Established in 1983

NAVA works to strengthen Australia’s contemporary art sector by supporting artists and by advocating on their behalf for better working conditions, respect and visibility. Keyways they do this is to promote a Code of Practice nationally for the sector to adhere to, providing practical support to visual arts professionals and amplifying the voice of creatives nationally.

The Code of Practice sets standardisations across the industry – for example wages and salary within the industry which can be a great tool for organisations and practitioners alike in developing budgets and in self-advocating for correct pay.

Other practical support the provide to artists include different membership tiers that include public liability insurance, grants and development opportunities through workshops, resources like factsheets and templates as well as discounts & offers.

Their advocacy efforts in are all around improving the working environment for artists and arts organisations – effectively they run campaigns and maintain relationships with key stakeholders to ensure artists are visible and represented to improve conditions within the sector.

Advocacy successes include:

-          Increased funding through the Visual Arts and Crafts Strategy

-          Artists Moral Rights

-          Artists Resale Royalty Legislation

-          Securing a tax ruling that allows artists to claim their art business expenses against all forms of income

-          Arts curriculum in schools through partnership in National Advocates for Arts Education

-          Changes to sedition law to protect artists freedom of expression

-          Establishment of Viscopy (now Copyright Agency)

o    Copyright Agency – collects fees and distributes royalties to creator members for the reuse of text and images. 

o   Essentially an organisation that offer support around intellectual property to creatives in the visual or written fields. Key organisation due to Resale Royalty Scheme (5% on works 1,000$ or more) + protection indigenous creatives intellectual property + culture.

-          Currently working on: (all laid out in the Strategic Plan 2018-2020 attached)

o    Self-determination as best practice approach to First Nations contemporary art

o   Making the NAVA Code of Practice an enforceable standard across the contemporary arts industry 

o   Accessibility – ensring people with disabilities are able to experience full inclusion in cultural life.

o   Gender Equity in the arts i.e. closing the gap in fees, opportunities and representation

o   Art Education – nationally with focus in the tertiary level

o   Arts Funding from federal government

NAVA plays the role of advocate in policy development. NAVA speaks up through a variety of targeted campaigns to highlight and give voice to the needs and concerns of visual arts professionals. Their association regularly reviews their priorities and develops a strategic plan to achieve each key goal but all the while presenting a comprehensive industry standard to strengthen the sector through accountability and transparency. From an outsider perspective – it demystifies the creative sector so that non-arts industry can see creative professionals as professionals like any other field. That their work is not a hobby or ‘fun’ but actual ‘work’ that has beneficial commercial and non-commercial outcomes to the public and is worth supporting. Simultaneously the association provides tools to these professionals to develop and strengthen the sector.

Attached:
NAVA Stategic Plan 2018 -2020 (concise - great reference)