FUNDING BY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT

Australian Government

In 2009-10, the Australian Government provided $1,764.0m (72%) in funding to arts activities and $693.0m (28%) to heritage activities. In previous years the Australian Government allocated a similar level of cultural funding to arts activities. In 2008-09, arts activities received 69% of total Australian Government cultural funding ($1,643.5m) and in 2007-08, $1,639.3 (72%).

Radio and television services received the majority of Australian Government arts funding at $1,295.0m (73% of arts funding) while Other museums and cultural heritage received the majority of heritage funding at $295.7m (43%).

State and territory government

State and territory governments allocated $3,003.3m to funding heritage and arts in 2009-10. The majority of this funding ($2,314.4m or 77%) was allocated to heritage. This was also the case in previous years where $2,261.4m (76%) was allocated to heritage in 2008-09 and $2,173.1m (78%) was allocated to heritage in 2007-08. In 2009-10, arts activities received $689.0m or 23% of the total cultural funding by the state and territory governments.

Of the states and territories, the Northern Territory Government allocated the greatest proportion of cultural funding to Heritage (91%) followed by the Tasmanian Government (88%) and the New South Wales Government (85%). Conversely, the South Australian Government allocated the greatest proportion to arts activities (33%) followed by the Victorian Government (31%) and the Australian Capital Territory Government (29%).

Across all categories, the largest recipient of state and territory government funding was Environmental heritage receiving $1,345.7m or 45% of the total state and territory cultural funding. On a state and territory basis, Western Australia (75%) allocated the highest proportion of total heritage funding to Environmental heritage followed by the Australian Capital Territory (64%) and the Northern Territory (61%). Other major recipients of total state and territory cultural funding included Other museums and cultural heritage ($371.8m), Libraries ($347.6m), Performing arts venues ($214.1m) and Art museums ($187.1m).

Local government

In 2009-10, local government funding for cultural activities was $1,197.7m, which was 18% of total cultural funding provided by all levels of government. The proportion of total government cultural funding has remained steady with local government funding for cultural activities in 2008-09 being 18% ($1,148.6m) and in 2007-08 being 17% ($1,038.7m) of total government cultural funding.

The majority of local government cultural funding (63%) was allocated to Libraries in 2009-10 ($759.3m). This was also the case in 2008-09 ($730.3m or 64%) and in 2007-08 ($645.9m or 62%). Most public libraries are funded at the local government level, except in Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory where libraries are mainly or solely funded by the state and territory governments. Of the states where libraries are mainly funded at the local government level, South Australia had the highest proportion of local government funding for libraries in 2009-10 (79%), followed by Western Australia (71%).