Professor Kevin Rafter:

The 2003 Act specifies what the areas of activity are in terms of defining arts, but it can be broader than that. I have read and seen the discussions about other art forms that are not currently covered. I have a list of things on which to ask questions. As chairman, I will work with my 12 colleagues on the council so I am not in a position to impose, but there are issues ranging from a living working wage to the different art forms that I want to discuss with the other council members to see where we will go in the next period of activity for the Arts Council. The Senator's reference to popular music is not the first time I have heard it. It is on the list with regard to whether it is somewhere we should also be expanding the reach. Much of it comes back to looking at the budget and a bigger budget. Last year's increase was significant, but it is still not back to where it was in 2008.

Every organisation wants to return to where it was in 2008. Where more resources are available, investing in the arts a small amount of money relative to the overall national budget would allow the type of issues the Senator outlined to be addressed. The arts should be brought into communities. Not just the privileged enjoy the arts. Some 50 national tours were supported by the Arts Council last year and travelled throughout the country, where 300,000 people attended and enjoyed the performances. As I outlined, there are 170 festivals with 500,000 people. The Arts Council is in every community, as its funding, but with a larger budget, there could be a larger impact and more could be done.