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The Hon Peter McGauran, MP I hope that by the time you leave here tomorrow evening, each one of you will have in your possession a new idea, or inspiration. I strongly believe we are living through an unprecedented period of cultural and artistic opportunity. Technological change is not only affecting the way we create and express our culture, it is influencing how we deliver it to our audiences:
Each of you is here because you appreciate the importance of the new digital environment to the creative process itself, as well as to the commercial imperatives of your work. More and more cultural organisations are using the web to conduct their business, whether it be to provide access to collections for people who cannot physically get to a gallery or a museum; Or whether it be the sale of artworks or tickets online. It is a global phenomenon. And it works to society's advantage that it is global. But if we are to work the Internet to its full advantage, then it must be a medium for the dissemination and interpretation of definitively Australian experiences. That is what the next two days are all about: Learning from each other on how to adapt, control, exploit the digital potential. And it is no easy task. How can the new technologies serve our artistic and cultural objectives without dictating directions, or imposing limits? Fortunately, Australia has a strong grounding in the use of digital technologies and new media.
These qualities should give us the confidence to learn to think, and conduct business, digitally. But first cultural organisations must rethink how their activities might be better delivered. Some cultural organisations are already making innovative use of the digital environment. They are asking fundamental questions. Questions imperative to their commercial survival. For instance, how can indigenous artists working in remote and isolated parts of the country reach a world-wide buying public, while safeguarding their artistic and commercial interests? The answer? www.desart.com.au <http://www.desart.com.au> The Desart web site is controlled and operated by Desart, the umbrella body for arts and craft centres throughout central Australia. Between them, the centres support and represent 3000 Aboriginal artists. The Desart web site acts as a collective voice for these artists. Potential customers from around the world can view a selection of the art works on Desart's catalogue. Customers can browse through images of the work of a particular artist, or works on a particular theme, and can arrange to buy the works and have them delivered. At the stroke of a few computer keys, the dual tyrannies of distance and unfamiliarity are overcome. The world is exposed to the richness and variety of aboriginal artistic art and craft; And the artists can reach out to potential customers wherever they may be. This is all achieved on the artists' own terms. It is uncompromisingly Australian. A second, but quite different, example of how the digital environment is being used to promote and sell Australian culture is Performing Lines. Performing Lines is a non-profit organisation which produces and tours innovative performing arts projects. As you well know, touring a show is not easy. There are subscription seasons to be navigated, applications to arts funding bodies to be properly timed, venue options to be explored. Performing Lines manages all these things. This year, among other things, Performing Lines has taken photographer William Yang's monologue Blood Links to Canada, New Zealand, Belgium and the United States. In Seattle, it has showcased the highly individual work of Linsey Pollak, who makes musical instruments from fruit and vegetables - and plays them; It has arranged for the Indonesian shadow play the Theft of Sita to be performed at the next wave festival, in New York and at the London international festival of theatre. On the Performing Lines web site, festival organisers, performance venues and event managers can discover some of the best of Australia's independent performers and performing companies, and check their tour itineraries and verify their availability. Everyone benefits; The performers, arts organisers, and audiences everywhere. The Federal Government is determined to encourage greater use of the digital medium by all kinds of businesses including the massive business of Government itself. As part of the Government's Online Strategy, 18 online portals are being established, building on the idea of a direct entry point into the Federal Government. These portals will consolidate, as never before, access to Government information and services relating to a particular theme. The portals can also point people towards information and services from the non-government sector. The first of these new customer-focused portals - the Culture and Recreation Portal - is now open for business, and it is my great pleasure to formally launch it today to an audience who will appreciate what has been involved in its creation. The culture.gov.au <http://culture.gov.au> portal already lists 1800 cultural or recreational web sites. Four hundred are Government sites, the rest are community and commercial sites. Users can browse the portal by category:
They can browse by location:
They can search for information and services appropriate for a particular audience:
A search for sites relevant to literature throws up a wealth of options.
In all, 800,000 pages of information about Australia's cultural and recreation resources. I would now invite one of the site's authors to demonstrate its search and retrieval potential. Perhaps we could see what new-media organisations are based in melbourne? Thank you for that. And thank you to everyone who has had a hand in putting
together the full program of speakers and discussion for the next two days.
In particular, thanks to Cinemedia for its assistance with the exhibition
of new-media arts products. You have the opportunity to view the exhibition,
which displays the technical skill and creativity of some of this nation's
most accomplished new-media artists. It is with great pleasure that Iopen
the Ozeculture conference. Thank you The Hon Peter McGauran, MP |