Backing First Nations artists and Australian writers

The Australian Government has delivered on its commitment to support First Nations arts and the Australian literature sector with new legislation passed by Parliament today.

The Creative Australia Amendment (Implementation of Revive) Bill 2024 continues the Government’s reinvigoration of the arts by establishing First Nations Arts and Writing Australia.

These two new parts of Creative Australia will invest in and grow First Nations arts practice and Australia’s literature sector – delivering on commitments in Revive, Australia’s national cultural policy.

First Nations Arts and Writing Australia will sit alongside Creative Workplaces and Music Australia, both of which are already up and running and delivering support for Australian artists, arts workers and organisations.

Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said the creation of First Nations Arts recognises the crucial place of First Nations stories at the centre of Australia’s arts and culture. 

“Self-determination is important – it means supporting First Nations artists and organisations to tell their stories.

“First Nations Arts, together with its governing First Nations Board, will allow for autonomy over investment decisions and enhance opportunities for First Nations artists and arts workers.

“Writing Australia will provide greater investment and support to our writers, illustrators and publishers, who have been historically overlooked and underfunded. That changes now.”

First Nations Arts will receive up to $52 million for First Nations Arts over the next four years from 2024-25 to support and promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts practice, enhance sustainable career pathways for young First Nations people in the arts and increase opportunities to grow First Nations audiences. It will be overseen by the First Nations Board, which will allocate funds to support and invest in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and promote best practice in First Nations cultural protocols and principles.

Writing Australia will receive over $26 million for Writing Australia over three years from 2025-26 to strengthen the Australian literature sector and develop further markets and audiences, here and overseas. Through targeted investment and the development of national industry initiatives, it will increase opportunities for authors, illustrators and publishers to create new works, tell new stories and establish a poet laureate for Australia. It will be overseen by the Writing Australia Council.

First Nations Arts will commence later in 2024. Expressions of interest for the First Nations Board are now open and can be submitted at Expressions of Interest for Arts portfolio board appointments | Office for the Arts.

Writing Australia will commence on 1 July 2025.