27 September 2006
Peter Garrett, the Federal Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Reconciliation and the Arts, will discuss his concerns about Australia's approach to the arts tomorrow at a national conference on tertiary art and design education.
Mr Garrett is the keynote speaker at the 2006 Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools Annual Conference hosted by Monash University and the Victorian College of the Arts.
He proposes that a lack of national debate about the current state of the arts, including the future of our cultural industries when a number of key sectors are struggling, suggests that political priorities lie elsewhere.
"The current crop of national political leaders could well be described as today's philistines," he said. "Politicians continually associate themselves with sport and sporting success and yet at the national level are virtually absent from any meaningful discussion or involvement with the arts."
"In the midst of a period of economic buoyancy the Commonwealth's provision of support for the arts remains static and a number of key arts sectors, including the film industry and medium sized performance companies, are struggling."
Who: Peter Garrett, Federal Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Reconciliation and the Arts, speaking on 'Today's Philistines'.
What: Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools Annual Conference. Thinking the future: art, design and creativity
When: Peter Garrett speaks at 10.30am, 28 September 2006
Where: Art and Design Building (Building G), Lecture Theatre G104, Monash University Caulfield Campus.
For more information contact Penny Fannin, Media Communications, on + 61 3 9905 5828 or 0417 125 700 or see the Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools (ACUADS) website.
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