:: ELECTION TIME ::      

  

This Saturday 9 March marks the State Election and, although we’re not suggesting that your vote should be cast on contemporary music issues alone, when making your decision you may well be interested in the different parties’ policies and how they will affect the music industry. Aarom Wilson guides you through a few of your choices.

The Liberal Party has not released any policies specific to music, instead focusing on the party’s $420 million plus funding commitment to building a new museum. They do however recognise “the critical role played by a vibrant cultural and artistic sector,” promise to continue to develop this and their longstanding commitment to WAM.

Mark McGowan’s Labor Party has released a contemporary music policy discussion paper and has just announced an allocation of $150,000 for three new music projects aimed at building stronger creative communities in regional WA and outer metropolitan Perth. Shadow Minister for Culture & The Arts John Hyde has promised this will fund the Sounds Of Community CD project, the Wheatbelt Regional Touring Circuits and the All Ages venue support program (including WAM’s Ampfest and Schools Alive projects).

Previous WAM Board Member Michael Tucak is running as an independent for the Senate in the North Metropolitan region and his five key platform issues focus on developing an ecosystem of creativity, innovation and growth in the culture and arts sector, with a strong emphasis on contemporary music. He’s also campaigning “to ensure arts and cultural funding is maintained via baseline fixing, and indexation to avoid decreases in real terms, to ensure the "creative heart" of our city and economy is properly cultivated over the long-term.”

The Nationals want to extend funding to the Royalties For Regions program “by committing $16 million over four years to continue building on this investment,” and additional funding “for peak arts organisations to extend their existing specialised regional programs.”  This funding includes support for WAM’s regional program.

The Greens don’t have any specific music policies for the next office term, though their Arts & Culture Spokesperson Lynn MacLaren’s Regional Arts manifesto was released in May 2012, setting out a long-term vision for regional arts in general. McLaren also put forward “a State arts and culture policy that supports and encourages the development of local arts programs and promotes access to arts and cultural events in urban, rural and regional areas and in areas of social and economic disadvantage.”

A FEW USEFUL LINKS (in addition to clicking each party above):
Vote Arts.
Party responses to key arts and culture questions.
General Election details.

WAM’s CEO Wendy Were also joined Andy Snelling on RTRFM’s Morning Magazine to discuss the importance of WA’s contemporary music scene, including its economic, cultural and social values, and its importance in this election.

Listen to the RTRFM interview here.

:: ELECTION TIME ::      

  

This Saturday 9 March marks the State Election and, although we’re not suggesting that your vote should be cast on contemporary music issues alone, when making your decision you may well be interested in the different parties’ policies and how they will affect the music industry. Aarom Wilson guides you through a few of your choices.

The Liberal Party has not released any policies specific to music, instead focusing on the party’s $420 million plus funding commitment to building a new museum. They do however recognise “the critical role played by a vibrant cultural and artistic sector,” promise to continue to develop this and their longstanding commitment to WAM.

Mark McGowan’s Labor Party has released a contemporary music policy discussion paper and has just announced an allocation of $150,000 for three new music projects aimed at building stronger creative communities in regional WA and outer metropolitan Perth. Shadow Minister for Culture & The Arts John Hyde has promised this will fund the Sounds Of Community CD project, the Wheatbelt Regional Touring Circuits and the All Ages venue support program (including WAM’s Ampfest and Schools Alive projects).

Previous WAM Board Member Michael Tucak is running as an independent for the Senate in the North Metropolitan region and his five key platform issues focus on developing an ecosystem of creativity, innovation and growth in the culture and arts sector, with a strong emphasis on contemporary music. He’s also campaigning “to ensure arts and cultural funding is maintained via baseline fixing, and indexation to avoid decreases in real terms, to ensure the "creative heart" of our city and economy is properly cultivated over the long-term.”

The Nationals want to extend funding to the Royalties For Regions program “by committing $16 million over four years to continue building on this investment,” and additional funding “for peak arts organisations to extend their existing specialised regional programs.”  This funding includes support for WAM’s regional program.

The Greens don’t have any specific music policies for the next office term, though their Arts & Culture Spokesperson Lynn MacLaren’s Regional Arts manifesto was released in May 2012, setting out a long-term vision for regional arts in general. McLaren also put forward “a State arts and culture policy that supports and encourages the development of local arts programs and promotes access to arts and cultural events in urban, rural and regional areas and in areas of social and economic disadvantage.”

A FEW USEFUL LINKS (in addition to clicking each party above):
Vote Arts.
Party responses to key arts and culture questions.
General Election details.

WAM’s CEO Wendy Were also joined Andy Snelling on RTRFM’s Morning Magazine to discuss the importance of WA’s contemporary music scene, including its economic, cultural and social values, and its importance in this election.

Listen to the RTRFM interview here.