Senator the Hon. George Brandis S.C.

Minister for the Arts and Sport

8 May 2007

The Australian Government has committed additional funding of $19.5 million over four years for Australia’s small to medium performing arts companies, constituting an annual increase in overall funding of more than 60 per cent.

“Australia’s small-to-medium performing arts companies create much of our new artwork and activity, and the increased funding will ensure the ongoing sustainability of this burgeoning sector,” the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator George Brandis said today.

“This funding will further strengthen the sector and ensure that there is a variety of new and entertaining works and performances available for Australians to enjoy across the country for many years to come.”

A number of investigations in recent years showed that while small to medium organisations are managing their resources more effectively and increasing their income, their costs have also increased markedly.

The increased funding will underpin a significant increase in new work and community activities including skills development and training for artists and in community education and access programmes.

This additional funding for small-to-medium performing arts companies will be included as an indexed and ongoing increase of $4.8 million per annum to the base funding of the Australia Council, the Australian Government’s main arts funding body.

Media contact: Travis Bell 0448 950 248

Supporting Information

Funding increase for Australia’s small to medium performing arts companies 

Why is this important?

• Funding will secure the ongoing sustainability of the small to medium performing arts sector, restore the financial viability of those companies at risk, and return activity levels to those achieved in 2002, particularly in the creation of new works.

Who will benefit?

• Funding will be provided to approximately 60 small to medium performing arts companies.
• The organisations represent 30 different artistic genres, have a particular focus on youth participation and have annual audiences of 2.7 million. In many cases they are the only professional arts organisation in a regional community.

What funding is the Government committing to the initiative?

• The Government is providing additional ongoing funding of $4.8 million per annum indexed, commencing in 2007-08.

What have we done in the past?

• The Australian Government, through the Australia Council, provides triennial funding of $7.8 million per annum to 60 small to medium performing arts organisations, located in cities and regional communities in every State and Territory.
• In the 2004-05 Budget the Government provided additional funding of $5 million over five years for small to medium arts organisations.
• The Australia Council has commissioned a number of investigations in recent years which provide evidence that over 25 per cent of these organisations are ‘at risk’ with deficit operational budgets, and that the number of new Australian productions has fallen by almost 20 per cent between 2002 and 2005.

When will the initiative conclude?

• The initiative is ongoing.