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Tax incentives will boost Australian theatre investment, says LPA

A similar UK scheme has been described as a 'lifeline' for theatre productions post-COVID.

8 Mar 2024 14:16

Richard Watts

Performing Arts

LPA’s proposed Live Theatre Tax Offset would support the presentation of works like ‘Groundhog Day the Musical’, which is now playing at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre, Photo: Visit Victoria.

Live Performance Australia (LPA), the peak body for the live arts and entertainment industry, has called on the Albanese Government to introduce a scheme similar to the highly successful Theatre Tax Relief initiative in the UK in order to boost the Australia theatre industry.

In the UK, the tax initiative has been described as a ‘lifeline’ for UK theatre productions and films with a budget of less than GB£15 million (AU$29 million).

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Richard Watts

Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the 2019 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in early 2020. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association in 2021, and a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Photo: Fiona Hamilton. Follow Richard on Bluesky @richardthewatts.bsky.social and Instagram @richard.l.watts