MEAA pushes for arts support, quotas on Streaming.

In a submission to the national cultural review, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance has called for local quotas on Streaming platforms and better support for Arts workers.

MEAA has suggested more than a dozen policy proposals that are achievable and inexpensive.

“The proposed new national cultural policy is an opportunity to press the reset button after a wasted decade,” MEAA Chief Executive Erin Madeley said.

“The federal government has a critical role in fostering the arts and media sectors and promoting their undoubted role in shaping our culture and economic future.

“Federal government support for artistic and cultural endeavours has fallen by 17% over the 13 years to 2020, with federal per capita cultural expenditure declining from $138.71 to $107.20. The pandemic has made the arts ecosystem more fragile still.

“It is little wonder that the number of workers in the arts and entertainment sector has been static for decades.

“A new policy must strive to provide financial and policy certainty. Creative workers – whether in the arts or media sectors – require engagement and respect.

“A new cultural policy must acknowledge and address the vulnerability of the cultural workforce, many of whom earn less than the national minimum wage each year for their arts-related work.”

Among the proposals put forward by MEAA in its submission are:

• Establishing a Code of Conduct (or statutory mechanism) that binds organisations using cultural labour to observe relevant employment and work safety standards.
• Ongoing targets for growth in participation in cultural activities in terms of both practitioners and audience members.
• Greater financial support for First Nations and CALD creatives at both the company and individual artist levels (across arts forms).
• Converting STEM-related educational initiatives to STEAM, where arts and creativity are used to develop critical thinking and bolster overall academic outcomes.
• Embedding artistic and cultural training in schools, as was the approach in the Creative Nation and Renewing Creative Nation policies.
• Properly valuing Australian content by implementing firm rules for broadcasters and streaming services about funding and availability of domestic content.
• Enhanced funding for major institutions such as the Australia Council and Screen Australia, with new funding directed to program diversification to attract new and emerging artists.
• A federal inquiry into the Australian music industry to determine the equity and impact of commercial arrangements (recording contracts and streaming services) on performers.

“In Tony Burke, the Australian arts and cultural workers have someone who is prepared to genuinely engage with the sector,” Ms Madeley said.

“Already he has restored the status of the Department for the Arts and the national cultural policy review is another important step forward.

“We look forward to working further with the federal government to ensure arts workers get the support they deserve.”