SOME POINTS FOR INCLUSION IN LETTERS

Present situation and importance of arts and culture:

·         lack of recognition for the key role of the Arts, history and heritage, both Indigenous and non Indigenous, in our community.

·         A vibrant community builds on its sense of place, its sense of the past.  The variety of arts related activities, be they literature, painting, music, drama or the protection and interpretation of our heritage and history define us as a society, allow us to express ourselves and enrich the lives of others.

·         The Arts, culture and heritage are essential tools for building a community. They are not for the privileged few and should be at the heart of daily life.

·         Arts, culture and heritage are not merely a form of entertainment but are key components of our well being and happiness.

Problems:

·         Arts related agencies in Western Australia are increasingly struggling for funding and are being forced to make cuts to their services. The State Library, the Art Gallery and the WA Museum have made cuts to opening hours in an effort to meet the desired Government cutbacks. The Art Gallery and the WA Museum each close one day per week.

·         The Fremantle History Museum, the only museum in the Perth metropolitan area that told the story of early settlement of Western Australia as well as post War migration, has been closed permanently.

·         There are ‘homeless collections’ in Perth. The Museum of Childhood no longer has its own premises, the Museum of Sport is also ‘homeless’ and these popular collections are not now displayed for the community.

·         The Midland Workshops Interpretative Centre has been closed ‘temporarily’.

·         The Premier’s Book Awards have been suspended this year

·         The key role of archives is not being recognised. There is an urgent need for a new State Records Repository – government records have not been transferred to the State Records storage facility since early 2001 because of lack of storage. This means that archives are unavailable for research, and are stored in poor and inadequate storage, with the very real possibility that archives will be lost through neglect or poor storage.

·         There is inadequate funding for heritage protection and for education in this area.

Desired outcomes:

• the development of the arts, culture and heritage throughout Western Australia;

·         access to a broad variety of cultural activities that enhance the cultural attractions of Western Australia for residents and visitors alike;

• the provision of direct cultural services through museums and cultural and environmental heritage sites, and support for the cultural sector of our community.
• the provision of these services so that as well as reading about history we explore it.
• government support for the operation and administration of museums, heritage sites, performing and visual arts centres; libraries and archives, financial support for cultural activity and individual artists; the encouragement of public art projects; and
• assistance to a wide range of community arts organizations in accessing services and facilities.