By Richard Letts (MCA)
Last revised: 14 March 2007
- Overview
- Commonwealth Government support to music
- State government support to music
- Local government support to music
- International organisation
- State government support to music
Australia has three levels of government and all offer support to music in some measure.
There is some division of responsibilities. The national government takes greater responsibility for large music organisations such as Opera Australia, the national opera, and the concert orchestras. There have been agreements in the past that it would take primary responsibility for funding composers, on the grounds that this particular talent should be supported regardless of its place of residence, since that can be fortuitous, and that the compositions themselves can be performed anywhere without transporting artists.
The Commonwealth has also taken responsibility for a national performing arts touring program and supports international touring.
The state governments gradually have broadened the scope to give support in some areas they previously were happy to leave to the Commonwealth, such as international touring. On the other hand, they support activity at the community level more than does the national government.
Local government has taken much of the responsibility for the provision of physical facilities. Many local governments employ arts or events officers who encourage and assist local arts activities.
The Australia Council is the main national arts funding and policy organisation. It operates at arm’s length from government – i.e. government may impose policy directions but it may not instruct the Council on individual funding decisions – and most of its funding decisions are made by decisions of artistic peers.
The Council structure is mainly according to art forms, and the Music Board is responsible for most of the policy and funding decisions for music. Music activity may also be supported by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board. There are sections within the Council for Community Arts Development and for Multicultural Arts which may impact upon music funding.
As with all government funding entities, there are firm procedures to follow in applying for funding assistance. These can be found on the website.
Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA)
This is the government department answerable to the Federal Minister. Note that under the present government, there is a senior minister for communications, IT and the arts, and a junior minister with direct responsibility for the arts and sport.
DCITA obviously is not at arm’s length from the government.
It administers a number of relevant programs.
Established to train music students of exceptional talent.
The national youth orchestra. The AYO also organises the National Music Camp each January.
The Contemporary Music Touring Program has been allocated $1 million over the four years 2007-2010. It supports touring opportunities for Australian musicians to increase audience access to live Australian contemporary music, particularly in regional and remote Australia. It includes special assistance for tours to remote communities, through its Touring Remote Areas (TRAX) guidelines. Funding applications are invited; please see the website.
Festivals Australia is an Australian Government cultural funding program which provides assistance to Australian regional and community festivals for the presentation of quality cultural projects. Funding is available to add a new or special sort of cultural activity that has never been done before and could not otherwise be afforded. Funding applications are invited; please see the website.
Playing Australia, the National Performing Arts Touring Program, was established in 1992. The program provides Australian Government funding to companies, producers, venues, presenters and tour organisers to tour performing arts across state and territory boundaries where this is currently not commercially viable and there is demonstrated public demand. Funding applications are invited; please see the website.
The Commonwealth Government’s Regional Arts Fund supports the arts in regional and remote areas. While the Department is responsible for the Program, it is delivered in partnership with State and Territory regional arts organisations representing hundreds of local regional arts councils covering the length and breadth of Australia.
Regional Arts Australia, the peak national organisation for regional arts and cultural development in Australia, has been funded for the Regional Arts Biennial Conferences in 2002 and 2004 and national strategic projects. The Australia Council has also been funded under the Program for national strategic projects. Funding applications are invited; please see the website.
It also provides direct funding support to the Australian National Academy of Music, established to train music students of exceptional talent, and the Australian Youth Orchestra, the national youth orchestra which also organises the National Music Camp each January.
All state government arts funding bodies are ministries, under the direct control of the Minister. All invite applications for funding support. Grant recommendations (not decisions) are made by advisory bodies of artists. For the most part, ministers accept the recommendations but occasionally there are instances where they have not, and sometimes those refusals are seen as motivated by politics rather than artistic assessment.
Details of state government support programs can be discovered on the respective websites (click below). Each has its own structure and policies.
- Arts ACT
- Arts QLD
- Arts SA
- Arts TAS
- Arts VIC
- Arts WA
- NSW Ministry for the Arts
- NT Department of Arts and Museums
There are 673 local government councils across Australia. Access to addresses and information is available through the Australian Local Government Association. ALGA is the national voice of local government
The International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA) is “the first global network of national arts funding bodies. Inaugurated in December 2000, our mission is to create an international resource and meeting ground for all those whose public responsibility it is to support excellence and diversity in artistic endeavour.”
Monday, 3 November 2008 at 10:20 |
I are trying to start drug and alcohol free rock and roll party,s in our local area yet the council d.a and costs of setup will amount to about $5000 I want to obtain funding from the government in order to supply the people of our shire and others with an environment where they can experience the tallents of world class local musicians in an environment where people are not under the influence of alcohol and drugs .alot of people in our area are drug and alcohol free and want to party but not in a pub or at a drug party .I,m a local musician/busker I have $10m public liability insurance and want to create a drug n alcohol free environment for the people of this shire and the muso,s that are sick of the messy pub ,drug scene .If you could please forward me with a contact to whatever government department that deals with special grants when it comes to the arts and music that would be adequate thankyou for taking your time to read and assess this document
sincerely Mr Jock Burns
0412469109