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Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 44 No. 3. March 16 1981

National Significance of Arts Council

National Significance of Arts Council

NZSAC also see themselves as having a nationally significant role. The Council is New Zealand's only national touring organisation involved in all forms of the arts. Although public funding from the QEII Arts Council, the Ministry of Recreation and Sport and the Youth Initiative Fund does obligate a certain public duty, the Council see themselves as playing a more altruistic role. They hope to extend the arts in New Zealand beyond the campus into the community, and to develop a greater audience appreciation for all forms of the arts. The Council also hope to act as a catalyst for groups that would not otherwise have the opportunity to tour. With no profit motive, (the tours work on a break-even budget), public funding, and a ready student audience, NZSAC are able to give new artists necessary exposure and experience.

As a mark of its success, the Council has seen none of its past artists drop out. For example, the 1979 NZSAC Artist-on-Campus, carver Greg Whakataka has recently completed a massive canoe project. Since December 1979 Whakataka has been carving a traditional Tahitian double-hulled canoe which will be sailed from Tahiti to New Zealand in November this year.

New Zealand actress Cathy Downes who toured nationally with the Council last year is now working in Sydney theatre. Her five week, sell-out tour with her one woman play The Case of Katherine Mansfield consolidated her reputation as an actress. This year she will have two major roles in Sydney's Nimrod Theatre productions: in Chekov's The Three Sisters and in a Czechoslovakian play Protest by Vaclav Havel.

Sam Hunt, who has toured with the Council four times since 1972, and is here again this year, has had another selection of his poetry published. Entitled Sam Hunt: Collected Poems the book is considered a major publishing breakthrough. And, 1980's Artists-on-Campus Terry Archer and David Waterman are now working full-time as mural painters around New Zealand.

Dozens of other tours have been carried out by the Arts Council, each working on a break-even budget. While the student levies and grants from public funding bodies cover the Council's administration costs (salaries, rent, power, stationery, postage, freight, and so on) the tours must break even. So far, this has always worked, with the most popular tours such as Red Mole and Limbs in 1980 subsidising the Council's less financial activities. But, if administration costs become any greater, schemes such as the artists-on-campus may have to be given up.

As always, student support is essential and the Council hopes that more people will take part in the 1981 programme or help with on-campus work for tours. Each tour involves an enormous amount of planning and preparation. This is all done by the Council. From selecting each artist, to drawing up a budget and an itinerary, and organising transport, publicity, venues and accommodation, down to the last detail, it is all thoroughly worked out by the staff of NZSAC. Through detailed organisation, few major problems have occurred in the Council's history and the staff are convinced that the enormous satisfaction and the good times they have during a tour make it all worthwhile.