The Australia Council could see its responsibility to champion freedom of expression for artists watered down under changes before the federal government. <\/p>\n
Arts industry leaders have written to Arts Minister Tony Burke expressing concern over the removal of \"critical\" functions from the Australia Council's mission, including the need to \"uphold and promote the right of persons to freedom in the practice of the arts.\" Instead, in a bill currently before the House of Representatives, the Australia Council is only required to \"have regard to\" freedom of expression. <\/p>\n
\"It's a very, very different requirement, it's passive rather than active,\" said Tamara Winikoff of the National Association for the Visual Arts. \"As the principal arts body in the country it's one of the most important functions, we would have thought, of an Australia Council to take an active role in asserting the rights of artists to freedom of expression.\" <\/p>\n
Last year a government-commissioned review of the Australia Council made 18 recommendations relating to the structure and purpose of the council. The new bill was introduced to parliament on March 20 and, rather than diminishing the role of freedom of expression, the government maintains the new wording instead makes it an \"overarching principle\" for the council. Mr Burke was overseas and unavailable for comment. <\/p>\n
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However, Ms Winikoff said artists were increasingly being subjected to censorship, not because their work was illegal but because someone else objected to it. A much stronger imperative to uphold freedom of expression was needed in the bill, she said. <\/p>\n
Of equal concern to signatories, which includes former arts bureaucrat and ex-Australia Council deputy chair Anne Dunn, and head of Regional Arts Australia Jane Scott, is the apparent removal of the Australia Council's responsibility to promote arts in the broader community. <\/p>\n
\"With no mention of the community in the new Bill the Australia Council has no responsibility for arts in the community,\" Regional Arts Australia's submission says. <\/p>\n
\"It's a backward step,\" Ms Dunn said. \"To box the community into only being the audience is kind of a ridiculous notion. (We are) trying to get the legislation to reflect that the community is part of an artistic nation.\" <\/p>\n
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Fears freedom of artistic expression under fire<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Australia Council could see its responsibility to champion freedom of expression for artists watered down under changes before the federal government. Arts industry leaders have written to Arts Minister Tony Burke expressing concern over the removal of \"critical\" functions from the Australia Council's mission, including the need to \"uphold and promote the right of persons to freedom in the practice of the arts.\" Instead, in a bill currently before the House of Representatives, the Australia Council is only required to \"have regard to\" freedom of expression. \"It's a very, very different requirement, it's passive rather than active,\" said Tamara Winikoff of the National Association for the Visual Arts Continue reading