Key Policy Links

1. Key Policy Links Local Partnerships Program • Part of the roll-out of Moving Forward – the Government’s Provincial Victoria Statement $28M over 4 years; • $20 million for arts facilities to be delivered through renewed Regional Infrastructure Development Fund; • $8 million for Growing the Arts in Regional Victoria initiative comprising: • $2 million additional funds in the Touring Victoria program for development of touring product by the ‘flagship’ companies; and • $6 million to be delivered through the Local PartnershipsProgram to Local Government arts and cultural programs • Strong alignment with Creative Capacity + , Growing Victoria Together and A Fairer Victoria.

2. Arts VictoriaLocal Partnerships Program Elisabeth Jones, Senior Arts Officer and Ian Rogers, Manager Local Partnerships, Arts Victoria Proceedings of the ‘Expanding Cultures’ conference, Melbourne, July 2007 Hosted by the City of Stonnington, supported by the Cities of Yarra, Melbourne, Moreland, Maribyrnong, Moonee Valley, Boroondara and Port Phillip and the Cultural Development Network www.culturaldevelopment.net.au/expandingcultures

3. A New Deal for Local Gov’t Local Partnerships Program • Funding agreements are being replaced by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Local Government • Existing recurrent operational funding for regional Performing Arts Centres and Public Galleries are being rolled into these MoUs • Annual agreements are being replaced with MoUs up to 4 years to provide for long term planning • Reduction in bureaucratic application and acquittal processes • More effective monitoring and accountability processes that uses standard annual financial and program reporting • Regular round table meetings held between Arts Victoria staff and key stakeholders in each municipality.

4. Local Partnerships Program The State-wide Network Major Regional Cities group Significant Service Providers

5. Program Entry • The process can be initiated by either the Council or Arts Victoria. • Existing recurrent funding agreements are being progressively rolled into the new MoUs • 15 Councils signed multi year MoU in 2006/07 totalling funding support of $8.9million over 4 years • Councils that do not have an existing funded arts and cultural program are also invited to consider their capacity to develop such a program

6. Program Priorities Local Partnerships Program • Local leadership and collaborative hubs • Entrepreneurial and innovative programming • Capital development

7. ARTS IN THE SUBURBS • A new capital works funding program • Assistance for local councils and arts organisations in greater Melbourne • To upgrade existing professional facilities

8. ARTS IN THE SUBURBS • Increase community access to high quality arts and cultural programs • Work collaboratively with local government • Identify suburban areas that most require cultural infrastructure • Prioritise support for areas identified with high needs

9. ARTS IN THE SUBURBS Program budget • $10million over 4 years Commitments 2006/07 • Burrinja Theatre ($3million) • Lilydale Museum ($400,000) Non-committed funds • Approximately $6million

10. ARTS IN THE SUBURBS Future Directions: • Link to content as well as infrastructure, • Link to other Government policy directions (e.g. Melbourne 2030) • Identify existing Metro Local government service providers and future projects • Consolidate Arts Victoria funding arrangements

11. Arts VictoriaLocal Partnerships Program • Elisabeth Jones has been at Arts Victoria for seven years during which time she has managed a number of funding programs including the Regional Arts Fund (now managed by Regional Arts Victoria), Artists in Communities and the Public Galleries Program. She also played a major role in the development of the Indigenous arts program, Deadly Arts Business. Prior to joining Arts Victoria, Elisabeth completed the post graduate in Arts Management at Deakin University and freelanced in arts administration for over ten years working in the small to medium sector with a range of companies including; Theatreworks, Gasworks, Next Wave Festival, Victorian College of the Arts Drama Department and Circus Oz. Last year Elisabeth took a year’s sabbatical to work with the Mornington Island Dancers (based in the Gulf of Carpentaria) who performed at the Commonwealth Games cultural festival. • Ian Rogers has 40 years experience in the public sector and has been with Arts Victoria (and the former Ministry for the Arts) since 1989. Since 1999, he has managed the capital works funding program under the Regional Arts Infrastructure Fund as well as the “Creating Place and Space” funding for the metropolitan area. He played a key role in the development of the Local Partnerships Program. His public sector career spans a diverse range of experience in areas outside the arts. This includes ten years as a Municipal councillor in regional Victoria including three terms as mayor, twelve years as a president of a Secondary School council, membership of a local water authority, river management board and, as is typical of active members of a regional community, on the committees of many volunteer and community organisations. He was for a number of years also a member of the Public Sector Union’s state executive and served as a union representative on several industrial tribunals and union peak councils.