Arts may get a little more

Press, 24 May 1977, Page 10

Arts may get a little more

PA Wellington The Arts Council may get more money from the Government this year. However, in announcing this during a speech to the conference of the Central Regional Arts Council at Palmerston North, the Under-secretary of the Arts,! (Mr Comber) did not say: how much. “This meeting can be assured that the Minister: (Mr Highet) is working for some increase, but it would be unrealistic to expect it to be a significant amount at this particular time,” said Mr Comber. J Earlier, he acknowledged that some people working in the arts would lose their 1 jobs if there was no increase; in funds for the Arts Coup- 1 cil this year. . I “What we must all do is i see that the available funds! are allocated in such a way ■ that we do not lose ground,: because if that was to hap-; nen it would be a tragedy,”! he said. Mr Comber also an- !

ilnounced that Mr Highet int(tended to amend the Arts •■Council Act to give the | regional arts councils final ■ authority for deciding which • local groups should get 1 grants. i “This will give the regions more autonomy and respon- .! sibility, and a further mach- ! inery amendment will also i allow the regional councils i i' to make grants to the com- ■ jmimity councils,” he said. i The act ' would also be! I changed to remove the com-1 i pulsion for a community | : arts council to have an administering local authority i Ito give it administrative: I assistance. | “The Minister has decided! ■jto remove the distastefull J element of compulsion from! ■ ‘ the legislation, while at the i (same time retaining the I II local authority involvement,” I i|Mr Comber said. The administrative support ,: would then be able to be ■ I provided in the form of a ’'cash grant, rather than in ikind, because several areas (said they would prefer this.