As the arts sector roars back to life, Q+A is bringing together some of Australia’s leading artists and thinkers, to explore the future of the industry.
Music and live performances are once again being celebrated across the country, including Vivid Sydney which is celebrating its 12th year this month, Rising which finally launched in Melbourne after several disruptions and Hobart once again under the spell of Dark Mofo. How has the return of live music and theatre impacted you?
Have you regained work in the sector or have you been forced to find another career path?
Arts and events workers reported over 374,000 cancelled gigs and income losses totalling $417.2 million as a result of the pandemic. The recently installed Arts Minister Tony Burke is promising to get the sector “back on track quickly”.
What will a new minister mean for the sector? Do we value the creativity of artists more after going so long without live events?
Insecure work remains a huge issue for artists and creatives, with research showing almost half of all employees in arts and recreation services are in casual roles, and one study finding just 19 per cent of professional artists in Australia work in secure, salaried employment.
Labor has promised to address insecure work and low wages by changing employment laws and supporting a pay rise for minimum-wage workers. Tony Burke is also Employment and Workplace Relations Minister – how will he tackle the insecure work crisis that seems to hit the arts sector particularly hard?
We’ll also explore the connection between creative expression and mental health, looking at how artists, writers and performers use their own experiences to inspire their work and we’ll hear how the creative process has helped them through their toughest challenges.
Join us for this lively discussion plus a live performance by the Australian Vocal Ensemble featuring Katie Noonan.
You can submit a video question for the panel here.
On the Panel This Week
Darren Hayes
Iconic Australian performer and award-winning songwriter
Darren Hayes’s career spans over 25 years both as lead singer and songwriter of Savage Garden and as a solo artist.
Katie Noonan
Artistic director, musician and producer
Over the past 20 years, five-time ARIA award-winning artist Katie Noonan has proven herself one of Australia’s most hardworking, versatile and prolific artists.
Adam Liaw
Cook, Writer and TV Presenter
Adam Liaw is a writer, cook and former lawyer. He is the author of five cookbooks, a regular newspaper columnist, host of the award-winning SBS series Destination Flavour, and UNICEF Australia’s Ambassador for Nutrition.
Tony Burke
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister for the Arts
Tony Burke is the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Minister for the Arts, and Leader of the House in the House of Representatives.
Paul Fletcher
Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts
Paul Fletcher is the Shadow Minister for Science, the Digital Economy and the Arts. He served as the Minister for Communications and the Arts in the Morrison Government.
