Federal Government releases new path for equity in the arts

November 15, 2024

The Australian Government has released its Equity: the Arts and Disability Associated Plan, an initiative to support the arts, cultural, screen and digital games sectors to achieve greater equity for artists, arts workers and audiences with disability.

Released yesterday evening at the 2024 Creative Australia Awards in Sydney, the four-year plan features actions and investments to build the foundations for equity in the arts and will see an investment of $8.1 million into initiatives that address barriers to equity and support the sector to build its capability to provide safer, more accessible and more inclusive workplaces and businesses.

The investments include:

$2.25 million for an Arts and Screen Employment Pathways Pilot Program
$2 million to extend and expand the reach of the current Creative Australia Arts and Disability Initiatives
$1.2 million for accessibility activities at live music venues and music festivals through the 2024-25 Revive Live program
$1 million for arts and disability services
$600,000 to continue funding the annual National Arts and Disability Awards and Arts and Disability Fellowship
$600,000 for a National Arts and Disability Forum and Gathering
$250,000 for a National Arts and Disability Code of Practice or appropriate guidelines
$200,000 for First Nations arts and disability needs and projects, to be delivered by Creative Australia’s First Nations Board.

Developed in close consultation with artists and art workers with disability, The Plan is an Associated Plan under Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031 and is an initiative under the National Cultural Policy, Revive.

Building on Revive’s five pillars, the plan’s three key priorities are to:
Recognise artists and arts workers with disability as central to Australia’s vibrant arts and cultural sector
Build strong and inclusive governments and organisations
Engage the audience with fair, open and equitable access to arts and culture

Launching the plan and advising that the nation’s arts, cultural, screen and digital sectors should reflect the communities they serve, Federal Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke stated “governments have talked about disability access as a way of just trying to make sure that everybody can get into the audience.

“This policy is wanting to make sure that people with disability have equal access to the stage, the studio and the screen.”

Click here for more details on Equity: the Arts and Disability Associated Plan.

Main image credit: Shutterstock.

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25th April 2024 - OzAsia Festival secures Creative Australia inaugural Asia Pacific Arts Award

24th April 2024 - Creative Australia announces recipients of its inaugural 2024 Asia Pacific Arts Awards

10th April 2024 - Creative Australia report outlines role of music festival sector and the challenges it faces

6th February 2024 - Creative Australia shares outcomes of its $17 million boost for Contemporary Music and First Nations

29th January 2024 - Creative Australia announces reappointment of Chief Executive Adrian Collette

15th November 2023 - Creative Australia survey reveals wellbeing benefits of arts and culture

17th June 2023 - Live Performance Australia welcomes passage of Creative Australia legislation

30th January 2023 - Live Performance Australia and Australian Live Music Business Council among stakeholders welcoming new National Cultural Policy

30th January 2023 - First Nations and new arts body the heart of Federal Government’s new cultural plan

3rd July 2022 - Disability-led performing arts company to share in South Australian government funding

14th May 2022 - City of Newcastle festival has a focus on disability inclusion

3rd December 2020 - 2020 National Arts and Disability Awards celebrates outstanding achievement

10th July 2019 - Leading disability arts advocate to speak at Arts Activated 2019 Conference

24th September 2018 - Australia Council backs arts and disability with significant new funding

8th November 2016 - Perth International Arts Festival to host national forum on arts and disability

14th March 2013 - Australia Council receives major funding boost under National Cultural Policy

5th May 2012 - National Cultural Policy squeezed from Federal budget

20th October 2008 - Arts and Disability Discussion Paper Released

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