The following has been circulated by Richard Letts, the Executive Director of the Music Council of Australia:
"The NSW Government wants to cut funding to TAFE arts programs, a move that risks impoverishing our culture, gutting the workforce for cultural industries and leaving students in the lurch.
Come January, 30 art schools state-wide could close down, leaving 4000 students without access to finishing their courses in 2013 unless they're willing to pay exorbitant fees of over $6000 a year. This will make fine arts education in NSW a whole lot less accessible.
Penny, an art student at TAFE, leapt into action when the cuts were announced. She started a campaign on CommunityRun and, together with the support of her fellow members of Fine Arts Inc Meadowbank, has mobilised tens of thousands against moves by the government that would cripple our state's cultural sector.1
Penny and hundreds of supporters of arts education are delivering on-line and handwritten petitions to NSW Parliament during a colourful rally on Wednesday November 14th. Will you join with 30,000 arts supporters in NSW and sign the petition against the cuts? "
The petition can be found here: http://www.communityrun.org/petitions/fund-art-education-in-nsw-tafe