BRIEFING NOTE 

The Arts in Western Australia– an uncertain future?

ARTS FORUM: MONDAY 19 OCTOBER AT 4.30PM, PERTHTOWN HALL

Purpose of the Forum

This forum has arisen because of widespread concern amongst our membership that there is a lack of recognition for the key role of the Arts, history and heritage, both Indigenous and non Indigenous, in our community. We hope to highlight the extraordinary value of the arts in our society and stimulate further discussion and action.

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. They are not merely a form of entertainment but are key components of our well being and happiness.

We take ‘the Arts’ in its broadest definition and wish to see:

• 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.

The present situation in Western Australia is concerning to the History Council and its broad range of affiliated groups and members. Some of the decisions affecting the arts in WA include the following:

• 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 Premier’s Book Awards have been suspended this year
• 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.
• 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.
• The Midland Workshops Interpretative Centre has been closed ‘temporarily’.
• 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.
• There is inadequate funding for heritage protection and for education in this area.

The History Council

The History Council of Western Australia (HCWA) was incorporated in 2003.

The aims of the HCWA are to promote the study, preservation and use of history in Western Australiaand we represent about 13,000 historians and interested parties throughout the State. Our membership is wide ranging and includes academics, professional historians, librarians, museum professionals, archivists, family historians and a number of corporate groups. As an organisation we seek to raise the profile of history at all levels of government and the community and to provide advocacy for history and heritage collections. We seek to ensure that Arts related agencies such as the State Records Office, the State Library and the WA Museum are adequately funded. We also seek to achieve greater recognition of the value of historians’ professional knowledge in heritage, education, government processes and the value of historical studies both at school and at University.