28th May 2020
Committee Secretary Department of the Senate
To the Senate Select Committee on COVID-19
THE FIRST NATIONS PERFORMING ARTS SECTOR RESPONSE TO COVID-19
This is a submission by the First Nations Performing Arts sector to the Senate Select Committee on COVID-19, outlining the measures the sector took to respond to the pandemic and to contribute to the broader Australian Cultural Arts industry response. It is intended to complement the Performing Arts Peak bodies submission; in particular, we support the call for a $70m Stabilisation and Recovery fund for artists and non-profit arts organisations, to be funded through the Australia Council for the Arts.
First Nations performing arts sector
The First Nations small-to-medium self-determined performing arts sector comprises Ilbijerri Theatre Company, Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company, Moogahlin Performing Arts and BlakDance, supported through multi-year federal funding. We have a responsibility to play a leadership role in the Australian Cultural Arts landscape.
As self-determined First Nations performing arts companies, our communities are the custodians of the most exciting and compelling stories globally. As a sector, we achieve a diverse array of objectives across dance, theatre and performing arts practice areas, we provide fundamental infrastructure and services over vast distances, with remits at local, regional, national and international levels. Our outputs and outcomes include productions, training and professional pathways for young people; economic development; international and inter-cultural collaboration; strengthened capacity in governance and leadership; audience development; intergenerational cultural transmission; performance and festivals; cultural employment; skills development; cultural enterprise; mentoring; engaging youth; keeping First Nations Culture strong; and sharing First Nations culture with other Australians and on a global stage.