The rapid digital shift in how people engage with the arts is posing significant policy and commercial challenges, according to a new report from the Australia Council for the Arts.
Chief Executive of the Australia Council, Adrian Collette said the Council’s Report, In Real Life: Mapping digital cultural engagement in the first decades of the 21st century, examined how people engaged with the arts using digital technology and what this meant for the cultural sector.
“We now have literally at our fingertips almost infinite possibilities to discover, connect, engage and create culture online,” Mr Collette said.
“We have seen, particularly throughout the pandemic, how digital technologies have enabled more people to access the arts and cultural experiences,” he said.
“We also know these changes – that were already occurring and have been accelerated by the pandemic – have deep ramifications for the creative sector.”
Mr Collette said there was a need to discuss and respond to key challenges, from creating sustainable business models to ensuring all Australians were able to access and benefit from creative participation.
The Chief Executive said the Report found Australians were increasingly engaging with the arts online and the line between ‘artist’ and ‘audience’ was increasingly blurred due to the rise of participatory digital technologies.
He said audience expectations were changing and now often included the ability to insert oneself into the story, an artwork or an art experience; and access to multiple lines of communication with performers, audience members and other participants.
“For many people, the live experience is no longer just about ‘in-person’ attendance,” Mr Collette said.
“It can mean experiencing art simultaneously with others and watching events unfold in real time.”
He said audience expectations also included significant access to arts and culture for minimal cost.
Mr Collette said digital technology had made it harder for copyright holders to exert control over artworks, but had also led to an expansion of options for sharing and remixing artistic content.
He said new business models and consideration of copyright were required to secure remuneration for artists and creatives.
The Australia Council’s 89-page Report can be accessed at this PS News link.
