Launch of package of arts initiatives for young people

28/2/97

Arts Minister Peter Foss today announced a package of arts initiatives for young people worth almost nearly $750,000.

Launching the package at John Curtin Senior High School, Mr Foss said the initiatives reflected the State Government's commitment to young people and the arts.

"This package is all about the integration of arts activities into the everyday lives of our young people," he said.

"Its full title is: 'Arts for, by and with young people' because we want to give them greater scope to undertake activities with other young people and in collaboration with older artists.

"We also want them to have the opportunity to make use of arts products and services provided for them."

The four key elements of the policy were to:

·      provide more opportunities for young people in the arts, regardless of their circumstances;

·      recognise the achievements of young people, which may not always be well known within the wider community;

·      provide more resources for young people; and -

·      increase representation by young people in the decision making processes that affect them.

Mr Foss said the policy had been developed over the last year by a working party on arts for young people, which undertook public consultation with many young people in the arts.

"The new package includes $500,000 in extra funding for new initiatives which, when added to the existing funding for young people's activities, brings the total allocation through ArtsWA to $745,000 per year," Mr Foss said.

"This significant investment is intended to make a long term difference to young people's opportunities and encapsulates the key directions for the future."

The new initiatives include:

·      $40,000 for quick response funding for one-off projects of up to $3,000 additional to the $130,000 currently invested in project activities through existing ArtsWA programs;

·      $100,000 new funding for the Awesome Festival, which became one of the highlights of the Perth arts calendar in 1996;

·      $100,000 additional funding for the Artrage Festival to enhance the festival's support for activities by young people in the 16 to 24 year-old age group;

·      $50,000 for young children's activities, to pilot new ways of providing affordable arts events in a range of suburban and country locations for young children;

·      $10,000 for a youth justice initiative, co-ordinated by ArtsWA and the Ministry of Justice, aimed specifically at incarcerated youth;

·      $10,000 for an Aboriginal Contemporary Music Project, to enhance the development of contemporary music within the Aboriginal community;

·      $90,000 in additional monies for multi-year funding of organisations with a proven track record in providing programs for young people which, together with ArtsWA's existing project-based investment programs of $115,000, now totals $205,000. These funds will, for the first time, be offered on a multi-year basis, providing extra security for these organisations and enhancing their long-term planning ability;

·      $50,000 to pilot a field officer program over two years to promote young people's arts within the wider community and regional WA; and -

·      $50,000 for a feasibility study of a young people's arts network, a central place where young people and others can get information about appropriate arts activities.

In addition to this direct investment of funds, many existing resources within ArtsWA will be redirected to ensure long term improvements are made in key areas, including:

·      a young people's leadership training and support project, to facilitate the greater involvement by young people in decision making, thus empowering young people and giving them a greater understanding of this process;

·      a Spaces and Places for Young People project, to help overcome one of the greatest barriers young people experience in their practise of the arts - finding the appropriate places to both take part in arts activities; and -

·      a young children's seminar, to focus upon the needs of young children in the arts and explore the various ways in which these needs can be met.

Mr Foss said a Young People and the Arts panel would be established to implement the new policy.

The panel would allocate the project investments and quick response funds. It would include up to seven members, of which a majority would be under 25 years .

A Young People and the Arts project officer would also be appointed at ArtsWA to deal specifically with enquiries and applications within the young people's area.

Media contact: Peter Harris, Ministerial 0411 554 728

Mary Wright, Arts WA 427 1222