This year’s Federal Budget should seize the opportunity to deliver high impact and structural initiatives to support the sustainability and growth of Australia’s live arts and entertainment industry at home and globally.
Live performance in Australia generated more than $3 billion in ticket revenue in 2024 with 31.4 million ticketed attendances across contemporary music, theatre, ballet and dance, opera, classical music, children’s and family entertainment and arts and music festivals.
Eric Lassen, CEO of Live Performance Australia said: ‘Our industry underpins Australia’s creative and cultural vibrancy and delivers strong economic and social outcomes in our cities, suburbs and regional and rural communities.
‘In recent years, the industry has been dealing with significantly higher costs for production and touring, critical skills shortages, and changes in consumer behaviour and preferences.
‘LPA’s budget proposals are an opportunity to strengthen existing foundations and build new pillars of support to enable the industry to fully realise its potential as a key driver of our economic, social and cultural well-being,’ Mr Lassen said.
Live Performance Audience (LPA) is proposing a number of budget measures that grow investment and audience engagement to support the live arts and entertainment industry’s sustainability and growth, as well as deliver on the ambition set out in the Albanese Government’s national cultural policy Revive.
Key proposals include:
- The introduction of a Live Performance Production Incentive for commercial and not-for-profit producers to attract investment and incentivise new productions;
- Build financial sustainability, including through a fund to rebuild reserves and accelerate new business models and financial stability;
- Extend Public Benevolent Institutions (PBI) status to a broader range of arts and cultural institutions;
- Implement nation-wide skills and training initiatives to address skills shortages;
- Incentivise private donations to arts and cultural organisations through an increased rate of tax deductibility;
- Engage the next generation of audiences through a cultural pass program and investment in access to arts programs for schools;
- Boost investment in regional and international touring programs to take Australian creative talent to more audiences at home and overseas;
- Upgrade performing arts infrastructure to meet evolving needs of audiences and hirers;
- Support presenters and producers to showcase more works relevant to their local communities.
A summary of LPA’s budget proposals is available here.
