Katy Gallagher has announced the release of the finalised Loxton review and the start of the howling of the luvvies community consultation.
If you haven’t been following the issue here’s a key par from the executive summary of the review:
There are a large number of events and festivals in the ACT receiving some form of funding or support from Government. Current funding and scheduling arrangements lack vision, policy direction, strategy and coordination. This has lead to inconsistent, uneven funding and support from a variety of agencies based largely on ad hoc or historic arrangements. Event scheduling is not guided by a plan and gives an impression of disorganisation and clutter. There has been limited communication or sharing of knowledge and expertise between Government agencies about planning and management of events and festivals. This overall situation undermines the effectiveness and value of Government investment.
Viewing it objectively he’s hit the nail on the head. Events that miss out on festival funding from Arts (often for no good reason) put on a coat of environmentalism, or multiculturalism, or community safety, to take a second whack at the pinata.
Tourism festivities often clash with shows being put on by Territory Events.
So it would be good to impose some discipline.
Having said that, rationalisation is going to mean someone somewhere is going to lose their pet project, no doubt beloved of hundreds of Canberrans.
Which, in the absence of a solid mechanism for picking winners, is why you need to email your submission in supporting the funding of your favourite event in receipt of ACT Government funding. You’ve got until 5 November and can email: communicationsandengagement@act.gov.au .
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