Dr LIM - 1998-12-02
Youth arts in central Australia have become a topical issue, particularly with Centre Stage having very public problems in the management of their operations. What initiatives have been undertaken to ensure that young Territorians in Alice Springs have access to art support?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is an important question. The honourable member, who is from central Australia, obviously has an interest in ensuring that the arts are supported in the region. It is a topical issue, one that has dominated one particular media outlet’s coverage in Alice Springs.
The government has consistently provided strong support for youth arts throughout the Territory and, indeed, in central Australia. I am always very pleased to report on the strength and vibrancy of youth arts in the central region. Of late, the perception of government commitment to youth arts may have been clouded by the issues surrounding the recession of Centre Stage Theatre in Alice Springs.
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr MANZIE: Sit there and listen and you might find out something. It would be the first time that you ever sat and listened and learned some facts, because you never come up with any. Your version of events always seems to be a great distance away from the actual facts.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I am interested in hearing the minister’s response, but I’m not very interested in his opinion of the member for Fannie Bay.
Madam SPEAKER: If there were fewer interjections we might get the answer. Minister, continue your answer.
Mr MANZIE: Most certainly. If the Leader of the Opposition kept the member for Fannie Bay in check, I wouldn’t have any of these incorrect responses to make to interjections.
I assure my colleagues and all members of this House that communication with the Centre Stage Theatre is ongoing and advice is being provided to this organisation to address its current difficulties. Just last month, the department has been meeting with Centre Stage to discuss funding applications and matters associated with the theatre’s voluntary - and temporary - recession. It should be noted that the government over the past few years has provided Centre Stage in excess of $50 000 to support its activities. In a broader sense Centre Stage, along with other youth arts workers, young performers and parents, is collaborating to develop suitable options for youth performing arts in the region.
I think it is worthwhile putting on record that central Australia boasts a very vibrant, innovative and committed youth arts community. That is evidenced by the quality of work that is emerging from our young artists in that region. Members may recall that 5 members of the Alice Springs Cantori Choir were selected just recently to sing with the prestigious national children’s choir, Gondwana Voices. That resulted in performances at Darling Harbour in Sydney and the production of a CD of 5 new Australian works, composed especially for that purpose.
In 1997-98, the government provided more than $53 000 for 12 youth arts projects in Alice Springs, including more than $31 000 for music and performance arts activities.
Recently, the Department of Arts and Museums sponsored the first of a series of forums to bring together young people and arts workers in Alice Springs to develop a strategy for community youth arts. That forum was organised to give young people, arts workers and the community an opportunity to strengthen links, examine youth performing arts options, and identify issues of importance to the future growth and development of youth arts in the region. The forum was facilitated by well-known Centralian youth art workers Scott Casely and Virginia Heydon.
The workshop was very well attended and had more than 30 artists and art workers participating, including youth arts organisations such as the Centre Stage Theatre. I believe we also had the Alice Springs Junior Singers, the YMCA, the Alice Springs Youth Accommodation Support Services, as well as people from the Department of Arts and Museums. The important thing is that everyone was pretty enthusiastic because they explored issues which affect youth arts in the Centre.
I am very pleased to be able to advise that a steering committee was formed to continue that work I have a list here of the sorts of things that they are working on: preparing a support framework for youth arts to include resource sharing, improved calibration between arts groups and sources of support and funding; identifying the listing, rehearsal and performance spaces in Alice Springs; improving networking within the general community; presenting a showcase of youth arts in the communities; skills development for arts work and young artists; and investigating and securing funding options for the establishment of a sustainable and effective youth arts framework.
That steering committee is going to host another open forum in late February next year. It is certainly an exciting time for youth arts in Alice Springs. I look forward to having a report on future successes resulting from this initiative, which I believe is going to enable youth performing arts in Alice Springs to proceed even better in the future.
I stress again, for the benefit of the member for Fannie Bay, that there has been no cut in funding for Centre Stage. She should keep that in mind, instead of making inane comments. She should seek some advice on the particular problems of Centre Stage. She could then talk with some knowledge instead of trying to be critical of the government and people involved in providing extremely viable activities for youth artists in the Centre.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is an important question. The honourable member, who is from central Australia, obviously has an interest in ensuring that the arts are supported in the region. It is a topical issue, one that has dominated one particular media outlet’s coverage in Alice Springs.
The government has consistently provided strong support for youth arts throughout the Territory and, indeed, in central Australia. I am always very pleased to report on the strength and vibrancy of youth arts in the central region. Of late, the perception of government commitment to youth arts may have been clouded by the issues surrounding the recession of Centre Stage Theatre in Alice Springs.
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr MANZIE: Sit there and listen and you might find out something. It would be the first time that you ever sat and listened and learned some facts, because you never come up with any. Your version of events always seems to be a great distance away from the actual facts.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I am interested in hearing the minister’s response, but I’m not very interested in his opinion of the member for Fannie Bay.
Madam SPEAKER: If there were fewer interjections we might get the answer. Minister, continue your answer.
Mr MANZIE: Most certainly. If the Leader of the Opposition kept the member for Fannie Bay in check, I wouldn’t have any of these incorrect responses to make to interjections.
I assure my colleagues and all members of this House that communication with the Centre Stage Theatre is ongoing and advice is being provided to this organisation to address its current difficulties. Just last month, the department has been meeting with Centre Stage to discuss funding applications and matters associated with the theatre’s voluntary - and temporary - recession. It should be noted that the government over the past few years has provided Centre Stage in excess of $50 000 to support its activities. In a broader sense Centre Stage, along with other youth arts workers, young performers and parents, is collaborating to develop suitable options for youth performing arts in the region.
I think it is worthwhile putting on record that central Australia boasts a very vibrant, innovative and committed youth arts community. That is evidenced by the quality of work that is emerging from our young artists in that region. Members may recall that 5 members of the Alice Springs Cantori Choir were selected just recently to sing with the prestigious national children’s choir, Gondwana Voices. That resulted in performances at Darling Harbour in Sydney and the production of a CD of 5 new Australian works, composed especially for that purpose.
In 1997-98, the government provided more than $53 000 for 12 youth arts projects in Alice Springs, including more than $31 000 for music and performance arts activities.
Recently, the Department of Arts and Museums sponsored the first of a series of forums to bring together young people and arts workers in Alice Springs to develop a strategy for community youth arts. That forum was organised to give young people, arts workers and the community an opportunity to strengthen links, examine youth performing arts options, and identify issues of importance to the future growth and development of youth arts in the region. The forum was facilitated by well-known Centralian youth art workers Scott Casely and Virginia Heydon.
The workshop was very well attended and had more than 30 artists and art workers participating, including youth arts organisations such as the Centre Stage Theatre. I believe we also had the Alice Springs Junior Singers, the YMCA, the Alice Springs Youth Accommodation Support Services, as well as people from the Department of Arts and Museums. The important thing is that everyone was pretty enthusiastic because they explored issues which affect youth arts in the Centre.
I am very pleased to be able to advise that a steering committee was formed to continue that work I have a list here of the sorts of things that they are working on: preparing a support framework for youth arts to include resource sharing, improved calibration between arts groups and sources of support and funding; identifying the listing, rehearsal and performance spaces in Alice Springs; improving networking within the general community; presenting a showcase of youth arts in the communities; skills development for arts work and young artists; and investigating and securing funding options for the establishment of a sustainable and effective youth arts framework.
That steering committee is going to host another open forum in late February next year. It is certainly an exciting time for youth arts in Alice Springs. I look forward to having a report on future successes resulting from this initiative, which I believe is going to enable youth performing arts in Alice Springs to proceed even better in the future.
I stress again, for the benefit of the member for Fannie Bay, that there has been no cut in funding for Centre Stage. She should keep that in mind, instead of making inane comments. She should seek some advice on the particular problems of Centre Stage. She could then talk with some knowledge instead of trying to be critical of the government and people involved in providing extremely viable activities for youth artists in the Centre.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016