The National Arts Election Debate has been a key focus of the Australian cultural conversation leading to the 2 July 2016 election. Presented by Artspeak at the Wheeler Centre on 8 June, the debate gave Arts Minister Mitch Fifield, Shadow Arts Minister Mark Dreyfus, and Greens Arts Spokesperson Adam Bandt the opportunity to set their national vision and respond to industry questions. The debate was moderated by ABC and Sky’s Patricia Karvelas, and I moderated the post-debate discussion alongside guests Rachel Healy, Co Artistic Director of the Adelaide Festival, and Nicholas Pickard, Director of Communications at the Copyright Agency. An event of significant national interest, it was rebroadcast by ABC Books & Arts on Monday 13 June, and was live streamed as well as live broadcast on the Federation Square Big Screen.

Here’s my twitter feed of the event as a Storify (scroll down for the full video), and here are my images from the debate:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Hit play to watch the entire event:

HEADER IMAGE: Wurundjeri Elder Georgina Nicholson offers a welcome to country before Mitch Fifield, Adam Bandt, Mark Dreyfus, Patricia Karvelas, and a massive live and online audience.