ACT New Zealand
Tuesday, 24 May 2005
Policy - Other

ACT’s vision is a flourishing arts sector free from government dictate.

Summary

ACT would seek to remove the intrusive power of the state from both determining what constitutes art and from directing funding flows. Art is individual, powerful and expressive. ACT would break the State’s monopoly on funding and taste as it only succeeds in stifling creativity and divorcing art from the broader market it otherwise serves.

ACT’s goals

Healthy freedom of expression in artistic endeavours, and a flourishing artistic community.
A greater role for sponsorship and innovative funding arrangements, with greatly reduced dependency on state handouts.

ACT’s policies

Ensure a clear separation between art and culture and the intrusive power of the state. The most vibrant cultures are ones in which people are as free as possible to define and choose what is meaningful to them.
Lower taxes to encourage private sponsorship of artistic endeavours.
Reductions in regulations and red tape restricting the freedom of artists and other entrepreneurs.
Removal of government interference and politicisation of processes by which financial support is provided to artists and artistic endeavours.
Greater involvement of commercial sponsorship in the arts sector.
Scrap the special dole for artists scheme.
Remove the state from any role in picking which artistic endeavours are worthy of taxpayer support. This is patronising of artists, and is detrimental to the overall health and vibrancy of the arts sector.

Policy outcomes

An increase in the level of creativity and artistic endeavour.
Less stifling of artistic talent and expression through government dictate or direction of funding to politically correct or fashionable areas.

ENDS

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