Cultural Citizenship: Creative and Organisational Leadership Cecelia Cmielewski PhD candidate Institute for Culture and Society Western Sydney University, Australia

I want to show the stories about Australia that Australians don’t want to see. (GG, 2014) Peter Sculthorpe said to me ‘Konstantine, if you want to be a composer in Australia, learn to draw on your Greek heritage as your point of difference’. (KK, 2015) Literally two weeks ago [May 2015] the agent sent me to a casting and the brief was ‘can you send us an Asian, a Greek or something?’(AP, 2015 )

Khaled Sabsabi, 99, 2010, courtesy the artist

Shigeyuki Kihara, Talanoa: Walk the Talk V, 2009 performance by Chinese Dragon Dancers, Tahitian Drummers and Dance Group, photo by Susannah Wimberley.

Xenia Hanusiak, 1000 doors, 2007

Different approaches to Cultural Citizenship: Rosaldo promotes cultural and political citizenship within the public sphere. Pakulski idealises full inclusion in society. Turner addresses ‘issues regarding the ownership and control of different means of cultural production and of the distribution and utilisation of cultural goods’. Craith suggests a “transnational citizenship”: ‘horizontal’ spreading of individual resources complements national multicultural citizenship - a ‘vertical’ instrument of the state. Craith connects internal resilience of individuals with resources distributed by the state to produce ‘discourses of empowerment.’

Australian multicultural policy trajectory 1949-1973 End of White Australia policy 1975-1983 Ethno- specific services 1954 Signatory to Refugee Convention 1973 Assimilation 1978 Assimilation continues Access to resources 1983 - 1996 Cultural Pluralism: ‘cultural rights and ‘citizenship’ model of multiculturalism 1996-2007 Backlash against Australian multiculturalism and back to assimilation rhetoric 2007-2013 Brief revival of multicultural concepts and structures 2013- Issues of citizenship and assimilation back on the agenda

Creative and organisational leadership are critical to effect sustained change in the arts ecology. Creative leadership refers to artists who generate new developments in creative content as well as to those who are recognised by their peers and public as artists. Organisational leadership refers to those in positions of influence to provide resources and support for NESB artists.

Dacchi Dang PB565, 2009 Installation at Gallery 4A, 2010 photo by Garry Trinh.

Two main areas for attention: Creative leadership to improve diverse art production and dissemination Organizational leadership to improve institutional diversity kultour was an initiative of the Australia Council for the Arts that attempted to bring these two elements together. a network to exchange artworks as a way of supporting

each other expand artists and organisations experience through

working relationship based on artistic exchange

Stephen Helper, Café Rebetika, 2010

Anake, 2008

Yumi Umiumare, Das SHOKU Hora!!, 2007

Multi-artform company dedicated to presenting multicultural artists

State Longevity

Footscray Community Arts Centre Vic 1974- Darwin Community Arts (formerly Browns Mart) NT 1970’s- Carnevale multicultural arts festival NSW 1976-2004 Kulcha WA 1983 - 2014 Nexus SA 1984 - Multicultural Arts Alliance NSW 1988 - 2000 Brisbane Ethnic Multicultural Arts Centre Merged with QMC 2013

Qld 1990 -

Multicultural Arts Victoria Vic 1991- Asian Australian Artists’ Association (4A) NSW 1996 -

kultour Nat 2000 - Groundswell (advocacy) NSW 2011-2014

In 2000, 11 companies; In 2015, 7 companies; 36% attrition rate

Diafrix, 2009

The arts are integral to being a ‘cultural citizen’. Creative and organisational issues to achieving creative participation can be challenged by artists who: Generate a campaign to radically alter the negative perceptions that they face on a daily basis Attempt (again) to establish artform specific creative organisations to

develop and present intercultural works Negotiate their way into the mainstream and valiantly bring

colleagues along with them. It is these resilient artists, who are providing the leadership towards genuine cultural citizenship through ‘personalised histories’ that can lead to ‘discourses of empowerment’ (Craith, 2010)

Nefes Ensemble, 2010.

Naree Vachananda, Opposite My House is a Funeral Parlour, 2006.

Darwin Community Arts Centre, Frontline, 2009 -2010, Phillip Eaton

c.cmielewski@westernsydney.edu.au