Public relations (report) More info in the attachment - Essay Example

The role of the proposed PR department would be more than merely creating images, and more than “just learning the labels that identify the parts of the disciplines within arts”. The department can be set the vision of transforming a passive consumption of art into a more engaging activity for the general public. This need not only apply to esoteric and exclusivist art forms identified as such. Even quotidian encounters with popular cultural artefacts can be illuminated through knowledge of the history and aesthetics behind dominant art forms.

(Blewett, 2004) The Public Relations department will strive to replicate the successes met by similar institutions in the USA and Britain. A notable example is the formation of West End Community Council in 1965, which “sponsored a series of arts festivals as a way to bring whites and blacks together in a creative and social atmosphere. Likewise, in 1966 a group of young black artists, frustrated with their inability to crack into the local gallery scene, invited white and Asian American friends to help them start their own, calling it the Louisville Art Workshop.

” (K'Meyer, 2001) The envisioned PR department can be an instrument of social integration and progress in the Australian context, by conceiving, promoting and organizing similar arts campaigns in the state. The applicability of American examples emerge from Australia’s own history of Aboriginal disenfranchisement and other forms of racial prejudice. (K'Meyer, 2001) The effectiveness of the Arts Council in the UK is in significant measure related to the well-thought out, aptly targeted public relations campaigns that it executed.

(Sheehy, 2002) The proposed PR department will take the lead from the Arts Council and project cinema as a legitimate art form, as opposed to its current status as a means to entertainment. A sizeable portion of the PR department’s budget will be devoted to developing a strong patronage for cinema, especially of the art-house and independent streams, as it is here that critical engagement with public issues tend to occur. This way, it would align with the broader objectives of the State Government Department of Youth Arts.

The PR department will act as a liaison between the government and the youth in the state by also promoting contemporary/emerging art forms. In this era of rapid technological advancement, fields like Web Design have evolved their own unique craftsmanship and aesthetics. The Web Design is a key part of the IT industry and employs thousands of youth – “non-tech businesses will always have a need for talented graphic artists”. ("The Arts Communications, 2002) Thus, integrating this field into the youth arts ambit will fulfil a key goal of the Australian state and national governments, namely that of job creation.

For example, “companies are looking for creative people who understand a visual medium and are capable of keeping eyes glued to the screen with dazzling graphics and good design. Many companies are eager to hire qualified people with art, art history, and design backgrounds.” (The Arts Communications, 2002) The added advantage here is the consolidation of commercial opportunity with the growth of arts. The proposed PR department will play a vital role in communicating this message to all