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State Budget Invests in Regional Arts and Infrastructure Jobs

Premier and Minister for the Arts Annastacia Palaszczuk says today’s State Budget invests an additional $43.1 million in Queensland’s arts sector over the next four years to support the growth of regional and Indigenous arts, arts infrastructure, cultural tourism, and additional new jobs across the state.

“For communities large or small across Queensland, connection to the arts and cultural hubs provides a sense of pride and social cohesion,” the Premier said.

“More broadly, having a vibrant arts sector creates an ongoing source of skilled jobs and economic benefits including regional investment and enhanced cultural tourism.

“I have already committed to ensuring regional Queensland communities have access to quality arts and cultural experiences.

“To that end, from 2017-18 my Government is investing in regional arts with $6.5 million over four years for indigenous and regional arts initiatives, employing regionally-based arts officers and providing increased community and indigenous arts activities across the state.

“This will deliver a more coordinated approach to regional arts that responds to local priorities and community demand,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“This Budget supports economic outcomes for indigenous artists and communities with $2.1 million allocated in 2017-18 to create an Indigenous arts incubator for startup Indigenous performance companies in Cairns.

“This will support the development of new works through commissions and deliver performances in Indigenous communities and at the Centre for Contemporary Arts Cairns.

“This investment builds on the Government’s Backing Indigenous Arts initiative, which has historically had a focus on visual arts, and enables Indigenous performance artists to showcase their unique cultural heritage and local stories. This will also generate employment and training opportunities, and connect our indigenous performing artists with visitors in Far North Queensland.”

 The Premier said the budget recognised the value of arts infrastructure in generating cultural and economic benefits for the state.

“We have allocated $17.5 million over four years to create an Arts Infrastructure Investment Fund to support priority projects that will revitalise existing state owned assets.

“One identified priority project is the redevelopment of Queensland Theatre’s Bille Brown Studio in South Brisbane, which will increase the theatre capacity to 350 seats to enable the company to host more main stage performances and attract the best and brightest national and international talent to Queensland.

“In Cairns, I have confirmed a $15 million contribution towards the Cairns Performing Arts Centre (CPAC), expected to be open in mid-2018, with $14 million allocated in 2017-18 and $1 million in 2018-19.

“A further $2 million will support initial planning and the relocation for the Rockhampton Art Gallery as part of the Rockhampton Regional Council’s vision for a new arts precinct in the city’s CBD,” she said.

“These key infrastructure projects will deliver significant community benefits, will grow the arts sector, and help generate new jobs for artists, arts workers and the local construction industry.”

“The 2017-18 budget also includes an uplift to Queensland Museum’s (QM’s) recurrent funding, injecting $3.2 million into QM’s funding from 2017-18, with $850,000 allocated in 2016-17.

“This ongoing increase will support the care and preservation of QM’s state collection which has grown in value from $391 million in 2010-11 to $487 million in 2015-16 with a collection of more than 1.2 million objects and specimens and more than 14 million research items.

“My Government will also invest $9.4 million of new funding to transform the Sciencentre, with $5 million allocated in 2016-17 and $4.4 million committed in 2017-18. A further $1.6 million will be internally reallocated within QM.”

 In 2017-18, the Government will provide a total of $235.2 million for operating expenses of the arts portfolio including the state’s arts statutory bodies: the Queensland Museum, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), Screen Queensland and Queensland Theatre.

“Today’s budget highlights my Government’s commitment to investing in Queensland’s arts sector, and in ensuring high-quality and accessible arts and cultural experiences are available across the state.”

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