Australia’s cultural future starts with creative arts education
Revive 2022 – our National Cultural Policy – had a grand vision that every Australian have equitable access to arts and culture. The pathway to equity is grounded in access to quality creative arts education at primary school – the right of every child across Australia and enshrined in the Australian curriculum. However, despite the known challenges in delivery of this promise, creative arts education was largely absent from Revive.
That’s why, in our submission to the Australian Government’s consultation for Australia’s next National Cultural Policy, we’re calling for a dedicated Creative Arts Education Pillar to be established.
A clear national commitment is needed to embed culture and the creative arts across our education systems – from early childhood through to tertiary pathways – rather than treating creative arts learning, including music, as optional or left to chance.
Quality music education is one of the most powerful tools we have to support educational priorities in Australian schools, while also strengthening Australia’s cultural and economic future. Early experiences of making and listening to music shape lifelong engagement in arts and culture, with research from Music Australia finding Australians who received arts education as children are significantly more likely to attend live music events as adults.
By valuing and resourcing arts education, including music, in every primary school, we invest in future audiences, artists and creative workers – strengthening the music industry, growing the creative economy, and building a more culturally connected Australia.
Our submission was shaped through extensive consultation and is backed by broad support from leaders across the music industry, education, philanthropy, academia, and arts and cultural sectors. We also thank the 40+ organisations and individuals supporting this call – too many to tag here.
You can read our full submission here.
