First Nations First

First Nations First is pillar one of the Australian Government’s National Cultural Policy, Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place.

From 2024, Revive establishes a dedicated First Nations-led Board to:

• invest in, create and produce, First Nations works of scale, with priorities and funding decisions determined by First Nations leaders
• develop a First Nations Creative Workforce Development Strategy
• promote best practice cultural protocols, self-determination and cultural safety training across arts and cultural organisations.

First Nations First recognises and respects the crucial place of First Nations stories at the centre of Australia’s arts and culture.

Since 1973 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders have brought a guiding voice on matters relating to First Nations arts and culture and to the broader arts and cultural sector through Creative Australia’s (formerly the Australia Council for the Arts) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board.

We build upon the wonderful legacy of those who have come before us, and invite you to participate in the First Nations First community engagement and consultation.

How to have your say

 
The purpose of this consultation is to seek feedback from First Nations people who work within the arts and culture sector on the establishment of Creative Australia’s new First Nations-led Board, and how it should implement, invest, and deliver on its role and responsibilities.

For our colleagues in the arts and culture sector who are not First Nations, we invite you to complete the survey, make a submission in writing, or request a meeting directly with Creative Australia staff.

We encourage all First Nations people to share your thoughts and aspirations for your community and sector.

There are a number of ways for you to engage with the consultation and provide your feedback:
 

1. Read the discussion paper

To begin, we have developed a discussion paper with background and context, along with some questions to help you prepare your feedback. It also provides an overview of next steps. View the PDF here.
 

2. Complete the online survey

This will take approximately 10 minutes. Responses will be treated in confidence and no individual data will be published. Begin now.
 

3. Join an online workshop

These sessions were facilitated by First Nations consultants, and held on:

1. Monday 20 November @ 2pm-4pm AEDT
2. Tuesday 21 November @ 10am-12pm AEDT
3. Wednesday 22 November @ 12pm-2pm AEDT

4. Attend an in-person community forum

These gatherings will allow space and time for open discussion and public feedback, and will be held in every state and territory. Check back soon, we’ll be listing the additional dates as they are confirmed:

1. Port Augusta, SA: Tuesday 28 November @ 1pm-3pm ACDT (register here)
2. Perth, WA: Wednesday 29 November 2023 @ 10am-1pm AWST (register here)
3. Port Lincoln, SA: Thursday 30 November @ 10.30am-12pm ACDT (register here)
4. Melbourne, VIC: Friday 8 December @ 10am-1pm AEDT (register here)

5. Make a submission in writing

Submissions are encouraged up until Thursday 29 February 2024. The questions in the discussion paper are a guide for making submissions. You can respond to all or just what is relevant to you. Submissions are:

1. 1. ideally no more than 5 pages
      (video and audio files are welcome too)
   2. welcome in all languages
   3. can contain images, thoughts, facts, opinions and responses to the questions centred around the discussion paper.

You can send your submission via:

Email: firstnationsarts@creative.gov.au

Post:
First Nations team c/o Creative Australia
PO Box 576, Pyrmont, NSW 2009

The consultants

 
We have engaged atticusnow – a strategy, policy and economics advisory firm – and their nationwide team of First Nations consultants to lead community consultation over the next several months. atticusnow help government and business to navigate complex strategy and policy issues through sensitive stakeholder environments. They work with a consortium of First Nations consultants on a variety of projects, including for this consultation:

• Erin Woolford, Ninti Kata Consultancy
• Carla McGrath, Turnstone Collective
• Katie Clarke and Johanna Isaacs, IPS Management Consultants
• Karen Milward, Karen Milward Consulting
• Jody Barney, Deaf Indigenous Community Consultancy

These gatherings will be an opportunity for First Nations creatives, cultural leaders and our Eldership to speak freely about their priorities, challenges, aspirations and current commitments. Staff from our First Nations arts and culture team will also be in attendance at all online and in-person gatherings.

Protecting your data

 
We recognise Indigenous Data Sovereignty and the right of First Nations people to autonomously decide what, how and why First Nations data is collected, accessed and used.

What data will we collect? Through the consultation sessions we will be documenting your feedback, including making notes, recordings and transcripts.

How will we protect and use your data? Data collected in this consultation will be respected; individual and collective interests will be protected.

All data will be:

1. • de-identified and protected
   • analysed by First Nations-led process and consultants
   • contextualised and shared back in a public report
   • stored and destroyed in accordance to relevant legislation.