Risstrom Successfully Defends Melbourne Council Arts Program

[Cr David Risstrom Greens Lead Senate Candidate]

---------------------
Another message from the GREENS-MEDIA maillist.
You are subscribed as: chris at sw.oz.au
Manage your subscription on the list home page at:
http://www.altnews.com.au/greens/
---------------------

MEDIA RELEASE 12 May 2004
 
RISSTROM SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS MELBOURNE COUNCIL ARTS PROGRAM

Melbourne City Greens Councillor and Victorian Greens No. 1 Senate candidate
David Risstrom defence of independent public art, backed by a strong
community campaign, has headed off the potential emaciation of the best
local government arts program in Australia.

Amidst attacks to Melbourne City Council¹s Arts Grants Program, Greens Cr.
David Risstrom was on the record last week as saying, ³Thoughtful public art
provides a valuable platform for public engagement, and the right of artists
to contribute to public life is an ideal I strongly defend.²

³I would like to thank Melbourne¹s arts community and their supporters for
their independent defence of important public ideals², Cr. Risstrom said.

³Council overreaction to inaccurate newspaper stories calling for the
abolition of the City of Melbourne arts grants program was wrong and
ill-considered², Cr. Risstrom said. ³I welcome the Council¹s intentions to
keep the arts grants programs and to defend the right of artists to lawfully
explore artistic boundaries, whether or not they conform to my views², Cr.
Risstrom said.  

³I put the argument to my colleagues that, ³Had a politically conservative
artistic knife been applied to what are now classic works, many would never
have seen the light of day, and society would be the poorer for it², Cr.
Risstrom said

By agreement, two changes are set be made to the administration of the
program that I endorse:
* Council consideration of the arts grants program will occur in open
session of Council; a change I sought four years ago but was unable to gain
majority support for at the time.
* An independent community representative will be invited to join grant
assessment panels. 

As I identified last week, ³The debate that controversial public art
stimulates can be a valuable contribution to discussion of difficult
issues.² Cr. Risstrom concluded, ³Perhaps one good thing that has happened
from this sorry incident is that the value of independent public art is
making headlines and is being debated.²

Contact:       Cr. David Risstrom - 0418 502 713
               Simon Lansdown - 0415 535 564 - Victorian Greens Media
Officer

Printable copies are available at
http://www.DavidRisstrom.org/MediaReleases.html





-------------------------
Support your List Server:
DOMAIN NAMES: http://altnews.com.au/register/
HOSTING: http://altnews.com.au/sales/
PHONE: low cost calls at http://us.altnews.com.au/1cell/
-------------------------
Hosted by Alternative News Network, Cairns, tropical north Queensland, Australia
-------------------------