In a climate where traditional government arts funding is increasingly volatile, artists and small arts organisations across Australia are forging new financial paths to stay afloat. The shift is not just about diversification; it’s a transformation in how art is produced, shared and sustained.
Despite policy ambitions to centre the artist, financial stress remains endemic. Creative Australia’s competitive grant rounds typically see success rates between 15 and 20%, and a 2023 survey found that nearly half of artists earn less than $10,000 annually from their creative work. Visual artists and craft practitioners face a 47% gender pay gap. While the Revive national cultural policy aims to address structural precarity, the reality for most artists remains one of multiple income streams, often with limited security.
