LARSEN | KEYS – writing | arts | culture

Have your say on the new national Cultural Policy

The Federal Government is developing a 10-year cultural policy, and has invited anyone involved or interested Australian art, culture or entertainment to have their say.

If you listen to Australian music, read, watch local-made TV, enjoy going to performances, exhibitions or shows, participate or make any sort of art, this means YOU. Our sector needs as many people to respond as possible to make sure the policy reflects the full diversity of Australian arts and culture.

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Field Notes: From Bundanon

“I came to Bundanon starving and dying of thirst, and it left me quenched and full.”

That would have been a familiar metaphor. The truth seems somehow smaller, though the arc remains the same.

Art of Governance survey findings

In preparation for my Bundanon residency in May 2022, I launched a survey asking the Australian arts sector to share your experiences of being on, employed or contracted by, or reporting to arts, cultural or not-for-profit organisations governed by managing Committees or Boards.

I am so very grateful to all those who shared their time and thoughtfulness (and, in many cases, trauma) to contribute to the survey, which will provide the basis for my ongoing work in this area – including an initial analysis coming soon. And, as promised, a summary of the survey’s key findings follows here.

Art of Governance survey opens

In preparation for my 2022 Bundanon residency, I will be undertaking some more research into the governance of arts, cultural and not-for-profit organisations in Australia (and beyond).

Fremantle Press to publish Public.Open.Space

Delighted beyond words that Fremantle Press will publish Public. Open. Space. in July 2023.

Begun during my 2018 Asialink Arts residency at the Hong Kong Arts Centre, it’s a new collection of meme-, micro- and longer-form poems about how our physical and digital spaces are monitored and controlled.

Preparing a cultural policy scorecard

After nearly a decade without a national policy, and a Federal election in sight, the cultural sector is suddenly awash with plans to make a plan.

Reading and writing in 2021

2021 was another difficult year, but one that interspersed bleak blank numbness with the first few stirrings of hope. Hope for the world, but also hope that my ability to think, write and create may (eventually) return.

Resetting our arts boards

Many (if not most) of us are part of the hugely messy and even more misunderstood space that is not-for-profit governance in Australia.

We report to boards, or report to people who report to boards. We apply to the organisations they oversee for our jobs, grants and opportunities. We are board members ourselves.

But this governance model is broken. Even when they’re working well, our boards are usually much harder work than either board members or staff members would like. And good boards can become bad boards in the space of one AGM.

List of Aussie publishers

It’s been a while since I updated my list of Aussie publishers. So with the end of the year and everyone’s 2021 writing resolutions in sight, here are some of the trade publishers currently or soon to open to unsolicited manuscripts.