The next National Cultural Policy must affirm arts and culture as core to Australian identity, economic prosperity and social wellbeing.
As the peak body for Australia’s live arts and entertainment industry, Live Performance Australia’s policy submission calls for policy action and funding that supports artistic and cultural production and participation, backed by a whole-of-government approach that is embedded across all portfolio areas and levels of government.
The introduction of a Live Performance Production Incentive has transformational potential and should be the centrepiece of a package of cultural tax initiatives prioritised for introduction under the next cultural policy.
The incentive would apply to production expenses for live performance for both commercial and not-for-profit organisations. It would help to attract more private investment and improve financial sustainability for producers.
LPA Chief Executive Officer, Eric Lassen said: ‘The production incentive is a proven model to drive investment and creative ambition. It is activity-driven, and modelling shows a 40 per cent offset or rebate on production costs would be revenue-positive for government.
‘We provide various incentives at the federal and state level for screen and digital games, but nothing comparable for live performance which is a key driver of economic activity and our cultural and creative vibrancy.
‘Live theatre generates over $4 billion turnover across the economy, over $2 billion in Gross Value Added and supports over 30,000 jobs. Every dollar spent by a theatre organisation has an economy-wide spillover effect of more than $4,” Mr Lassen said.
LPA has also proposed a National Arts Education Strategy to embed arts into the education curriculum from early childhood through to primary, secondary and tertiary education. The strategy should focus on engaging young people in the arts; developing critical and creative thinking skills; addressing declining enrolments in arts subjects at the secondary and tertiary levels; and encouraging young people to consider arts career pathways.
LPA has also called for a strategic uplift in funding for Creative Australia to extend the National Performing Arts Partnership Framework; increase investment in small to medium organisations; continue investment in contemporary music; and support priority areas for development, including children and young audiences and arts festivals.
‘As the name implied, Revive played a crucial role in helping to rebuild from the impact of the COVID pandemic and putting in place some of the foundational supports for the future.
‘The next cultural policy needs to build on those foundations with some bigger and bolder ideas that tackle the systemic challenges and take up the opportunity to more fully realise Australia’s cultural and creative potential,’ Mr Lassen said.
LPA’s full submission for the National Cultural Policy is available here.
