The Australia Council for the Arts invites submissions from individuals and organisations who wish to comment on issues surrounding the depiction of children in art.

The Australia Council is currently developing a set of protocols to address the depiction of children in artworks, exhibitions and ustralia Council funding.

The Australia Council welcomes your views on this important issue. You can make a submission through the Australia Council website.

While all responses are welcome, the Australia Council particularly invites perspectives on four critical issues:

• Ensuring that the rights of children are protected throughout the artistic process – from the time an artwork is created through to when it is shown
• Ensuring that everyone viewing the artwork has an appropriate understanding of the nature and artistic content of the material
• Protecting images of children from being exploited, including use of the images beyond the original context of the creative work
• Creating protocols that acknowledge the Australia Council’s statutory role in upholding and promoting the right of people to freedom in the practice of the arts.

Submissions and comment are welcome before 19 September 2008. The draft of the protocols will be developed in consultation with the Minister for the Arts and other key stakeholders.

To make a comment, please fill in a submission form. Alternatively, you can email your response to comms@creative.gov.au.