❓ Question regarding red-tape reduction initiatives within the Department of Culture and the Arts, specifically focusing on the benefits of these initiatives for the arts sector and community. The Minister highlights the Culture Counts app and online grants management system.
AnsweredQoN 768Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE AND THE ARTS —
RED-TAPE REDUCTION
768. Ms E. EVANGEL to the Minister for
Culture and the Arts:
Before I ask my question —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you. Member for Perth.
Ms
E. EVANGEL : Before I ask my question, I would like to acknowledge the year
11 politics and law students from St Mary's Anglican Girls'
School in the Deputy Premier's electorate.
I
understand that the Department of Culture and the Arts has introduced some
innovative solutions to save the sector and the community time and money. Can
the minister please tell the house about the benefits of these initiatives?
RED-TAPE REDUCTION
768. Ms E. EVANGEL to the Minister for
Culture and the Arts:
Before I ask my question —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you. Member for Perth.
Ms
E. EVANGEL : Before I ask my question, I would like to acknowledge the year
11 politics and law students from St Mary's Anglican Girls'
School in the Deputy Premier's electorate.
I
understand that the Department of Culture and the Arts has introduced some
innovative solutions to save the sector and the community time and money. Can
the minister please tell the house about the benefits of these initiatives?
AnswerView source ↗
A lot of people might be somewhat
surprised to learn that the culture and arts portfolio is involved in the
government's red-tape reduction program, but that is in fact the case,
through innovation in the portfolio and, in particular, firstly through the
development of the Culture Counts digital app and web portal system that has
been developed here in Western Australia. It collects and measures real-time
data from arts practitioners, peers and the public about particular arts and
cultural experiences. It gathers feedback and responses to a range of
productions, art exhibitions or other events to inform the government about the
value of, in some cases, the public investment that has been made, and also to
inform the practitioners, the arts companies and others about the value and
reception of particular presentations, performances or exhibitions, as I said.
In part, the app enables the government to measure the community benefit of its
investments by giving arts consumers the opportunity to inform future
decisions. There was a trial of the Culture Counts app in 2015, in association
with the very large public arts event, The
Giants , in Perth, as they walked through the streets at the opening of the
Perth International Arts Festival.
A total of 800 responses were
received that provided data about the public response to what was being
presented. I can certainly say it was a very positive response. Previously,
gathering that sort of data would have cost organisations about $25 000 an
event.
Ms
M.M. Quirk : Seems like the kids from Melville are leaving!
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you, members!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : I think they have other commitments.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Let us get on with it. The minister has the call.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : The opposition might not have a genuine interest in how arts
organisations and practitioners in the state can be assisted, but from our
government's point of view we are certainly very keen to assist. It is
estimated that the app will save the sector as a whole about $950 000 a year in
research costs. It is, I am pleased to say, being used overseas, particularly
in the United Kingdom—around the world, it is being used by about 300 organisations.
It is a credit to those involved in the development of this system and app in Western
Australia that is being used in, as I said, many locations around the world.
The second measure put in place is
in relation to the arts grants programs. About $28 million is provided to arts
organisations in the state each year through grants. For the first time,
applications seeking funding of less than $15 000 are being considered on a year-round
basis. There is now also a new online grants management system that allows for
the preparation, management, submission, administration, assessment and
acquittal of funding applications online. That all means that more resources
can be put into providing grants to assist arts organisations and individuals
in the state to engage in their creative activities, as opposed to
administering the system. That is a very good outcome.
I commend all those in the
Department of Culture and the Arts and the cultural sector in Western Australia
involved in these changes in the arts portfolio that will ensure more creative
content that is well targeted and able to be produced here in Western Australia.
surprised to learn that the culture and arts portfolio is involved in the
government's red-tape reduction program, but that is in fact the case,
through innovation in the portfolio and, in particular, firstly through the
development of the Culture Counts digital app and web portal system that has
been developed here in Western Australia. It collects and measures real-time
data from arts practitioners, peers and the public about particular arts and
cultural experiences. It gathers feedback and responses to a range of
productions, art exhibitions or other events to inform the government about the
value of, in some cases, the public investment that has been made, and also to
inform the practitioners, the arts companies and others about the value and
reception of particular presentations, performances or exhibitions, as I said.
In part, the app enables the government to measure the community benefit of its
investments by giving arts consumers the opportunity to inform future
decisions. There was a trial of the Culture Counts app in 2015, in association
with the very large public arts event, The
Giants , in Perth, as they walked through the streets at the opening of the
Perth International Arts Festival.
A total of 800 responses were
received that provided data about the public response to what was being
presented. I can certainly say it was a very positive response. Previously,
gathering that sort of data would have cost organisations about $25 000 an
event.
Ms
M.M. Quirk : Seems like the kids from Melville are leaving!
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you, members!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : I think they have other commitments.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Let us get on with it. The minister has the call.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : The opposition might not have a genuine interest in how arts
organisations and practitioners in the state can be assisted, but from our
government's point of view we are certainly very keen to assist. It is
estimated that the app will save the sector as a whole about $950 000 a year in
research costs. It is, I am pleased to say, being used overseas, particularly
in the United Kingdom—around the world, it is being used by about 300 organisations.
It is a credit to those involved in the development of this system and app in Western
Australia that is being used in, as I said, many locations around the world.
The second measure put in place is
in relation to the arts grants programs. About $28 million is provided to arts
organisations in the state each year through grants. For the first time,
applications seeking funding of less than $15 000 are being considered on a year-round
basis. There is now also a new online grants management system that allows for
the preparation, management, submission, administration, assessment and
acquittal of funding applications online. That all means that more resources
can be put into providing grants to assist arts organisations and individuals
in the state to engage in their creative activities, as opposed to
administering the system. That is a very good outcome.
I commend all those in the
Department of Culture and the Arts and the cultural sector in Western Australia
involved in these changes in the arts portfolio that will ensure more creative
content that is well targeted and able to be produced here in Western Australia.
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