How to be an effective arts advocate (from the archives)

You don’t have to be a well-paid political lobbyist or have a weekly radio program to be an arts advocate. You can probably do it over Christmas dinner.

Whether focused on the intrinsic value of the arts – art for art’s sake – or their instrumental worth – art’s links to learning, health, emotional intelligence and well-being – our passion for the arts, and our first-hand experience of their social and transformative powers, make us all potential advocates for the sector.

There are a number of ways by which we can all become better arts advocates. Here are some of the suggestions.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts