Helen Haines (Indi, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Macquarie for this motion and for visiting my electorate last year to attend my arts and culture roundtable in her capacity as the Special Envoy for the Arts. The roundtable was an opportunity for my local arts and entertainment community in Indi to learn how to benefit from the government's national cultural policy, Revive. Regional Australia deserves to play a leading role in our national arts scene after so many years of being an understudy to the arts scenes of the major cities. The roundtable was attended by more than 70 people from across Indi, including the border's Flying Fruit Fly Circus. I've long advocated for the Fruities, as they're affectionately known, and I was thrilled to see the circus school awarded $7.3 million in the government's most recent budget. Such an investment in our regional performing arts sector is a testament to the incredible work of the teachers, students, parents and supporters of this unique regional arts institution.

Indi has a highly engaged and talented arts community with performers, visual artists, musicians, teachers, museum curators, creators, producers—the lot. They attended that roundtable last year. What we heard from them was that our thriving arts and cultural scene is held back from realising its creative and economic potential because investment in the arts has been in decline for many years. We heard loud and clear at the roundtable that regional Australia needs investment in cultural infrastructure and arts precincts to attract the best talent to perform and exhibit their work in local galleries, theatres and public spaces.

The Benalla Art Gallery has a creative vision to be a world-class gallery on the shores of Lake Benalla, close to the heart of the CBD. Benalla is known for its incredible street art festival that transforms the regional city into an open-air gallery of murals by world renowned street artists. I was delighted that the Benalla Art Gallery was awarded more than $2.9 million in federal funding in May this year towards its redevelopment and expansion under the Growing Regions Program. I was pleased to support and advocate this funding, which will go a long, long way to bringing to life the vision of the Friends of the Benalla Art Gallery, who also attended the roundtable last year.

Having lived in Wangaratta for more than 35 years, I have very fond memories of the annual Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues. With the prospect of the festival wrapping up, a new community group rallied to take the festival forward, and, by May this year, more than $40,000 in crowdfunding had been achieved, demonstrating the appreciation and fondness the community has for this iconic festival. Then, in June this year, the festival organisers secured more than $52,000 from the federal government's Festivals Australia program. That's a significant boost to support a free daytime outdoor stage and interactive art installation. Funding from both the community and the federal government will breathe new life into and revitalise this fantastic festival.

Artistic expression and participation in and enjoyment of cultural institutions, festivals and events enhance the prosperity of our regional communities and the health and wellbeing of people of all ages. Regional arts communities provide inclusive spaces for young creatives to express ideas, explore their passions and learn more about themselves. Even as a young adult, I learnt much about myself from joining a local theatre company, the Wangaratta Players. I learnt that, when it comes to the theatre, my role is really just to make up the numbers! While acting may not be my forte, I am enthusiastic about supporting local theatre, from the professional productions of Wodonga's Hothouse Theatre to the community run extravaganzas of the Mansfield Musical and Dramatic Society. Thank you to all the passionate community members who work to protect and promote the arts in our region.

As the member for Indi I am proud of how our regional communities showcase our unique arts and cultural experiences. I look forward to continuing to work with the member for Macquarie and the government to strengthen regional Australia's arts sector and protect our cultural heritage. Regional arts communities like those in Indi are waiting in the wings, ready for their turn to truly shine in the national spotlight.

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