Accepted – We will review arts funding models and consider any proposed changes in 2021.

Arts South Australia’s new Arts and Culture Grants Program was released in August 2020, spanning art forms and areas of practice for professional artists and arts organisation to develop, make work and engage with audiences. Investment in the sector also assists in building partnerships and creative collaborations which enhance South Australia’s longstanding reputation as a place for arts and culture.

A review of the Arts Organisations Program (AOP) that provides funding to vibrant small-to-medium arts and culture organisations has been completed and is being implemented in two stages across 2021 and 2022.

Inherent in this recommendation is the government’s commitment to building sustainable careers for artists and cultural organisations through allocating $1 million per annum in the budget measure from 2018–19.

The review of Arts South Australia’s grants program included extensive research, national and international benchmarking and targeted sector engagement. As COVID-19 continues to have an unprecedented impact on the arts and culture sector, the grants funding model supports a flexible, streamlined grants program that has been informed by, and is responsive to, sector activity and needs.

Government has implemented this recommendation, and the new program continues to be evaluated as it is delivered.

Supported in principle – We will establish a pilot Creative Fellowship Program and evaluate the outcomes of this program.

This recommendation has been addressed, following the launch of Arts South Australia’s new Arts and Culture Grants Program in August 2020.

The program includes increased opportunities for fellowship funding to support individual artists, creatives and cultural leaders to undertake a sustained period of creative development that will strengthen and extend their professional practice and contribute to the arts and cultural ecology in South Australia.

With the delivery of new programs, government’s response to this recommendation is now complete.

Supported in principle – We will review arts funding models and consider any proposed changes in 2021.

This recommendation has been addressed, following the activity undertaken as part of the review of Arts South Australia’s grants funding model in recommendation 2.1.

Accepted – In conjunction with the Federal Government and Australia Council for the Arts, we will progress harmonisation of application, assessment and funding timelines, as well as grant management practices for small, medium and major companies.

This recommendation has been addressed, following the activity undertaken as part of the review of Arts South Australia’s grants funding model in recommendation 2.1. Where possible, opportunities in Arts South Australia’s Arts and Culture Grants Program align with the Federal Government and the Australia Council for the Arts, supporting applicants to leverage additional funding opportunities and reduce administrative work.

Government’s response to this recommendation is now complete, noting the ongoing delivery, monitoring and management of Arts South Australia’s grants programs.

Supported in principle – An arts organisations collaboration funding model will be developed for consideration by government as part of the State Budget process.

The COVID-19 Arts Grants Support funding program delivered in early 2020 included a pilot Arts Organisations Collaboration grants category – for major arts and cultural organisations, the small-to-medium sector and independent artists to collaborate with the intent to support the development of new work in new ways and explore true cross-sector collaboration as resources and knowledge are shared for mutual benefit.

Placing collaboration at the centre of these funding programs has resulted in exciting and innovative work, instigated new partnerships and shifted working models across the sector. Key examples of the ongoing success of this initiative are:

• Decameron 2.0, brought about by State Theatre Company of SA and Act Now
• Floods of Fire, led by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra with Brink Productions, Tutti Arts, Nexus Arts, SA Museum, Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music and a range of independent composers and storytellers.

The findings of this pilot grant category have informed the Major Projects – Collaboration grants category included in the new grants funding model launched in August 2020. Additionally, the delivery of contestable grants through the COVID-19 Arts Recovery Fund has supported further collaborative outcomes.

Government has implemented this recommendation, and the outcomes of this program continue to unfold.