Save Ausdance National

14 August 2019

On behalf of the arts education sector, the National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE) asserts that the proposal to close Ausdance National must be reconsidered. The threatened closure of Ausdance National is evidence – reflected in this week’s announcement that 60% of applicants were excluded from the Australia Council’s stage 2 application process for 4-year operational funding –  that these decisions continue to cut a swathe through the small to medium arts sector.

Ausdance National is the peak body providing services and representation for the Australian dance sector. For 42 years this organisation has made a major contribution to Australian dance education, including leading the work of NAAE in securing the arts as part of the national curriculum for Australian schools, and offering career transition opportunities for dancers post their performance years.

“Whilst we knew the national organisation was in a precarious position, the news is truly devastating across the whole ecology of the dance community” said NAAE dance education representative Dr Jeff Meiners.

Ausdance was a founding member of NAAE (originally formed as the National Affiliation of Arts Educators in 1989) and has led the organisation for most of the years since. It is also responsible for establishing and maintaining NAAE’s online presence with a website that contains arts education research, publications and articles of interest to arts educators.

Over NAAE’s life, Ausdance has spearheaded advocacy for arts education through coordinating NAAE’s work in meetings with politicians and other key decision makers, making submissions to federal inquiries, editing and publishing articles, and advocating for Australian arts education research. It is critical that Ausdance National is supported to continue this important work for the Australian arts education sector.

For further comment contact: Dr Jeff Meiners, 0402 458 154