Australian Digital Culture On-line Policy Forum

Senator Kate Lundy is running a Digital Culture Public Sphere on-line and in Sydney, 6 October 2011. This will consider input on digital arts and industries for the National Cultural Policy discussion paper, released by Simon Crean, Australian Minister for the Arts, on 11 August 2011.

There was a Book Industry Strategy Group (BISG) set up by Senator The Hon Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, in 15 February 2010. But that seems to be more about propping up the declining paper based printing industry, not mainstream digital publishing.

On the 11^th August 2011 Minister Crean released a discussion paper seeking public input on a National Cultural Policy. This consultation will help determine a 10 year strategic vision to ensure our arts, cultural and creative endeavours resonate with a 21st century, globally competitive, internationally celebrated and culturally diverse Australia.

The National Cultural Policy itself covers three major sectors:

• traditional core arts such as opera, dance, theatre, literature, music, visual arts and craft,
• creative industries such as games development, film, animation, media content, architecture, fashion, design & publishing,
• cultural heritage such as the work done by cultural institutions (regional metro & national galleries, libraries, archives & museums) and Australia’s Indigenous culture.

The Office of Senator Kate Lundy in collaboration with the Office of Minister Simon Crean is running a Digital Culture Public Sphere consultation to look specifically at the digital arts and industries as well as opportunities for cultural institutions around digitisation, public engagement and collaboration. This consultation will result in a submission that will be presented directly to the Minister as part of the broader National Cultural Policy consultation.

“The Digital Culture Public Sphere consultation is a breakthrough exercise in bringing together ideas and projects, working them through and providing a rich base of information and pathways for Australia’s digital cultural challenges and opportunities. It will provide a valuable contribution to the National Cultural Policy Consultation which is an important opportunity to examine how the Australian Government should support arts and culture in the 21st century,” said Minister Crean.

“We are laying the foundations for the broad cultural arts and industries in Australia at a time when high speed broadband will provide a platform to use our cultural collections and creative skills for new applications, education and research services. I welcome contributions from the digital arts and industries as well as cultural institutions across Australia”.