Recognition for marketing through adversity secures Award win for Australia Council

Performing effective communications functions with key stakeholders and the Australian public through a period of adversity has seen the Australia Council for the Arts gain acknowledgement from industry magazine Australasian Leisure Management in the 2018 Leisure Industry Communication and Marketing Awards.

The Australian Government's arts funding and advisory body is being recognised with the presentation of the Award in the Government Department/Agency category.

The Australia Council has endured a difficult few years having experienced a massive funding cut from the Federal Government in 2015, as then Arts Minister Senator George Brandis took $104.7 million from its budget for the now-abandoned National Program for Excellence in the Arts (NPEA).

With reduced resources and staff confidence clearly undermined, key members of the Australia Council’s communications and marketing team continued their role undeterred, communicating the body’s important work with key stakeholders and the Australian public.

The Award also recognises the return of the Australia Council Marketing Summit in June this year, expanded with a wider variety of content and renamed as the Australia Council Marketing, Communications and Ticketing Summit.

Under the theme of this year's Summit held in June, Knowing me, knowing you!, the event attracted  artists, arts workers, academics and leading thinkers coming together and connect with a diverse range of arts marketers.

Commenting on the Australia Council’s recognition, which came as a result of a third-party nomination, Australasian Leisure Management Publisher Nigel Benton stated “this may be a difficult award for the Australia Council to acknowledge, but this Award takes account that effective communication and marketing is not always about big budgets but is about commitment, hard work and innovation.”

Announcements on the the 2018 Leisure Industry Communication and Marketing Awards are being made on 14 successive business days through October.

Image: The Australia Counci's Sydney headquarters.