❓ Question regarding the McGowan government's $20 million regional arts and culture investment program and its impact on regional jobs and economies. The Minister outlines the program's three streams: regional arts investment, Aboriginal arts centres, and empowered communities, highlighting its focus on job creation, tourism, and cultural development.
AnsweredQoN 544Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
REGIONAL ARTS AND CULTURE INVESTMENT PROGRAM
544. Mr D.T. PUNCH to the Minister for Culture and the Arts:
I refer to the strong financial management of the McGowan
Labor government, which means more funding for job-creating cultural
infrastructure across regional WA. Can the minister advise the house how the
$20 million regional arts and culture investment program will help drive regional
jobs with our creative industries and help support the local economies of
regional WA?
544. Mr D.T. PUNCH to the Minister for Culture and the Arts:
I refer to the strong financial management of the McGowan
Labor government, which means more funding for job-creating cultural
infrastructure across regional WA. Can the minister advise the house how the
$20 million regional arts and culture investment program will help drive regional
jobs with our creative industries and help support the local economies of
regional WA?
AnswerView source ↗
I am very keen to answer that question. I thank the member
for Bunbury for his ongoing support of the creative industries in the south
west. He is a leader in the promotion of the importance of cultural industries.
I am very proud that in the budget that was handed down in May
this year, we were able to deliver an almost $20 million commitment over the
next four years for arts throughout the regions. There is no doubt that
regional Western Australia is a wonderful recipient and a wonderful container
of so many creative people. Regional Western Australia has produced some
outstanding creative people in the history of our state, including the very
city I come from, the regional City of Mandurah. I welcome the students who
were here. They have obviously left; they saw me!
It is very important to recognise the tremendous creative
talent that has been delivered to the international and national stages by some
very, very creative people in all the regions of Western Australia.
The regional fund that we announced will deliver three key
streams. The first stream specifically focuses on regional arts investment,
particularly supporting regional performing arts and cultural centres
throughout the state. Member for Pilbara, there is a new centre in the Pilbara,
and member for Bunbury, there is the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, as
well as the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, the Goldfields Arts Centre and
others. The first stream will help activate
those regional performing arts venues by improving their ability to present
high- quality performances, including touring performances, and support
training and business development. This is very important because we want to
keep training young people who are coming through who have an interest in the
arts at their local venues. That is going to be an important focus.
The second stream will be of particular interest to the
member for Kimberley, who gave a grievance to me earlier this year, and the
member for Pilbara because it focuses on Aboriginal arts centres. We have a massive
opportunity to enhance the capability and capacity of Aboriginal arts centres
throughout Western Australia, particularly the many that are in the electorates
of the members for Pilbara and Kimberley. This is a fantastic opportunity to
not only deliver benefits back to the creative talent themselves, the people
who create the art, but also enhance tourism opportunities in the regions. It
is a very, very important investment in Aboriginal arts centres. I am very
proud that we will be focusing on that in stream 2.
Stream 3 is about empowered and employed communities. It is
focused on aligning creative programs in local government planning and
supporting local government to enhance its role in providing jobs and
opportunities within the culture and arts sphere. Local governments play an
important role and we will support them with cultural planning opportunities
and support and accessibility to employment opportunities in local communities.
This stream will also include a fund to grow cultural tourism through regional
festivals. The regions are one of the magnificent jewels of Western Australian
culture and the arts, and we need to enhance them. This government is doing
that. This comes on top of the $8 million boost to support regional galleries,
as well as our contemporary music fund, which will invest in and support
contemporary music. This is a record investment in regional Western Australian
culture and the arts, and I am very proud that a McGowan government initiative
is delivering to the regions, recognising that the creative industries are in
fact among the leaders in new growth and job development in a modern economy.
This government understands that and is delivering.
for Bunbury for his ongoing support of the creative industries in the south
west. He is a leader in the promotion of the importance of cultural industries.
I am very proud that in the budget that was handed down in May
this year, we were able to deliver an almost $20 million commitment over the
next four years for arts throughout the regions. There is no doubt that
regional Western Australia is a wonderful recipient and a wonderful container
of so many creative people. Regional Western Australia has produced some
outstanding creative people in the history of our state, including the very
city I come from, the regional City of Mandurah. I welcome the students who
were here. They have obviously left; they saw me!
It is very important to recognise the tremendous creative
talent that has been delivered to the international and national stages by some
very, very creative people in all the regions of Western Australia.
The regional fund that we announced will deliver three key
streams. The first stream specifically focuses on regional arts investment,
particularly supporting regional performing arts and cultural centres
throughout the state. Member for Pilbara, there is a new centre in the Pilbara,
and member for Bunbury, there is the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, as
well as the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, the Goldfields Arts Centre and
others. The first stream will help activate
those regional performing arts venues by improving their ability to present
high- quality performances, including touring performances, and support
training and business development. This is very important because we want to
keep training young people who are coming through who have an interest in the
arts at their local venues. That is going to be an important focus.
The second stream will be of particular interest to the
member for Kimberley, who gave a grievance to me earlier this year, and the
member for Pilbara because it focuses on Aboriginal arts centres. We have a massive
opportunity to enhance the capability and capacity of Aboriginal arts centres
throughout Western Australia, particularly the many that are in the electorates
of the members for Pilbara and Kimberley. This is a fantastic opportunity to
not only deliver benefits back to the creative talent themselves, the people
who create the art, but also enhance tourism opportunities in the regions. It
is a very, very important investment in Aboriginal arts centres. I am very
proud that we will be focusing on that in stream 2.
Stream 3 is about empowered and employed communities. It is
focused on aligning creative programs in local government planning and
supporting local government to enhance its role in providing jobs and
opportunities within the culture and arts sphere. Local governments play an
important role and we will support them with cultural planning opportunities
and support and accessibility to employment opportunities in local communities.
This stream will also include a fund to grow cultural tourism through regional
festivals. The regions are one of the magnificent jewels of Western Australian
culture and the arts, and we need to enhance them. This government is doing
that. This comes on top of the $8 million boost to support regional galleries,
as well as our contemporary music fund, which will invest in and support
contemporary music. This is a record investment in regional Western Australian
culture and the arts, and I am very proud that a McGowan government initiative
is delivering to the regions, recognising that the creative industries are in
fact among the leaders in new growth and job development in a modern economy.
This government understands that and is delivering.
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