What a relief it is to have a government that accepts and supports our Australian stories, past and present, no matter the format or medium. After many years of being ignored (and whittled down), creation and access to our stories is recognised as a critical part of a healthy society.
Today the Australian Government launched Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place – Australia’s cultural policy for the next five years.
From page 38 of Revive:
“Revive envisages that the entire national cultural collection and cultural experience is representative of modern Australia; in the stories it tells, in the artists that create it, and the audiences that engage with it.
“Arts and culture belong to everyone. Australia’s people and their stories are our greatest cultural asset. Stories communicate shared identities and a sense of belonging to place and each other, and can be shared through an artwork, narrative, dance, screen content, music or an idea.”
A policy is a course of action proposed by an organisation. It doesn’t contain the nitty-gritty of costings but, instead, describes a broad set of intents.
Revive is organised around five interconnected pillars: First Nations First, A Place for Every Story, Centrality of the Artist, Strong Cultural Infrastructure, and Engaging the Audience. The document does include some action statements.