DCA targets youth, arts

THE Department of Culture and the Arts has launched a new plan to aid in the development of young people and the arts.

The Young People and the Arts Action Plan 2011-2012 will aim to drive arts initiatives for Western Australians under the age of 26 through the development of environment, economy, community and people that are conducive to art development.

According to DCA director general Allanah Lucas, the plan builds on the work of DCA’s Creating Value policy framework launched last year, which aimed to provide an integrated delivery of policy and programs to develop creative people, communities, economies and environments.

The action plan aims to increase funding, partnerships, infrastructure and development of the sector in WA.

There will also be a push for funding for the government-run Young People and the Arts program and multi-year and triennial funding for young people and arts organisations.

Part of the plan will be to investigate existing youth arts spaces and clusters to identify innovation, best practice and potential gaps in the realm of creative spaces and places for young people.

Ms Lucas said the action plan would focus on a variety of areas including early childhood and recognised the need for a dedicated arts and early childhood strategy.

“DCA will consult with the early childhood community and the arts sector ... to provide arts experiences for the very young and how to communicate these opportunities to their families and carers,” she said.