The state government and Labor opposition have clashed over arts funding for the Blue Mountains.
Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle attacked the arts allocation in the June 20 state budget, accusing the Liberal Party of “once again” forgetting the Blue Mountains.
“We have a vibrant arts and culture community and we discover this week that the Blue Mountains is ineligible for the [new] $100 million regional cultural fund,” she said
“The Liberals have once again forgotten the Blue Mountains – excluding us from the regional fund and not allocating us a cent of their Sydney-centric arts fund.”
But a spokesman for arts minister Don Harwin said the new fund was never meant for metropolitan local government areas like the Blue Mountains.
“We want to make sure that the funds are allocated to those regional communities that need it most, and for regional funds of this nature, Sydney local government areas (LGAs), including the Blue Mountains, are usually exempt,” the spokesman said.
“The Blue Mountains LGA is not excluded on the basis of worthiness more so that the regionally targeted nature of the fund precludes them.”
He said artists, organisations and practitioners from the Blue Mountains are eligible for the $52.7 million Arts and Culture Development Program.
The state government announced $600 million in art and culture funding for Sydney including $244 million for the expansion of the Art Gallery of NSW as well as money for the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Theatre Company.
