WHO SHOULD HAVE THE SAY IN ARTS FUNDING?
Report by KIERAN FINNANE. “When you look at similar size towns anywhere across Australia, you won’t find the same level of commitment to a whole range of artistic activities as you do in Alice.”At a meeting with artists and representatives of the arts industry last Thursday, Arts Minister Daryl Manzie acknowledged the exceptional proportion of practising artists per head of population in the Alice Springs community.He claimed that his department’s funding reflected support of their level of activity, with Alice Springs receiving $6.21 in grants monies per head of population, compared to $3.80 for Territorians generally, and $1.88 for other regions.He said further that in the Southern region, which includes the Barkly, 47 per cent of grant applications were approved. This level of approval was comparable to Victorian and South Australian levels.Grants monies disbursed in 1997-98 in the Southern region totalled $221,000 (with the visual arts receiving some $80,000 of that). This figure s
