Arts Minister Simon Crean says a multi-million-dollar culture policy is vital to support Australia’s creative sector which is at the “core of a modern economy”.
The Federal Government’s Creative Australia policy is the first cultural policy since former prime minister Paul Keating unveiled Creative Nation in 1994.
In making the announcement at the National Press Club in Canberra, Mr Crean said the policy would strengthen, sustain and grow the economy.
The federal government has announced a new policy outlining Australia’s investment in the arts, culture and creativity over the next ten years.
The government says its Creative Australia policy is based on recommendations from the 2020 Summit (held in 2010) and after consultation with the arts and cultural sectors.
Minister for the Arts, Simon Crean, says creativity is at the heart of Australia’s social fabric and will boost economic productivity.
There are five key goals of the policy, including celebrating the culture of Indigenous Australians and ensuring that the diversity of Australia is used to shape the nation’s cultural identity.
Other goals include supporting artists, strengthening the capacity of the cultural sector to contribute to Australia and ensuring Australian creativity thrives in a digital environment.