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From 1 July 2001, $19.4 million over four years will be provided to maintain the funding base of the Cultural Development Programme. This measure renews the Government's commitment to support a range of arts and cultural development schemes and organisations, including the Regional Access Programmes.
For six to nine years, the Regional Access Programmes (Playing Australia, Visions of Australia and Festivals Australia) have contributed significantly to the Government's policy objective of increasing access to cultural activities in the regional areas of Australia. The programmes' regional reach has increased over time with over 85 per cent of funding in recent grant rounds supporting activities in regional or remote centres around Australia. The programmes assist performing arts and exhibitions of cultural material to tour regional areas throughout Australia, and support cultural activity at regional and community festivals. Funding for the programmes will be maintained in real terms.
The Government will continue funding the Regional Arts Fund by providing $7.6 million over three years from 1 July 2001. Over the past four years, this very successful programme, administered by the Australia Council, has generated positive outcomes for regional communities and artists. More than 1,000 projects have been funded through the Regional Arts Fund.
The objective of the fund is to make a significant and sustainable contribution to regional arts development. Priorities include focussing on smaller regional communities; facilitating partnerships with local governments and community groups; and providing access to information about professional arts development skills and opportunities for people in isolated areas.
In January 2001, the Government announced the new National Regional Arts Volunteer Training Programme. Funding of $1.2 million over the period 2000-01 to 2003-04 will be provided jointly to Regional Arts Australia by the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts ($600,000 from 2002-03 until 2003-04) and the Department of Family and Community Services ($600,000 from 2000-01 until 2003-04). The programme will provide training and skills development in several key areas, for arts and museum volunteer workers in approximately 80 regional centres across Australia.
In October 2000, the Australia Council appointed the Regional Arts Panel to improve the delivery of arts programmes to regional areas and to increase the visibility of regional arts achievements. It comprises twelve members from all States and Territories who share a breadth of cultural background, direct experience with regional arts projects of outstanding quality, and strong networks with regional communities.
This national programme is currently assisting cultural organisations to develop eBusiness strategies that will help them secure benefits from the use of the internet in their day to day business. The programme is offered in eleven locations throughout Australia, including the regional centres of Alice Springs, Townsville and Bathurst. Educational material developed for the programme is also available on Australia's Cultural Network website.
In 2000-01 and 2001-02, the Federal Government will spend more than $280 million from the Federation Fund on the following major Federation Fund projects in regional Australia. During the construction phase, these projects are injecting significant funds and generating jobs in regional Australia and will make significant and ongoing economic, social and cultural contributions. They are: