MEMBERS of Canberra’s arts community are abuzz with news of the surprise departure from artsACT and Events ACT director Adam Stankevicius.

He became embroiled in controversy late last year when project funding to the arts sector was cut by an unprecedented 66 per cent in dollar terms, meaning that only 14 arts projects were funded in 2017 compared to over 60 in previous years.

His claim that the cuts were actually a rearrangement to direct more funding to the “Key Arts Organisations” led to angry protests from the community and, in response to a letter co-signed by over 160 of Canberra’s leading artists, the incoming ACT Arts Minister Gordon Ramsay announced that an additional $230,000 of funding would be distributed for 2017 Projects.

As artists and members of the recently-formed Canberra Arts Action Group speculate as to whether fall-out from the recent brouhaha may be part of his decision to move on, deputy director of artsACT, Sam Tyler, is holding the embattled fort and we await further news.