The Hon Rod Kemp was Minister for the Arts and Sport from Friday 23 November 2001 to Tuesday 30 January 2007. This site is available for archival purposes only.

Community heritage to be preserved

Rod Kemp, today announced additional funding of $0.8 million over four years for the Community Heritage Grants programme.

Senator Kemp said the 2005–06 Budget commitment forms part of the Coalition’s election statement Strengthening Australian Arts.

“The highly successful Community Heritage Grants programme provides opportunities for community organisations, to digitise and curate their collections as well as document and preserve them,” Senator Kemp said.

“This additional funding will have a significant impact on small community organisations, most of which are located in regional Australia.”

“The Community Heritage Grants programme continues to support community groups to document and preserve their heritage. The expansion of the scheme will now enable the preservation of objects and artefacts held by community groups and will ensure the continuation of this very successful programme,” Senator Kemp said.

The additional funds will be used to expand the number of grants able to be awarded under the program and also include a regional/remote workshop component. The new workshops will reach a wider audience, including providing greater opportunities for assisting indigenous Australians in preserving their cultural heritage. Community organisations and regional museums will have greater access to professional preservation, conservation and curatorial expertise and services.

“Since the programme began in 1994 it has awarded 350 grants and distributed more than $1.2 million to community organisations throughout Australia. In 2004, 55 grants were selected from 212 applications to receive funding totalling $201,745,” Senator Kemp said.

The programme is currently administered by the National Library of Australia. The Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, the National Archives of Australia, and the Australian Film Commission also contribute to the programme.

Under the expanded program, the National Museum of Australia will also become a partner.

10 May 2005

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