In 2011 the Australian Government reached out to the public to provide input and feedback into the development of the new National Cultural Policy, a 10 year plan designed to most effectively utilise Government budget to strengthen Australia’s Culture and Creativity. This website is not affiliated with the Australian Government in any form and serves and an independent information resource for the National Cultural Policy and Creativity and Culture in Australia in general. The Australian Government National Cultural Policy website can be viewed here: http://culture.arts.gov.au/

A Fresh Approach to Policy development

The Australian Government, Office for the Arts should be highly commended for their innovative democratic approach to the development of the National Cultural Policy. The National Cultural Policy called upon people and organisations within the Creative and Cultural industry to speak up and provide input via their website. This is a brilliant example of a Government embracing technology and using “Web 2” principles for “crowd sourcing” ideas to pave the way for a better Australia that has been helped to model by the Australian’s that have the most experience in this field.

What was included in the National Cultural Policy?

The Policy includes three main areas, Core Arts, Creative Industries and Cultural Heritage.

Why is a National Cultural Policy so Important?

Culture and Creativity is important to every society and often underestimated by people that are not within the field. Australia is a highly multi-cultural society with an Indigenous culture and therefore “getting the cultural policy right” is going to be particularly important but also quite complicated to accurately and adequately represent all areas.

As mentioned Culture is often undervalued in our society or more so, overlooked. It is Culture that is our backbone of society; it’s our heart, our soul and our values. It brings us together in an acceptance of value and each other that is greater than our consumer driven society.

Creativity & Innovation

Creativity is fundamentally a new way of thinking, Creativity is Innovation and this is integral in our Society to foster new ideas that can present a new better path for our future. Creativity is also just as importantly an expression of our self, our society, our culture and by expressing ourselves we are opening ourselves, sharing experiences and creating a more understanding and healthy society.

In Australia we are recognised on the world stage as being a creative nation, our actors, fashion, musicians, Artists, writers and many more a seen as some of the most talented in the world. By continuing to recognise the national importance of creativity and culture we’re laying the foundations and frame work for the future creative people to foster and grow into everything they can be.

Increasing importance of Culture in our Society

Today more than ever culture is important to us and playing an increasingly important role in our society. At a time when our society is based on consumerism and materialism people are spending a lot of time focused on spending money and making money. Many people are living day to day or living off Credit-Cards when instead they should be covering for uncertain time by using income protection insurance. At a time when there is so much economic turmoil across the globe to the point of crisis, we as a nation and society may need to rethink where we are investing our values and time. It is at these times when it is good to keep a strong connection to our culture and our values, these ground us and connect us more deeply as a society than consumerism and will offer greater strength and support should economic situations deteriorate.