Imagining 2030: Preparing for National Arts, Culture and Creativity Plan 

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A National Arts, Culture and Creativity Plan (NACC Plan) is a practical way for the Federal Government to facilitate more coherent and effective public and private investments across these industries, as well as legislative, regulatory and policy settings. A NACC Plan will assist with the cultural and creative industries’ recovery, while supporting employment and economic growth. This aligns to the priorities of the National Cabinet and the measures announced in the Commonwealth Budget.

The purpose of this Analysis Paper is to help the various stakeholders of a NACC Plan prepare to be part of its development. The participation of all stakeholders — including consumer and investor groups, the three levels of government, businesses, philanthropists, industry representatives, peak bodies and the general public — into the development of a Plan will give it the greatest likelihood of buy-in and success.

A NACC Plan should help Australia recalibrate our investments of ‘time, talent and treasure’ for a 21st century context. — Imagining 2030

Key Findings 

To answer the question, ‘what elements might be included in a NACC Plan?’, we looked at several of the Australian government’s existing 2030 plans:

  • Sport 2030: National Sport Plan
  • Delivering Ag2030: National Agriculture Plan (Ag2030)
  • More, Together: Defence Science and Technology Strategy 2030
  • Australia 2030: Prosperity through Innovation (Innovation 2030)
  • Reimagining the Visitor Economy (builds on previous work towards a Tourism 2030 plan)

These existing federal 2030 plans have a range of elements in common:

  • A bold vision designed to engage the imagination of a wide range of a plan’s stakeholders
  • An overview of the current context, showing why a plan is necessary
  • A demonstration of what the future will look like with and without the successful implementation of a plan
  • A framework showing how stakeholders of a plan will work together
  • A series of themes or focal areas that should be addressed in order to achieve the plan’s goals, and
  • A framework for how success will be measured.

There were also commonalities in the way they were developed. These phases included:

  • Background research
  • Consulting with stakeholders
  • An iterative writing-consulting-rewriting process
  • Implementation of the plan, and
  • Monitoring and evaluation

Importantly, the contexts for these existing plans also have a range of factors in common with the arts, cultural and creative industries. These plans have been produced for areas of public policy in which there is:

  • A complex stakeholder environment, comprising small and large enterprise across several different industry sectors, as well as diverse consumer interest.
  • A complex intersection of national interest and private benefits.
  • Existing infrastructure, value models and supply chains which require ongoing, coordinated, public and private investments to drive the gains in productivity, participation, access and innovation that will help Australia keep pace with our global peers.
  • A need for transformation and renewal to ensure industry models and products are relevant and fit-for-purpose in the 21st century.

Next steps for NACC Plan 

The current Parliamentary Inquiry into Creative and Cultural Industries and Institutions has provided up-to-date industry intelligence to inform the next steps.

Following its report, ANA recommends the federal government establish an independent process to draft a NACC Plan, drawing on both evidence presented to the Inquiry and the formidable body of current data and research that is publicly available.

Suggested Citation

Trembath, J.L., Fielding, K., May 2021. “Imagining 2030: Preparing for a National Arts, Culture and Creativity Plan”. Analysis paper no. 2021-01. Produced by A New Approach (ANA). Canberra, Australia.

Acknowledgement

ANA acknowledges the cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia and their continuing cultural and creative practices in this land.

© A New Approach 

This work is copyright. All material published or otherwise created by A New Approach think tank is licenced under a Creative Commons — Attribution — Non-Commercial 4.0 International Licence.

The opinions in this Analysis Paper do not necessarily represent the views of ANA’s funding partners, the individual members involved in the governance or advisory committees, or others who have provided input.

ANA thanks the people who generously reviewed this paper for their time and excellent feedback.

ANA Board

Rupert Myer AO (Chair), Sue Cato AM, Cass O’Connor,  Catherine Liddle, Craig A. Limkin and Dr Genevieve Lacey.

ANA Reference Group

Dr Genevieve Lacey (Chair), Ben Au, Jane Curry, Professor John Daley, Shelagh Magadza, Damien Miller, Rupert Myer AO, Alison Page, Laura Tingle, and Dr Mathew Trinca AM.

ANA Philanthropic Partners

ANA is supported by a unique collaboration of ten philanthropic organisations across the country. Beginning in 2021, this national coalition comprises:

  • The Myer Foundation
  • Sydney Myer Fund
  • Tim Fairfax Family Foundation
  • The Ian Potter Foundation
  • Neilson Foundation
  • Minderoo Foundation
  • Besen Family Foundation
  • Spinifex Trust
  • The Keir Foundation
  • Aranday Foundation

Cover image

Ferny Creek Primary School students (L to R: Archie, Maeve and Reuben) enjoy the Keith Haring mural, recently reinstated at the National Gallery of Victoria water wall, Melbourne, 2020. Photo originally printed in The Age Spectrum. Photo: Eddie Jim.

New Approach acknowledges that it meets, works and travels on the lands of First Nations peoples. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and to all First Nations peoples.