4172.0 - Arts and Culture in Australia: A Statistical Overview, 2010  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 19/10/2010   
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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).








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