Media Release by Senator the Hon Zed Seselja

Preserving Australia’s cultural heritage

Joint Media Release with:

    • Senator the Hon. Mitch Fifield
      Minister for Communications
      Minister for the Arts

The Turnbull Government has announced $415,000 for 77 projects to ensure the preservation and display of objects of national significance through the Community Heritage Grants Program.

The grants were awarded to recipients by Minister Seselja at a ceremony at the National Library of Australia last night.

“Community organisations across Australia hold a wealth of nationally significant materials in their collections such as artefacts, letters, diaries, maps, photographs and audio visual materials,” said Minister Fifield.

“This funding will help these non-profit organisations to preserve their collections and continue to make them available to all Australians.”

Grants of up to $15,000 have been provided to historical societies, museums, libraries, archives, galleries and to Indigenous and migrant community groups. The funding will be used to document, preserve, digitise and curate existing collections and undertake collection management training.

“The Turnbull Government understands the importance of our extraordinary natural, indigenous and historic heritage. This funding will help ensure that ordinary Australians continue to engage with our heritage,” said Minister Seselja.

The program is supported by the Department of Communications and the Arts with four of Australia’s cultural institutions: the National Library of Australia, the National Archives of Australia, the National Film and Sound Archive and the National Museum of Australia.

Australia’s national collecting institutions play a leadership role in the program by providing preservation and collection management workshops. At the workshops, experts share invaluable knowledge, experience and expertise with their peers from local, regional and community organisations.

Since the Community Heritage Grants Program began in 1994, the Australian Government has provided more than $6 million for over 1200 projects.

For more information about the program and to view the full list of recipients visit: www.nla.gov.au/awards-and-grants/chg.