The screen sector was barely found in the screen sector last night as the government provided a modest pre-election pitch to voters, focusing on cost-of-living bailouts.
Last year’s announcement included an increase in funding for Australia’s Children’s Television Foundation and the National Film and Sound Archives, as well as the removal of the “online” cost cap for producer offsets, but the arts-specific funding in the fourth budget of Treasurer Jim Chalmers was limited to $8.6 million, adding a revived live art support program.
Announcing as part of key support for live music and festival measurements in the 2024-25 budget, the program will provide grants to festival-based activities and live music venues, adapting to market pressures and improving the sustainability of the business as the sector continues to face challenges across the country.
Additionally, the core funding of Creative Australia, the leading arts investment and advisory body managed by the Australian Council, has increased from $318 million from $306.6 million in 2024-25. According to Theater Network Australia (TNA), the increase is due to existing Revive initiatives that will begin or expand between 2025 and 26, such as Australian Writing and the Creative Futures Fund.
TNA welcomed $8.6 million in its response, but it believed that the lack of additional funding for other important initiatives “includes missed opportunities to address the ongoing challenges facing the sector, labor shortages, economic instability for arts workers, and the need for more accessible arts experiences for communities across the country.”
“TNA is disappointed that the 2025-26 federal budget does not include substantial investment in the arts, particularly in response to the important issues the sector is dealing with,” the organization said in a statement.
“TNA continues to emphasize the need for independent artists, small and medium-sized arts organizations, and measures to support access to arts and culture. Specifically, it calls for much-needed investments to create fair wages and sustainable careers, strengthen local tours and development, and improve access to the arts for children and young people.”
TNA also said it could provide indirect benefits to low-income, freelance and nonprofit workers, particularly low-income, freelance and nonprofit workers, including a $17 billion plan that is not arts-specific, such as a $17 billion plan to reduce income taxes.
