The Victorian creative industries sector is reeling from the impacts of more than $2 million of cuts announced by the Australia Council announced today.
The Australia Council today released its four year funding arrangements for small to medium arts organisations and cut funding to 20 of Victoria’s most successful and innovative cultural organisations.
Victorian organisations that have been cut by the Australia Council include the Next Wave Festival, Red Stitch Actors Theatre, Arena, AsiaLink, Australian Poetry and Wangaratta Festival of Jazz.
Victoria has confirmed its status as Australia’s creative leader and with our new plan Creative State will continue to support the creative industries create jobs, develop local talent and grow the state’s $23 billion creative and cultural economy which employs 220,000 Victorians.
The Victorian Budget 2016/17 provides $152 million to help continue to deliver a strong program of support to the creative and cultural sector.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley
“The release of the Australia Council four year funding sends many of our most innovative arts and cultural organisations in to crisis.”
“The Australia Council has done the best they can with the limited funding given to them due to Malcolm Turnbull’s cuts.”
“Malcolm Turnbull’s cuts are no different to Tony Abbott’s – he has delivered savage funding cuts that will undermine creative organisations, audiences and jobs.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020