The Hon Rod Kemp was Minister for the Arts and Sport from Friday 23 November 2001 to Tuesday 30 January 2007. This site is available for archival purposes only.
Australian cultural achievements highlighted
The Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, today highlighted the achievements of the Australian Government's Regional Arts Fund in supporting community-based cultural development in regional, remote and isolated areas of Australia during the two years to 30 June 2006.
Senator Kemp released a Regional Arts Fund brochure— Regional Arts Fund: a national focus which outlines the fund’s key achievements, including the following outcomes.
- Every dollar contributed from the fund attracted another $3.30 in cash and in-kind support and, as a result, $11.75 million was provided nationally to regional arts programs and projects each year.
- Each year around 6000 artists were engaged in projects and programs and approximately 47 000 people participated directly in projects and programs supported by the fund.
- An audience of over 1.5 million supported the fund’s projects and programs each year.
The Regional Arts Fund also continues to support a range of national, long-term initiatives including Creative Volunteering, which provides accredited training to regional arts sector volunteers, and the Regional Arts Australia National Conference held this year in Mackay and scheduled for Alice Springs in 2008.
“Regional Arts Fund: a national focus shows how the Regional Arts Fund is making a real difference to the cultural lives of people living across regional, remote and isolated areas of Australia,” said Senator Kemp.
“It is successfully attracting a significant level of support for arts and cultural projects and activities from a broad base including state and local government, the corporate and philanthropic sectors, and that is having good outcomes in communities.
“Behind the facts and figures are the people involved and the art which is being produced nationwide. Reading the stories of how people have used the fund to make a difference in their lives and regions, demonstrates how the arts are helping to build stronger communities.”
The Regional Arts Fund assists community-based cultural development in regional, remote and isolated areas in Australia. It aims to achieve sustainable cultural development by facilitating partnerships and networks, assisting the professional development and employment of regional artists, and by funding community projects.
The Regional Arts Fund is administered in each state by the following agencies: Country Arts SA, Regional Arts NSW, Regional Arts Victoria, Queensland Arts Council, Tasmanian Regional Arts and Country Arts WA; and in the territories by Arts NT and artsACT.
You will find more information about the Regional Arts Fund on the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts website at
http://www.dcita.gov.au/arts_culture/funding_programs__and__support/regional_arts_fund
CANBERRA
19 October 2006
Media contact: Michael Christo, Minister’s Office 03 9650 7274 or 0409 040276