The Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt has announced the development of an Indigenous Visual Art Action Plan which is open for community comment.
Mr Wyatt said the aim of the Plan was to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and their cultural and economic interests.
Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, Paul Fletcher greeted the plan saying it recognised the significant importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and culture, dating back 65,000 years.
“Australian Indigenous visual art is highly sought after both in Australia and abroad for its quality, innovation and cultural richness,” Mr Fletcher said.
“It also strengthens economic opportunities for communities by providing employment, skills development and income,” he said.
“Until the start of COVID-19, art sales had been growing for almost a decade but the pandemic has dramatically impacted the industry.”
Mr Fletcher said art centres, galleries and studios were closed, and art fairs and events cancelled or postponed “which only strengthens the need for a plan”.
The Ministers launched a consultation paper which will be used to support the plan’s design process.
Mr Wyatt said art was central to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander way of life, allowing communities to tell their stories and develop a shared understanding of Australia’s history for non-Indigenous Australians and people around the world.
“As part of this consultation we want to hear from stakeholders across the Indigenous visual arts sector,” Mr Wyatt said.
He said the plan would be designed in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and the visual arts community.
“This process will build on important work undertaken by the report on the impact of inauthentic art and craft in the style of First Nations peoples,” Mr Wyatt said.
“The Government has a number of initiatives under way to better safeguard Indigenous art, including a digital labelling trial and additional funding to support the Indigenous Art Code, in collaboration with the States.”
Consultation closes on 18 December and the final plan is expected to be released in 2021.
The 11-page consultation paper can be accessed at this PS News link.
