Media Releases and Campaign Progress

As a result of state funding being declined, federal funding through the Australia Council will be withdrawn on 12th March. CCDNSW has not been assessed appropriately for a service based organisation established to support you and your work.

CCDNSW to Close its Doors. Read the release here.

Funding Fiascos and Bungling Bureaucracies, ArtsHub Column here.

Sun Herald article 7 March 2010 here. First edition, with extra detail here.

Download a letter to sign and send on to the NSW Minister for the Arts here.

Please Explain: Parliamentary Questions put to Minister Judge - deadline for answers is 31 March here.

Sylvia Hale, Greens MP Releases Media Statement in Support of CCDNSW (download pdf release)

Media release

From Sylvia Hale, Greens MP and spokesperson for Arts

19 February 2010  - For immediate use  

Arts funding must be for all, not only for established arts say Greens

The Greens have criticised the State Government for withdrawing funding from Community Cultural Development NSW, the peak body for community arts and cultural development in NSW.

"The effect of this de-funding will be that arts funding in NSW will now be focused on the flagships of Australian arts funding such as Opera Australia, Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and their like. While these are wonderful and important institutions, they interact with only a very small segment of our community," said Sylvia Hale, Greens MLC and spokesperson for the Arts.

"With the withdrawal of this funding the NSW Government is reneging on its 2006/07 agreement with Federal arts funding body, The Australia Council, to support community based arts programs in NSW. The loss of funding from Arts NSW means the automatic loss of funding from The Australia Council.

"I understand Arts Minister Virginia Judge has refused invitations to meet with CCD NSW. I hope the Minister will meet with CCD NSW so that she may gain a genuine understanding of the role and important work CCD NSW plays in our community.

"Community Cultural Development NSW works with a range of stakeholders to advance social change through the arts, and in particular bring art practitioners together with the community to improve engagement in disadvantaged communities and with disadvantaged groups.

" I understand that recently CCD NSW has been working with Juvenile Justice to involve artists who can bring less formal but practical arts programs that can assist in developing positive outcomes for young people in the juvenile justice system.

"CCD also links up and promotes sharing of artistic ideas such as community based interaction that involves people of the Sutherland Shire with those in the Bankstown area following the Cronulla riots through story telling and developing plays.

"It is important that arts funding engages everyone in the broader NSW community, and that it allows us to be not simply consumers but to be participants in creating our own culture.

"The culture of the past is important and relevant, but it is only renewed and invigorated by constant engagement with new generations and new voices.

"The long slow decline of funding of community cultural organisations will be close to complete with the end of funding to CCD NSW. With the end of that organisation, we may well see that a new generation of voices from Sydney's suburbs, from our regional cities and towns and from non-European voices is stifled. That would truly be a great loss for our community, and for our ability to develop a cohesive society", said Ms Hale.

 Further information: Colin Hesse on 9230 3030 or 0401 719 124

Communities and Artists the Big Losers in Arts NSW Funding Cut (download pdf release)

Major cultural support organisation Community Cultural Development NSW has its funding application rejected by Arts NSW after 25 years of service. Impact reaches State-wide across artists, organisations and communities.

For every Australian who’s been enchanted by the vibrant creative events at community celebrations, chances are there’s a team of community artsworkers behind the scenes, working with the locals and making  it all happen. And behind the community artsworkers is Community Cultural Development NSW (CCDNSW), an organisation that has been serving those artsworkers – and Australian communities – for 25 years, keeping their knowledge and skills current, lobbying on their behalf, providing referrals and advice to help them get work, operate within a community context and navigate the sometimes confusing path through funding application processes. 

Now this organisation has been de-prioritised by the NSW State Government, with Arts NSW declining to fund the peak service organisation in 2010.

This turn of events comes at a time when “community appreciation and involvement in the arts” appears as a guiding principle of Arts NSW’s Strategic Plan, while the Department of Arts, Sport and Health is aiming to increase community participation in cultural activities and in volunteering in the arts.

Lex Marinos OAM, CCDNSW’s Board Chair today said: “The reality is that only a small percentage of Australians intersect with the arts as far as attendance at the traditional (and traditionally funded) cultural venues goes. The vast majority include cultural activity as part of their lives through grass-roots community activities – the types of activities imagined, created, and made possible by the artsworkers helped by CCDNSW.”

For CCDNSW, the impact of the funding decision has far reaching outcomes. Its Australia Council funding is contingent upon Arts NSW’s support, so if State funding is not reinstated by 12 March CCDNSW will have no option but to close its doors.

The withdrawal of Australia Council funding will see $170,000 pulled out of the community arts and cultural development sector – a massive blow to both the greater Sydney area and regional communities across the State.

“This is a scandal. Not only does it see four of the State’s most dedicated artsworkers unemployed, it will result in a loss of skills and expertise in a vitally important sector. For ArtsNSW to not consider the importance of a subsequent loss of $170,000 in federal arts support – at a time when arts funding is tight across the board - is disgraceful.” said Marinos, who shares the CCDNSW Board’s view that the funding process has serious flaws and inconsistencies and lacks transparency.

For now, CCDNSW has put its programs on hold, but the organisation is calling for media and arts community support and is opening discussion on its Facebook page and through the Soapbox on www.ccdnsw.org in a bid to have its funding application to Arts NSW reconsidered.  This would also secure the Australia Council contribution, which includes a significant amount of federal support for CCDNSW’s peer organisation Regional Arts NSW.  

Show your support for CCDNSW: visit http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=296273570781&ref=nf, join the group, leave a testimonial, message of support, get more information and join the discussion.

Media Enquiries:

Krissie Scudds, Krissie Scudds & Associates 0412 331 604 / kscudds@bigpond.net.au

Vic Keighery, CEO CCDNSW, 9518 3811 (ext 2) / ceo@ccdnsw.org

Also attached: CCDNSW Infosheet / Further Information: www.ccdnsw.org