Arts Minister Simon Crean today announced funding of $47.1 million to support Indigenous arts, culture and languages projects across Australia in 2011-12, including $26.4 to support the actual projects and $20.7 million for jobs.

The funded programs are the:

• Indigenous Culture Support program which helps to maintain Indigenous culture through community involvement, transmission of knowledge and skills across generations and develop and support new forms of cultural expression;

• Maintenance of Indigenous Languages and Records program which addresses the erosion and loss of Australia’s Indigenous languages by providing funding for the maintenance and revival of these languages;

• National Arts and Crafts Industry Support program which provides funding for Indigenous art centers and art support organizations;

• Indigenous Employment initiative, which provides funding to support real jobs in the arts and culture sector.

“It is vital we continue to support and promote Indigenous arts, culture and languages as they form one of the oldest continuous cultures in the world and are an integral part of a vibrant and diverse Australia. This funding will support real jobs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (…). These jobs give people economic independence, proper wages, benefits such as superannuation, professional development and a career pathway”, Mr Crean said.

More information here.