Australia Council Future Planning - Consultation

The Council has received and welcomed a broad range of opinion and ideas on its planned reorganisation, and since January has been taking part in forums and meetings to explain the changes and new directions and to hear further views, especially with regard to the Community Cultural Development and New Media Arts Boards. We have opened up as many channels of input as possible, and are listening to all views.

We are now working to develop models for Community Partnerships (CP) and New Media (NM) within the new organisational structure. This includes defining policy objectives, confirming the broad operational framework for these areas, and discussing possible operational models.

Sector leaders will be invited to meet with the Council's Future Planning Task Force to discuss the CP and NM models on Monday 21 February.

Given that there have already been a number of meetings in Sydney to discuss the reorganisation, invitees to the workshops will reflect a non-Sydney focus and represent diverse arts practitioners. To nominate leaders to attend the workshops, please contact Trish Ludgate.

Following these workshops and a review of public feedback, the proposed operational models will be made public by 23 February; written feedback is then invited until the end of March.

The Council will consider final recommendations regarding the reorganisation at its 6 April meeting in Hobart.

There will then be public briefings around Australia throughout April/May to inform all interested people about the changes.

Timeline of key dates

• 7 February
  Future Planning Taskforce meeting
  
• 21 February
  Taskforce holds workshops on Community Partnerships and New Media
  
• 22 February
  Australia Council meeting with State and Territory arts directors
  
• 23 February
  Outcomes of Community Partnerships and New Media workshops published on Australia Council website. Further feedback invited.
  
• 23 February-31 March
  Email and written feedback received on proposed models
  
• 28 February
  Future Planning Taskforce Meeting
  
• 4 March
  All Staff meeting
  
• 11 March
  Council meeting in Sydney
  
• 31 March
  Consultation period concludes
  
• 1-4 April
  Council paper prepared with final report on Future Planning
  
• 6 April
  Council considers final recommendations at its meeting in Hobart
  
• April/May
  Briefings held around Australia