Category Archives: Advocacy

Petition | Call for a national inquiry into Arts Education and Training in Australia

Advocacy

The National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE) has a campaign and petition calling on the federal governments to address the decline in arts education at all levels, see below and read more on their website: https://naae.org.au/news/call-to-action Petition link: https://www.change.org/p/call-for-a-national-inquiry-into-arts-education-and-training-in-australia Based on recent research, the NAAE calls for urgent federal action. You can help alert your local member to this new evidence about the serious decline in arts education at all levels. In the meantime, NAAE has written to relevant Federal Ministers. Through its leadership in initiating research and sustained national advocacy, NAAE has worked for many years to document, highlight […]

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Open Letter to Hon. Erica Stanford, Minister of Education: Why Art History Matters

Advocacy

This letter was published on the website of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. See the original here. 19 September 2025 We write as representatives of Aotearoa New Zealand’s arts and cultural sector to express our shared concern about the suggested removal of Art History from the New Zealand Secondary School Curriculum. Art History develops critical 21st-century skills  In a world increasingly dominated by images, Art History provides essential skills. It teaches analytical and critical reasoning, alongside strong written, visual and cultural literacy skills. It also builds awareness that images carry ideas and diverse perspectives. Art History is an interdisciplinary […]

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Protesting the Removal of Art History from the New Zealand Secondary School Curriculum

Advocacy

AAANZ has added its voice to the protests against the proposed removal of art history from the New Zealand School Curriculum. The AAANZ President Katrina Grant and Aotearoa New Zealand representatives Raymond Spiteri, Linda Tyler and Caroline Vercoe have written to Minister Erica Stanford protesting this proposal: Letter regarding proposed removal of art history in NZ schools We write as representatives of the Art Association of Australia and New Zealand, an organisation that represents hundreds of professional art historians, curators, artists and writers across both Australia and New Zealand. As an organisation we are deeply concerned at the announcement that […]

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Petition to Repeal Job-Ready Graduates Policy

Advocacy

The Australian Historical Association has started a petition calling for the repeal of the Job-Ready Graduates Policy. The petition is addressed to the Parliament of Australia and the AHA are asking for people to support it. From the petition: During the debate over the JRG bill, Labor Senators correctly noted that the peculiar targeting of the humanities and social sciences on the grounds of their graduates not being job-ready was also “wrong”. They noted that these disciplines “offer students robust generalist educations, with strong employment prospects upon completion … [T]he evidence is that, three years after completion, [arts] graduates are […]

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Khaled Sabsabi & Michael Dagostino fund raising for Venice Biennale

Advocacy

As has been widely reported, Australia’s entry in the  next Venice Biennale was axed  by Creative Australia after political interference. As the Guardian Australia article explains, this has widespread implications for Khaled, and what sould be argued for all Australian artists and curators. Khaled and Michael have now started a fundraising campaign so that the installation can go ahead without government support. Please see this link to Khaled and Michael‘s fundraising page? A follow up statemnt from AAANZ is forthcoming.

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Open letter regarding the withdrawal of Australia’s 2026 Venice Biennale Representatives

Advocacy

Creative Australia announced that it will not proceed with the artistic team selected to represent Australia at the 2026 Venice Biennale. This decision, reportedly made unanimously by its Board, was said to be justified by concerns over “prolonged and divisive debate.” Memo has published an open letter in response to the decision which can be read in full here. If you would like to add your name to this letter, please sign via the following form. The Editors, Memo

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Statement in support of Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagastino

Advocacy

AAANZ has written a statement in support of Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagastino and calls on Creative Australia to reverse their decision. Also see the open letter from Memo Review https://www.memoreview.net/articles/letters/open-letter-re-the-withdrawal-of-australia-s-2026-venice-biennale-representatives NAVA Statement: https://visualarts.net.au/news-opinion/2025/nava-statement-support-artist-khaled-sabsabi/

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AAANZ calls for Toitu te Tiriti (Honour the Treaty)

Advocacy

The Art Association of Australia and New Zealand stands in solidarity with Māori people and supporters in Aotearoa to voice opposition to the New Zealand’s government controversial Treaty Principles Bill. This bill sets out to introduce changes to the Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) signed by British officials and 500 Māori chiefs on the 6 February 1840. This important founding document enshrines rangatiratanga, (Māori self-determination) ensuring Māori people have the right to govern themselves. Through the Treaty Aotearoa is recognised as a world leader in supporting Indigenous rights. The Treaty Principles Bill will undermine the Te Tiriti and […]

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Statement of associations of humanities and social sciences academics across Aotearoa New Zealand on the disbanding of humanities and social sciences panels of Marsden Fund

Advocacy

Press release Thursday 5 December 2024 Professional associations representing fields in the humanities and social sciences across Aotearoa New Zealand are appalled and saddened at the decision announced on 4 December 2024 by the Hon. Judith Collins, Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology concerning a ‘refocus’ of Marsden funding. From 2025, the panels supporting humanities and social sciences research are to be disbanded. This means that the only significant and focused government funding for wide ranging research will no longer be available to budding and established academics in these fields. All successful nations fund research in the humanities and social […]

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AAANZ letter of response to the proposal to close Griffith University Art Museum

Advocacy

12 December 2023 Re: Feedback on Proposal to Close Griffith University Art Museum I am writing to you as President of the Art Association of Australia and New Zealand (AAANZ), a national membership association and peak advocacy body, representing art historians, writers, curators and artists from around Australasia. The Association is strongly opposed to the University’s proposal to close the Griffith University Art Museum (GUAM), a decision that puts economics before student interests and ignores the vital role university art museums play in teaching, learning and research. University art museums enrich the cultural and intellectual life on campus. They are […]

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