"We welcome the policy’s commitment to align with the key priorities of the Australian Government’s national cultural policy, Revive."
APRA AMCOS, the largest music industry body in the region with over 119,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members, welcomes the release of Creative Communities, the NSW Government’s 10-year policy framework for the arts, culture and creative industries.
“NSW is already an engine room of the nation’s creative economy. Despite this, the state has lacked a long-term vision and commitment to the state’s global potential as a creative economy. We welcome the long-term ambition of this new policy,” said APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston.
“We welcome the policy’s commitment to deliver on the key priorities of the Australian Government’s national cultural policy, Revive. The establishment of the Australian Government’s music development office Music Australia and the NSW Government’s Sound NSW provides a unique opportunity to bring together a comprehensive policy and investment framework for the next decade.
“We also applaud the commitment for a whole-of-government approach to delivering the policy. APRA AMCOS has for many years advocated for a whole-of-government approach to the creative economy and the music industry to fully realise their cultural, economic and social impact.
“The ambition of this policy to drive outcomes from across government including Aboriginal Affairs, Tourism, Regional Development, Local Government, Night-Time Economy, Health, Transport, Justice, Planning and Education is vital for this policy’s success.
“The commitment to establish a parliamentary inquiry into arts and music education is also welcome. Over the last few decades, arts and music education has increasingly become a preserve of the private education system, with less equity of access for students across the public system.
“Research shows how a quality music education improves students’ academic performance and ‘soft skills’ in areas such as critical thinking and communication. Songwriting must become part of the state’s curriculum. By making songwriting part of every child’s education, NSW can help all students build a range of important skills and help realise the full potential of NSW’s music talent.
“At the heart of a comprehensive vision for music education, APRA AMCOS calls for the establishment of a National Songwriting Academy in NSW to lead the national research, exploration and teaching of songwriting.
“A National Songwriting Academy in NSW would be recognised as the training ground for exceptional young songwriters from across Australia and the region and would be the only professional songwriting training institute of its kind in Australia, and one of few in the world.
“The commitment to make Screen NSW a more independent agency, the support for a business case for a second major film studio and a new digital games seed development fund is also welcomed. As part of this, screen and games incentives and investment in NSW must commit to building local intellectual property including through original screen music composition and the synchronisation of great local music.
“APRA AMCOS also welcomes the move for Destination NSW to commit support for the arts, culture and creative experiences across NSW. The investment in arts and music festivals must be central to this support. We also urge Destination NSW and all other key government agencies use local songs and compositions in funded advertisements and promotions of the state to ensure there is a return on investment to NSW creatives and the local creative economy.
“We look forward to working with the NSW Government and Sound NSW on the plan for contemporary music next year including important strategies to revive the live music infrastructure of the state. With the Creative Communities policy as a framework, and the commitment to fully realise the potential of music in NSW through Sound NSW, the potential for the state to become an engine room not just for Australia but the Indo-Pacific region could become a reality.”
APRA AMCOS’ full submission to the NSW Government’s consultation for the development of Creative Communities can be found HERE. [PDF]