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$104M FOR ARTS TARGETS SMALL COMPANIES AND FESTIVALS
Date: 30 May 2006
Victorians will have more opportunities to access and enjoy the arts and cultural events under a $104 million boost to the State's festivals, museums, and film and television industry.
The Minister for the Arts, Mary Delahunty, said the State's outstanding range of cultural facilities and events helped make Victoria a great place to live, work and raise a family.
"The Bracks Government is continuing to invest in cultural events and venues, in important arts infrastructure and in our greatest resource, people," Ms Delahunty said.
"The Victorian arts scene, which provides thousands of jobs across the State, has never been stronger or more vibrant.
"This Budget increases creative and employment opportunities for artists, boosts local festivals, and provides increased support for small arts companies.
"It increases opportunities for all Victorians to access our outstanding network of cultural events and venues - and reinforces our State's national leadership in arts and culture," she said.
Ms Delahunty said the four-year funding boost particularly focused on the State's festival and small art companies, the engine room of Victoria's prominent arts scene.
"Our festivals are a cornerstone of the arts and are a contributor to Victoria's national and
international reputation," she said.
Funding over four years includes:
- $6.9 million for Vibrant Festivals and Community Celebrations to support and promote iconic festivals across the State, to be shared with the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC). Festivals which may receive funding include: The Fringe Festival, Australia Day celebrations, Antipodes Festival, the Chinese New Year Festival, Next Wave Youth Arts Festival, the Melbourne Writers Festival, Footscray's Big West Festival, and the Wangaratta Jazz Festival.
- $6 million to stimulate Victoria's dynamic small and medium size companies, with funding for Community Music Victoria, the Footscray Community Arts Centre, the Jewish Museum, the Ballarat Gold Museum and Geelong's Courthouse Youth Arts Centre and others.
Ms Delahunty said the Bracks Government had also allocated $2.2 million over four years for an ongoing program, Arts Access All Areas.
"It will create motivating educational opportunities for students from outer metropolitan
Melbourne and regional Victoria to participate in learning programs at Victoria's major cultural venues including the Arts Centre and National Gallery of Victoria.
Other arts Budget highlights include:
- $25.1 million for the State Library of Victoria to transform this internationally recognised 150 year old library into a cutting-edge library of the 21st Century;
- $19.8 million to the Arts Centre for state-of-the-art capital works upgrades to sophisticated theatre technologies and to expand the diversity of programming across all performing art forms;
- $8.9 million for the film, television, and digital industries in Victoria to continue the Digital Media Fund, reinforce competitiveness of the local industry, and build on
Victoria's strengths in local television production;
- $2.3 million for enhanced and additional orchestral services for Orchestra Victoria, the new Victorian Opera company, Australian Ballet and Opera Australia;
- $3 million towards the development of a new $7.6 million theatre at Burrinja, the Dandenong Ranges Community Cultural Centre;
- $970,000 to Heide Museum of Modern Art for improvements to visitor services and amenities; and
- $400,000 towards the redevelopment of the Museum of Lilydale into a regional civic and cultural facility.
Ms Delahunty said the Arts Centre was an iconic part of Melbourne's landscape and history. The Bracks Government will ensure the Centre maintains its international reputation and continues to bring world renowned performers and artists to all Victorians.
"We want to help create a State Library at the leading edge of the 21st century global library developments. The slv21 is an innovative package that will help the State Library develop its online services and allow Victorians to access the library 24 hours a day," Ms Delahunty said.
"Today's funding announcements are in addition to the $28 million already provided for the arts in the regions last November through the provincial statement, Moving Forward," Ms Delahunty said.
"The 2006-07 State Budget builds on the Bracks Government's significant investment over seven years to provide more opportunities for more Victorians to participate in and enjoy the arts."
Download the fact sheets here:
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| 1. Asset Funding |
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| 2. Output Funding |
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