Is Arts Minister Fifield restoring funding cuts, making changes to the NPEA?

Is new Federal Arts Minister Mitch Fifield set to wind back at least some of the funding cuts to the Australia Council by his predecessor George Brandis? 

Are there being changes made to Brandis’ alternate funding National Program for Excellence in the Arts (NPEA), which Brandis said was necessary to help those groups (especially in the regional areas) being left out by Council decisions? 

Senator Fifield is not making an official statement until next week. But the 70 arts sector leaders who heard him speak at the National Arts Roundtable at Sydney’s Carriageworks last Friday were left with the impression that this was the case.  

The National Roundtable was organised by Free the Arts, which was set up to combat Brandis’ “reckless” (it said) cuts. The Roundtable was described by an attendee as conducted in a “constructive, collaborative and positive manner.” 

Fifield indicated he would give “careful consideration” to how the NPEA would be set up. Initially to be launched in July under Brandis, the new Minister admitted there would “probably be more significant changes than had initially been anticipated.” Individual grants will now be offered, it seems. 

Fifield certainly endeared himself to the arts leaders. During the meeting he acknowledged their concerns, and wanted “certainty, stability and security” in the sector. He agreed that the small- to medium-sized part of the sector should be protected because that was where most of the innovation and experimentation took place. “The heartbeat”, his words. He said he was willing to talk and consult. He gave out his mobile number and asked them to keep in touch. When he left, he got an enthusiastic applause. 

Shadow Arts Minister Mark Dreyfus, Labor senator Jacinta Collins and the Greens’ Adam Bandt also spoke. Bandt was disappointed no announcement was made that the NPEA would be cancelled and the $105 million restored. "I hoped I’d be walking into a room of clinking champagne glasses (to celebrate the announcement) but it didn’t happen," he said. 

The MEAA Equity, the union which represents those in the performing and creative industries, warned of worsening income issues faced by performers. It cited the University of Sydney’s Australian Actors’ Wellbeing Study (equityfoundation.org.au) that 34.5% of actors earn less than $10,000 per annum from their chosen field and even then only 21.2% earn over the poverty line when they do take on other jobs to exist. 

The Roundtable coincided with the end of the three month Senate hearings on arts funding cuts. More than 2,000 submissions were received. Of these, the Australia Council put a question mark over the future of Australian culture unless the NPEA was abandoned.  

The Australian Major Performing Arts Group, which represents 28 of the largest groups, is secured of funding, but still went out batting for the future of small- to medium-sized arts groups who were most at risk. 

The inquiry findings will be tabled on November 26. Fifield’s announcement should come out before that to blunt its impact. 

Meantime, the Round Table endorsed calls for an apolitical and unified vision for arts and culture, and new financial models to realise its full potential as a driver for creativity and innovation.