The purposes of the arts: the words of government and the words of musicians
How the artists thinks about their art vs how the government thinks about the arts.
June 3, 2022
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Richard Letts
Dr Richard Letts AM is the founder and Director of The Music Trust, founder and former Executive Director of the Music Council of Australia (now Music Australia) and Past President of the International Music Council. He has held senior positions in music and culture in Australia and the United States, advocated for music and music education, conducted research, written policy documents, edited four periodicals, published four books and hundreds of articles.
New National Performing Arts Partnership Framework: announcement and commentary
The Australian national and state governments commit to a new agreement on the joint funding of major performing arts companies.
February 2, 2022
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This Musical World: The Flexible Brain
It is disturbing to see people marching in cities to protest lockdowns impacting their freedom, when, ironically, their behaviour points to a lack of free or flexible thinking. They wish to be outwardly unshackled, but inwardly, they are not. Because such actions demonstrate an inability to empathise, to imagine oneself in the situation of others and crystalise how one’s actions might impact those people.
January 6, 2022
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Celebrating William Barton, recipient of the 2021 Australia Council Don Banks Music Award
Indigenous musician William Barton received the Don Banks Music Award, the most prestigious given by the Australia Council for the Arts. Barton learnt the didgeridoo the traditional way from his uncle in outback Queensland. He is a virtuosic and original performer as well as a guitarist, singer and composer.
September 12, 2021
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Australian Honours Awards Australia Day 2021: awards to music people
The Music Trust congratulates the following people on receiving public recognition on Australia Day 2021 through the national honours awards. Thank you for your contributions to Australian music and musical life. OFFICER (AO) IN THE GENERAL DIVISION Emeritus Professor Kathryn
May 7, 2021
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Making Music Work: The inner and outer realities for musicians
The research shows that musicians are not motivated so much by wealth or fame as the intrinsic rewards for making music.
August 16, 2020
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Australian Honours List, Australia Day 2020
In recognition of a special contribution to the national well-being, Australian Honours are awarded to Australian citizens selected by the office of the Governor General. Following are the awards made on Australia Day 2020 for contributions to music, with a few also of those awarded more broadly in the arts.
August 11, 2020
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August 11, 2020
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The live performance industry in Australia. Ticket Attendance and Revenue Report 2018
Valuable data on major sectors of the music industry. Contemporary music is the largest sector in all of the arts.
August 3, 2020
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The current circumstances of Jazz in Australia
The audience is tiny, the government support is minimal, the music is GREAT!
March 12, 2020
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Freedman Classical and Jazz Fellows Report
These fellowships, run by the Music Trust, have become among Australia’s most prestigious. The winners spend their prize money on special projects and afterward report what happened. You can read the reports.
March 12, 2020
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Labor national policy platform: policy for the arts 2019
Foreword by the Editor When a political party goes to an election with a published arts policy, the first thing to appreciate is that it has actually taken the trouble to think about the situation of the arts and what,
March 25, 2019
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David Pledger’s cultural revolution
George Brandis’s most remarkable achievement as Arts Minister was to unite virtually the entire arts sector in support of the Australia Council – and in condemnation of his diversion of a large portion of its funding to his own direct
August 27, 2018
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National Opera Review: 5. Response to the Final Report
This response was published as two articles in succeeding months in the Music Council’s ezine, Loudmouth. Article 1 The National Opera Review has reported. George Brandis established this review in 2014 when he was still Arts Minister. It was supposed
April 7, 2018
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National Opera Review:3. Submission by The Music Trust
Dear Review Panel We are pleased to have the opportunity to make this submission. It has been formulated by The Music Trust, a national organisation established in 2013 to undertake projects to advance music in Australia. Since it is new,
April 7, 2018
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National Opera Review: 7. Response to the Government by The Music Trust
Doing the data Is the government making any actual commitments? What recommendations are being implemented? The situation with employment of Australian singers Other matters APPENDIX Artistic autonomy Responsibility to deliver on commitments Separate the funded and the commercial activities State
April 7, 2018
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A Comprehensive National Policy for Music
A NATIONAL CULTURAL POLICY A DEFINITION OF ‘CULTURE’ IS NECESSARY AN ETHICAL BASIS IN HUMAN AND CULTURAL RIGHTS THE ENABLING ROLE OF GOVERNMENT WITH REGARD TO CULTURE DISCUSSION PAPER PRIORITIES ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE General discussion ‘Excellence’ in arts policy FOSTER ARTISTIC
January 9, 2018
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SWOT Analysis of Classical Music – 2017
INTRODUCTION CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN CLASSICAL MUSIC BASIC FACTS SWOT ANALYSIS TERTIARY AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION IN CLASSICAL MUSIC BASIC FACTS SWOT ANALYSIS COMPOSITION BASIC FACTS SWOT ANALYSIS PERFORMANCE BASIC FACTS SWOT ANALYSIS RECORDING BASIC FACTS SWOT ANALYSIS MEDIA BASIC FACTS SWOT
November 4, 2017
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National Opera Review: propping up the 19C
Article 1 The National Opera Review has reported. If, as they say, Ministers only set up reviews to produce the recommendations they want, George Brandis is probably well enough satisfied. Brandis established this review in 2014 when he was still
February 3, 2017
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REPORT FROM INQUIRY: Impact of the 2014 and 2015 Commonwealth Budget decisions on the Arts
The inquiry was established by Labor and Greens senators to look into the effects of then Arts Minister George Brandis’s removal of $105m of funds from the Australia Council to his Ministry where he would have direct control over their
December 1, 2016
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