2025-02-28
The Greens are today launching a comprehensive and fully-costed arts policy, which will see Australian artists and creatives properly supported, funded and valued.
The plan will inject billions of dollars into the arts, and includes a capital works fund, an artists in residence program, and investment in telling Australian stories.
The announcement comes after a difficult few weeks for the arts industry as a result of the Creative Australia and Venice Biennale saga, years of underfunding and broken promises, and festival and event cancellations from the covid, climate and cost-of-living crises
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is spokesperson for the Arts:
“The Greens are the party of the arts and our plan will deliver the support our creative sector needs to thrive in 2025 and beyond.
“The creative sector is in turmoil right now with too many creatives struggling to make ends meet, venues facing closure and festivals cancelled. The ongoing scandal at Creative Australia is a reminder that freedom of artistic expression must be defended with vigilance.
“The Greens plan will ensure more artists are paid, more venues stay open and more audiences enjoy world class work. Artists need funding for their work, freedom of artistic expression and protection from political interference.
“Our plan for artists in residence in schools and libraries is an investment in unlocking the power of creativity and innovation for the next generation. Giving every child the opportunity to learn directly from artists and experience firsthand the value of artistic expression and creative thinking.
“The arts and creative industry is worth $112 billion a year, demonstrating the economic value as well as cultural value of any investment in Australian artists and creatives.”
Key policy points:
- Pay artists properly
- Pilot a Living Wage for Artists program for up to 10,000 artists
- Legislate a $250 minimum performance fees for musicians and live performers at publicly funded events
- Value art in our society and protect artistic freedom
- Put an artist in residence in all of our public schools and public libraries
- Revitalise Creative Australia and bring in new leadership
- Strengthen Australian storytelling on screens by legislating local content quotas that require streaming services to invest 20% of their Australian subscriber revenue into locally made and owned content, and ensure they are regulated like Australian broadcasters.
- Sustainably fund the arts for the future
- Invest $2 billion in the sustainability and future of the arts over a decade, including support for festivals, live performance, youth arts and arts administration
- Expand and revitalise arts infrastructure with a $300 million Arts Capital Works Fund