The Malinauskas Labor Government has announced the membership of our Artists at Work Taskforce today.
The Malinauskas Government promised at the election to create a taskforce to
investigate work insecurity and income inequality experienced by some South Australian artists and arts workers and we are delivering on that commitment.
After a call for expressions of interest last November, Minister Michaels today announced 27 experts from across the arts, cultural and creative industries would make up the taskforce.
Members include Art Gallery of South Australia Chair and former Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor, Adelaide Festival Chief Executive Kath M Mainland and Artistic Director Ruth Mackenzie and South Australian actress and writer Elena Carapetis.
Members will convene regularly over a four-month period to provide expertise and advice on current issues and industry trends and developments.
The taskforce will make recommendations to the Minister on actions the State Government can take to address the issues artists and arts workers face in South Australia.
The members are:
Alison Lloydd-Wright (Chair)
Elena Carapetis
Daniel Connell
Aaron Connor
Mimi Crowe
Christopher Drummond
Sarah Feijen
Jennifer Greer Holmes
Angela Heesom
Justyna Jochym
Amanda Macri
Ross McHenry
Nicholas Linke
Nathan Luscombe
Kath M Mainland / Ruth Mackenzie
Lewis Major
William Mellor
Jo O'Callaghan
Anthony Peluso
Rhys Sandery
Simon Tait
Sandy Verschoor
John Wardle
Emma Webb
Patricia Walton
Samuel Whiting
Rebecca Young
For more details and member biographies visit:
https://www.dpc.sa.gov.au/responsibilities/arts-and-culture/artists-at-work-taskforce
As put by Andrea Michaels
It's fantastic to announce the members of this important taskforce and I would like to sincerely thank all who applied.
There is tremendous passion and experience in South Australia's arts, culture and creative sector, reflected by the representatives who have joined this taskforce, and who will help create better outcomes and opportunities for artists and arts workers in our state.
Our arts, culture and creative sector contributes so much to South Australia and to the wellbeing of our community and it is vital that we ensure the sustainability of the sector for the long-term.
I want South Australia to be a place where our arts, culture and creative sector grow and thrive and I look forward to working with the Artists at Work Taskforce to achieve this.
As put by Sandy Verschoor, Chair of AGSA
Arts and culture are intrinsically part of who we are in South Australia and I'm looking forward to working with the Minister and the taskforce to improve job security for artists and arts workers.
Our cultural institutions, our world-class festivals, our events and performances are woven into the fabric of South Australia and it is essential that the people behind them - our artists and arts workers - are recognised and valued for the extraordinary contribution they make to our state.
As put by Kath M Mainland, Chief Executive of Adelaide Festival
I look forward to working with the Minister and government to address the job insecurity and other challenges currently being experienced by some artists and arts workers in South Australia.
Our workforce is the backbone of our industry and is instrumental in making the amazing cultural events we have here happen. It's great that there's a specific taskforce to focus on them.
