The criticisms of the Australia Council and current cultural policy delivered by CPD fellows Ben Eltham and Marcus Westbury have come in for criticism from sections of the “heritage” arts, as covered in The Australian on 6th August 2010.

“Composer Richard Mills has delivered an attack on what he perceives as a lack of respect from government for the “huge national resource constituted by the major performing arts organisations”.

“Mills’s essay, online next week at the Australia Council’s website as part of a commissioned series, refers to “some areas of Labor” where there is a “penchant for confusing arts funding with social justice programs”.

“From where I sit,” says Mills – the composer is also artistic director of West Australian Opera – “these don’t seem to be friendly times for the major performing arts sector and there is, in the industry, a perception of subliminal disapproval of our work emanating from Canberra that is puzzling and frustrating.”

Read the whole article here.