Cultural action plan

Press, 29 August 1984, Page 19

Cultural action plan

Cultural development is the responsibility of a wide range of Government ministries and not the Arts Minister alone, according to the director of the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council, Dr Michael Volkerling. Dr Volkerling was speaking at the Southern Regional Arts Council annual general meeting in Christchurch earlier this month.

An agenda for cultural action has been circulated by the council to all areas of the Labour Government. It points out the relationship between the arts and a wide range of portfolios including labour, health, tourism and education.

The meeting was also addressed by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Caygill, who emphasised the

need for the development of. craft marketing to overseas markets and the importance of the development of the New Zealand recording and film industry. The delegates at the meeting voted four new members to the council. They were chosen from 14 nominations, which was the highest number received since the council was founded in 1975. The elected members were: Anthony Borick, a Dunedin solicitor, a member of the new Fortune Theatre Board and chairman of its management committee;

Jens Hansen, a community education organiser based in Hokitika, Deborah O’Neill, the chairman of the MacKenzie Community Arts Council and Fenn Shaw, the chairman of the North Canterbury Community Arts Council.

The other members of the Southern Regional Arts Council who are ministerially appointed are: Brett Riley, the council’s chairman, of Christchurch; Jonathan Tucker, of Invercargill; David Nightingale, of Westport, Peter Entwhistle, of Dunedin, and Barbara Stewart, of Christchurch.