“It’s time for artists to come together in Canberra and lead the national conversations that inform policy that’s ambitious and fair,” says Esther Anatolitis, executive director of the National Association for the Visual Arts, which is organising the event.

“Together we will create a shared vision of ambitious policy for the arts sector, and the critical steps we need to achieve them.”

Coinciding with the Parliamentary sitting week, the event, “Future/Forward”, brings together visual arts practitioners and industry professionals to lead new conversations with a strong action agenda on best practice standards and the politics of policy change.

Featuring high-profile artists such as Abdul Abdullah, Fiona Foley, Patricia Piccinini, Peter White and media arts group, PVI Collective, “Future/Forward” will feature talks, hypotheticals, scenarios, games, case studies and the launch of NAVA’s next strategic plan and its plans to revise the code of practice.

The first day at the National Gallery of Australia will see new NGA chief, Nick Mitzevi and Foley discuss policy priorities for art in public spaces.

The second day at Parliament House, where Senator Mitch Fifield will welcome delegates, will look at the politics of policy change.

Piccininni, who will feature in a facilitated hypothetical on artist-run-initiatives, says: “This event is important in demonstrating the value in artists’ cultural power.”