VCA

Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- My adjournment matter is for the attention of the Minister for the Arts and relates to the composition of the Victorian College of Arts and Music (VCAM) review committee. The review committee was established by the University of Melbourne to review submissions to its discussion paper Defining the Future for the VCA and Music at the University of Melbourne which was launched on 10 November 2009. More than 200 submissions have been received from students, staff, graduates, former arts ministers and the wider community.

Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- My adjournment matter for this evening is for the attention of the Minister for Arts and relates to the rental costs imposed by the University of Melbourne on the Victorian College of the Arts and Music since integration as a faculty of the university on 1 January 2007. While on the one hand the university provides the VCAM with an essential $6 million cash subsidy, on the other hand it extracts another $6 million in rent per year, or over $6000 per student.

Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- It is a pleasure to speak today on Mr Atkinson's motion regarding the Victorian college of the arts (VCA), as I will refer to it in my contribution. I thank him for bringing it to the chamber today.

Can I say at the start that support for the performing and visual arts is a matter of great importance to the Greens, to me personally, to many parliamentarians, to artists themselves and to the people of Victoria who love our artists and their work.

Stars rally to defend Australian arts school - The National

"It's not too late for the state government to step in to ensure that the VCA does not disintegrate as a result of its incorporation into Melbourne University," Greens MP for the Southern Metropolitan Region, Sue Pennicuik told a rally of VCA students and supporters on the steps of state parliament today.

MS PENNICUIK — To ask the Treasurer (for the Minister of the Arts): In relation to the former Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), which has been incorporated into the Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts and Music at the University of Melbourne as a consequence of the loss of federal funding to the VCA in 2005:

(1) Noting that, due to internal budget pressures, the University is seeking to diminish the specialist nature of the VCA courses and to fit them into the broad generic course architecture consistent with the Melbourne Model, is the Minister aware of the concerns of the arts community that these changes are resulting in the loss of the specialist and one to one training that has been the hallmark of the VCA’s success.

Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- On 12 March this year we debated the Melbourne University Amendment Bill. In that debate I raised the fears of students, staff and supporters that the VCA (Victorian College of the Arts) and its unique programs would not mesh well with the Melbourne University model.

"The amalgamation of the VCA with Melbourne University does not appear to be a happy union," Victorian Greens Arts spokesperson Sue Pennicuik said today. "Students go to the VCA for its reputation and unique atelier tradition and there is fear that its identity will be ripped out or will not be sustained in the amalgamation," she said.

Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) -- As Mr Hall outlined, the main purpose of this bill is to facilitate an amalgamation between the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) and the faculty of music at Melbourne University, which was approved by the university on 12 May last year.

4 March 2010: Extra Consultation Meeting announced today

VCAM Review Committee Chairperson Ziggy Switkowski announced that you have an opportunity to present to the Review Committee on 17 March 2010 regarding VCA’s future.

Lodge your nomination for an appointment with the committee by 9 March 2010.  Visit SaveVCA for more details.

NOTE; Not much time allowed so be quick !

Click here to view Sue's speeches in parliament and media releases supporting the VCA's highly regarded practical courses and unique atelier tradition.