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A national crisis: advocates call for inquiry into arts education and training

Advocates for arts education are saying Australia is in a moment of true crisis, as creative arts courses face mounting pressures nationwide.

29 Apr 2025 10:39

David Burton

Despite research showing the vital need for arts education, more than a dozen creative arts courses have been discontinued in seven years. Image: Samantha Weisburg on Unsplash.

All Arts

Despite research showing the vital need for arts education, more than a dozen creative arts courses have been discontinued over the last seven years. Image: Samantha Weisburg, Unsplash.

Fallout from the cuts by QUT to its performing arts courses continues. The cuts represent an escalation to ‘code red’ for the National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE), which is calling for a national, bipartisan inquiry into arts education and training.

Many courses have been discontinued since 2018. These include: Charles Sturt University’s Bachelor of Theatre Media; Griffith University’s Bachelor of Popular Music and Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary and Applied Theatre; Monash University’s Bachelor majors in theatre and performance, Bachelor Music’s stream of ethnomusicology and musicology, and Centre for Theatre and Performance; Queensland University of Technology’s Bachelors of Music, Dance Performance and Technical Production; University of Southern Queensland’s television and radio degrees; Southern Cross University’s Bachelor Contemporary Music; and University of Newcastle’s Bachelor Creative and Performing Arts (Drama).

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David Burton

David Burton is a writer from Meanjin, Brisbane. David also works as a playwright, director and author. He is the playwright of over 30 professionally produced plays. He holds a Doctorate in the Creative Industries.