At the 12 April meeting of the Arts and Cultural Ministerial Council in Tasmania, Ministers welcomed the release of Creative Australia – the National Cultural Policy and also signed the first National Arts and Culture Accord.

National Arts and Culture Accord

The National Arts and Culture Accord is designed to provide a commitment to greater collaboration between all levels of Government. Signatories agreed to identify key areas of joint Government effort to be detailed in an initial triennial work plan which will be finalised by July 2013. The Accord provides overarching principles for future and ongoing collaboration and will drive greater cooperation on cross-jurisdictional issues faced by the arts and cultural sector. A key objective is to secure a modernised funding and support structure for the cultural sector as articulated in Creative Australia and assisted by the newly formed Creative Partnerships Australia. Ministers agreed the Accord will be publicly released and that an annual report on progress against deliverables will be considered by Ministers.

Other issues discussed at the meeting included:

• progress on funding talks on the Major Performing Arts Excellence Pool;

• an agreement to work together to maximise the impact of Australia’s international cultural diplomacy efforts, particularly in the context of the Asian Century White Paper. Minister Burke advised Ministers the Australian Government is revamping the Australia International Cultural Council (AICC), as recommended in the White Paper. Ministers agreed to work with the AICC to encourage artists and cultural institutions to engage in cultural exchange and build international audiences and networks, particularly in Asia;

• the development of the Australian arts curriculum for schools. Ministers acknowledged the work of jurisdictions in actively engaging with the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority to influence development of the arts curriculum;

• acknowledgment of the value of the arts and health framework and agreement to champion the framework with Health Ministers in their jurisdiction. Victoria and South Australia will be the lead jurisdictions in progressing the framework;

• the review of the National Arts and Disability Strategy to be finalised in the second half of 2013; and

• jurisdictions welcomed the passage of the Protection of Cultural Objects on Loan Act 2013 which was enacted on 14 March 2013.