GOVERNMENT FUNDING
In 2008-09, government funding for cultural activities totalled $6,772.5m, with state and territory governments providing almost half (45% or $3,033.7m), the Australian Government contributing 38% ($2,584.5m) and local government making up the balance of 17% ($1,154.2m).
Recurrent expenditure accounted for 87% ($5,911.2m) of cultural funding by all levels of government in 2008-09, while funding for capital expenditure accounted for the remaining 13% ($861.3m).
Total funding for cultural activities by all levels of government in Australia increased by $491.4m (7.8%), from $6,281.1m in 2007-08 to $6,772.5m in 2008-09. This resulted in a 5.4% increase in the value of funding per-person, from $295.75 in 2007-08 to $311.77 in 2008-09.
Apart from direct funding, the Australian Government also provides assistance through tax concessions such as the Cultural Gifts Program, which offers tax deductions to encourage the donation of items of cultural significance to public art galleries, museums and libraries. According to the 2008-09 Annual Report of the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA), 652 donations were made to the program in that year with a total value of $82.9m.
4.1 CULTURAL FUNDING BY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT - 2008-09 |
|
| | | Value of
funding
| Percentage
of total
|
| | | $m | % |
|
Australian Government(a) | | |
| Heritage | | |
| | Art museums | 91.5 | 1.4 |
| | Other museums and cultural heritage | 266.0 | 3.9 |
| | Environmental heritage | 207.0 | 3.1 |
| | Libraries | 60.0 | 0.9 |
| | Archives | 105.4 | 1.6 |
| | Total heritage | 729.8 | 10.8 |
| Arts | | |
| | Literature and print media | 31.2 | 0.5 |
| | Music performance | 59.3 | 0.9 |
| | Drama | 28.3 | 0.4 |
| | Dance | 21.6 | 0.3 |
| | Music theatre and opera | 24.0 | 0.4 |
| | Other performing arts | 7.0 | 0.1 |
| | Performing arts venues | - | - |
| | Music composition and publishing | 0.7 | - |
| | Visual arts and crafts | 33.4 | 0.5 |
| | Design | 0.2 | - |
| | Radio and television services | 1 391.1 | 20.5 |
| | Film and video production and distribution | 115.5 | 1.7 |
| | Multimedia | 6.2 | 0.1 |
| | Other arts | 136.3 | 2.0 |
| | Total arts | 1 854.7 | 27.4 |
| Total Australian Government | 2 584.5 | 38.2 |
State and territory government | | |
| Heritage | | |
| | Art museums | 175.2 | 2.6 |
| | Other museums and cultural heritage | 338.3 | 5.0 |
| | Environmental heritage | 1 397.0 | 20.6 |
| | Libraries | 337.4 | 5.0 |
| | Archives | 65.9 | 1.0 |
| | Total heritage | 2 313.8 | 34.2 |
| Arts | | |
| | Literature and print media | 18.9 | 0.3 |
| | Music performance | 58.8 | 0.9 |
| | Drama | 30.1 | 0.4 |
| | Dance | 18.2 | 0.3 |
| | Music theatre and opera | 16.9 | 0.2 |
| | Other performing arts | 34.6 | 0.5 |
| | Performing arts venues | 241.2 | 3.6 |
| | Music composition and publishing | 0.5 | - |
| | Visual arts and crafts | 41.1 | 0.6 |
| | Design | 4.9 | 0.1 |
| | Radio and television services | 1.7 | - |
| | Film and video production and distribution | 122.7 | 1.8 |
| | Multimedia | 5.9 | 0.1 |
| | Other arts | 124.2 | 1.8 |
| | Total arts | 719.9 | 10.6 |
| Total state and territory government | 3 033.7 | 44.8 |
Local government | | |
| Art museums | 55.2 | 0.8 |
| Other museums and cultural heritage | 34.5 | 0.5 |
| Libraries | 727.5 | 10.7 |
| Performing arts | 87.6 | 1.3 |
| Cultural or arts services n.e.c. | 249.5 | 3.7 |
| Total local government | 1 154.2 | 17.0 |
Total | 6 772.5 | 100.0 |
|
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) |
(a) The Australian Government refers to the federal government. It does not refer to the aggregate of state and territory governments, nor does it include local government. |
Source: Cultural Funding by Government, Australia, 2008-09 (cat. no. 4183.0). |