts organisations in Victoria, supporting more than 70 organisations across a range of art forms and industry services on an annual or multi-year basis.
Consultation
The Organisations Program Review is being conducted with openness and transparency and with wide sector consultation throughout the process. The consultation is now in its final stage. We have completed: two information sessions in February, five Big Picture Sector Ecology Meetings, two Organisations Meetings in March as well as conducting the Big Picture Online survey which closed in early April and received 510 survey responses.
A summary report is available for download from the Arts Victoria's Sector Consultation page.
Review - Update
The next stage of the process will be the release of a Discussion Paper, which will pose a series of issues and factors to be considered in the design of the new program, and provide a framework for discussion and submissions from the sector. In addition to calling for written submissions, we will be holding public forums in Melbourne and in four regional centres (Geelong, Bendigo, Wangaratta and Morwell) for face to face discussions about the issues raised in the paper. Dates, times and venues for the forums will be advised soon.
Suggestion Box
Throughout this period there is also an online 'Suggestion Box' available to anyone to post ideas at any time.
Updated Timeline
Stage 1
| February 2012 |
Program Review Information sessions |
| March 2012 |
Sector consultation starts |
| May 2012 |
Discussion Paper released for public comment |
| May - June 2012 |
Discussion Paper Forum/s |
| August 2012 |
Call for Expressions of Interest from organisations wishing to apply to the new Organisations Program |
| October 2012 |
Expression of Interest Due Date |
Stage 2
| Nov/Dec 2012 |
Organisations advised to apply to new Organisations Program |
| April 2013 |
Funding applications due |
| August 2013 |
Notification of new Organisations Program for funding commencing January 2014 |
Please note this an indicative timeline only.
Background
For three decades Arts Victoria's Organisations Program has supported the building and development of a vibrant and stable arts sector in Victoria, with the multi-year and annually funded companies making a significant contribution to Victoria's cultural life.
In 2006-07, Arts Victoria commissioned a report into Victoria's small to medium arts sector. The Small Arts Research and Evaluation Report, found that small arts organisations:
- Are significant generators of new ideas and work
- Attract and engage new and diverse audiences and participants to the arts, including disadvantaged groups
- Stimulate economic activity
- Provide significant employment opportunities for artists and arts workers
- Promote professionalism in the arts, providing training and skills development opportunities
- Make a significant contribution to cultural export and tourism
The research also identified issues relating to government funding of small organisations. It found the longstanding funding model provided little opportunity for new entities to be supported through to sustainability.
As a result of this research, Arts Victoria introduced a new competitive category of support designed to open up opportunities by providing one year of operational funding. Since its creation in 2007, this Annual Operations category has funded some 38 organisations.
The Review provides an opportunity to comprehensively evaluate the program and the current portfolio of organisations it supports. The process will also consider how to develop the program so that it can be more responsive to changes in Government priorities as well as changes in sector and audience needs.
Consideration will be given to how the program can build into its processes, effective ways of maintaining arts infrastructure whilst creating opportunities for new organisations to access multi-year funding.
The Review seeks to ensure the program continues to support diverse arts and cultural activities for the Victorian community, engage audiences, and encourage innovation and excellence in the arts; and that public support for sector is directed to its best use.
Further information
See our Frequently Asked Questions about the Organisations Program Review.
If you'd like to keep informed of new information about the Review as it arises, please email review@dpc.vic.gov.au