The National Film and Sound Archive’s access role has been “further strengthened through
the transfer of key public access programs from the Australian Film Commission,” according to the Minister for the Arts Peter Garrett.
The programs include:
• www.australianscreen.com.au which is a web-based resource of film and television
material sourced from a range of archives;
• the Big Screen travelling film festival which presents new and classic Australian films
to audiences across regional and rural Australia;
• Black Screen which focuses on access to Indigenous films; and,
• School Screen which offers schools around Australia free access to Australian
features as part of their curriculum.
The National Library of Australia’s National Film and Video Lending Service will also be
transferred to the National Film and Sound Archive.
Peter Garret says: “In addition to building on the National Film and Sound Archive’s strong international
reputation as an audiovisual collecting institution, these programs will improve its ability to
promote and deliver public access programs associated with the collection.”
Garrett says some key public access programs will be transferred from the Australian
Film Commission to the National Film and Sound Archive along with $1.7 million per annum
in indexed funding to underpin the new public outreach function, fulfilling a long standing
election promise.
The National Film and Sound Archive’s creation as a statutory authority from 1 July 2008
was announced in the 2008-09 Federal Budget.
In addition to the transfer of its core funding from the Australian Film Commission, a further
$500,000 per annum will be provided to the National Film and Sound Archive from Film
Australia to ensure additional costs in administering the new entity, for instance Board and
Chief Executive Officer costs, do not impact on its programs.
Meanwhile, another institution recently transferred from Communications into the Arts portfolio, The Australian Film TV and Radio School, will launch a new building this week.