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.

Consultations begin for Indigenous Arts School

The Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, today delivered the key note address at the opening of the 2005 Garma Festival’s Indigenous Cultural Livelihoods Forum.

“I was delighted to accept the invitation to experience Yolngu culture and to speak at the Garma Festival,” Senator Kemp said.

The Garma Festival of Traditional Culture has been running for seven years and is an opportunity for Yolngu people to share their knowledge and culture with the wider community.

“By coming together at the Festival we are able to see how Yolngu have harnessed their cultural traditions and practices to create social and employment opportunities for their community.

“The Australian Government supports a range of Indigenous art, culture, language and sport and recreation programs to assist Indigenous communities.

“My portfolio provides funding of $31 million for these programs with many of the activities supporting the livelihoods for Indigenous people and sustainability for communities.”

One of these programs, the National Arts and Crafts Industry Support program, provides funding of $4.4 million to ensure Australia’s internationally renowned Indigenous visual arts industry can continue to prosper and thrive and support Indigenous art centres and communities.

In north eastern Arnhem Land, this program supports the Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Art Centre, Bula’bula Arts Centre and Nambara Art Centre.

“The Australian Government is aware that for the long-term sustainability of the sector there is a need to address the training needs of Indigenous artists,” Senator Kemp said.

“At the last election the Government made a commitment to conduct a feasibility study for an Indigenous Arts School in consultation with Indigenous communities and the broader Indigenous Arts sector. The first consultation is taking place at the Garma Festival.

“I will be very interested in the outcomes of these discussions which will assist in the implementation of the Government’s election commitments to the arts.”

GARMA
6 August 2005
Media contact: Michael Christo, 02 6277 7350 or 0409040 276