AustLit

Karl Quinn reports on an open letter to the ABC responding to the national broadcaster's decision to cut its arts department. The letter concluded: 'Without a strong in-house unit to create and to commission arts programming, the national broadcaster will fail its charter responsibilities. And it will fail us, by not reminding us that our national character is informed and shaped by the imagination and creativity of artists.'

Signatories to the letter include Jonathan Biggins, Peter Carey, Nick Cave, J M Coetzee, Adam Elliot, Helen Garner, John Hillcoat, Chloe Hooper, Michael Kantor, Lally Katz, Tom Keneally, Barrie Kosky, Nam Le, Michael Leunig, Shane Maloney, David Malouf, Ralph Myers, Peter Robb, Stephen Sewell, Anne Summers, David Williamson and Tim Winton.