Overlooked by the Government, Again...
May 8th 2007 13:04
Author: Drumstick
Tuesday 8 May, 2007
The 2007/08 State budget was revealed not so long ago, and of interest to all of us dancers and hip hop enthusiasts was the amount of funding that the Arts would receive.
$63 million was committed by the Bracks government over the next four years to continue its ‘committment to provide arts and cultural opportunities for all Victorians’, as stated by Arts Minister Lynne Kosky. I guess the hip hop culture and and hip hop dancers don’t count as Victorians…
Of the $63 million, only $2.9 million was given to the State’s major performing arts companies. That’s a bit over $700,000 a year to Circus Oz, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne Theatre Company and The Australian Ballet, to ensure ’sustainable delivery’ of their performances. That’s less than 5% of the entire Arts contribution.
In the meantime, the hip hop community is overlooked again and measly getting used to the idea that there won’t be a ‘Battle of the Year Australia’ again this year, for the 5th year in a row. We’re wondering if we’ll ever send a crew over to Japan or the USA to compete on an international level and put Australia on the map, without the members of that crew having to work an entire year to be able to pay out of their own pocket.
The only funding the Melbourne dance scene has been receiving from Government into events is through the local councils, or the Freeza initiative. Even so, the amount of support we receive from those collectives is minimal and nowhere near enough to run large-scale events similar to what the surf and skate cultures have.
This lack of funding is part of a larger problem in our culture. Namely, the lack of professionalism as a culture, and lack of communication, acknowledgement, and respect from the Government. There needs to be a body set-up to take up the challenge of being the hip hop equivalent of The Australian Ballet Company, or the Melbourne Theatre Company. It’s a long way ahead, but there is no reason why we should be left under-funded, overlooked, and BROKE when we choose to pursue our passions.
Sources: Arts Victoria, Victorian Budget
Tuesday 8 May, 2007
The 2007/08 State budget was revealed not so long ago, and of interest to all of us dancers and hip hop enthusiasts was the amount of funding that the Arts would receive.
$63 million was committed by the Bracks government over the next four years to continue its ‘committment to provide arts and cultural opportunities for all Victorians’, as stated by Arts Minister Lynne Kosky. I guess the hip hop culture and and hip hop dancers don’t count as Victorians…
Of the $63 million, only $2.9 million was given to the State’s major performing arts companies. That’s a bit over $700,000 a year to Circus Oz, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne Theatre Company and The Australian Ballet, to ensure ’sustainable delivery’ of their performances. That’s less than 5% of the entire Arts contribution.
In the meantime, the hip hop community is overlooked again and measly getting used to the idea that there won’t be a ‘Battle of the Year Australia’ again this year, for the 5th year in a row. We’re wondering if we’ll ever send a crew over to Japan or the USA to compete on an international level and put Australia on the map, without the members of that crew having to work an entire year to be able to pay out of their own pocket.
The only funding the Melbourne dance scene has been receiving from Government into events is through the local councils, or the Freeza initiative. Even so, the amount of support we receive from those collectives is minimal and nowhere near enough to run large-scale events similar to what the surf and skate cultures have.
This lack of funding is part of a larger problem in our culture. Namely, the lack of professionalism as a culture, and lack of communication, acknowledgement, and respect from the Government. There needs to be a body set-up to take up the challenge of being the hip hop equivalent of The Australian Ballet Company, or the Melbourne Theatre Company. It’s a long way ahead, but there is no reason why we should be left under-funded, overlooked, and BROKE when we choose to pursue our passions.
Sources: Arts Victoria, Victorian Budget
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