The 51 Archibald finalist have been hung at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and many of the works have not necessarily been chosen on aesthetic grounds, writes Joanna Mendelssohn.
If the new arts minister, Mitch Fifield, abolishes the National Program for Excellence in the Arts and diverts its funds back to the Australia Council, he will increase arts funding at no cost to the budget bottom line, writes Joanna Mendelssohn.
The Archibald is – in essence – not an art prize but a celebration of the personalities who define Australia, and especially Sydney, writes Joanna Mendelssohn.
The last time a minister was able to micro-manage individual grants was back in the 1950s when Menzies oversaw the Commonwealth Literary Fund, writes Joanna Mendelssohn.
Greater government control of arts funding is the likely reason for the establishment of a new National Programme for Excellence in the Arts, writes Joanna Mendelssohn.
