Diversity Arts Australia

What Diversity Arts Australia does

Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS) is a private non-profit organisation founded in 2001 and headquartered at the Arts and Cultural Exchange (ACE) hub in Parramatta, NSW, with a remote Melbourne-based team. It describes itself as Australia's key national organisation working to increase cultural diversity and racial equity across the arts, screen, and creative industries, and was previously known as Kultour. DARTS serves three principal constituencies: arts and creative sector organisations seeking equity frameworks; Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD), Culturally and Racially Marginalised (CaRM), migrant, refugee, and asylum seeker creative workers; and First Nations artists and cultural workers, all under an explicit Acknowledgement of Country and First Nations-led framing.

The organisation's product surface centres on training, resources, events, research, and advocacy. Core offerings include Creative Equity Training (a self-paced online learning program built on the nationally recognised Creative Equity Toolkit), the Anti-Racism & The Arts campaign and resource hub (antiracism.art), the Fair Play equity and inclusion program (which scaled from 20 Victorian organisations to 75 nationally and delivered 356 sessions supporting 2,000+ participants), The Luminas national honours program (co-presented with Media Diversity Australia, launched April 2026 at Sydney Opera House), and The Colour Cycle Podcast. Delivery is multi-channel: in-person masterclasses with TAFE NSW, online roundtables, regional On The Road events, the Parramatta physical hub, and partner-distributed programming through universities, SBS, NITV, and major venues.

Revenue is grant-dependent with no disclosed financials. Core and project funding flows from Creative Australia (the principal arts funding and advisory body), Create NSW, Creative Victoria, NSW Government (Strengthening Social Cohesion Community Grants), the federal Office for the Arts, UNESCO, and the Screenrights Cultural Fund, supplemented by individual donations and modest publication sales ($30 per Fair Play Reflections Report hard copy). Most programs are free to participants. The organisation maintains an active volunteer program across research, content, events, and pro-bono legal functions, and operates with a lean team of 1-10 staff spanning executive, digital, events, production, research, and administrative roles.

Name

Diversity Arts Australia

Legal name

Diversity Arts Australia

Website

https://diversityarts.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Diversity Arts Australia is a national non-profit organisation, founded in 2001 and headquartered in Parramatta, that delivers equity training, advocacy, research, events, and recognition programs to arts organisations, CaLD/CaRM creative workers, and First Nations artists across Australia, primarily funded through government arts grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Equity and Cultural Diversity Advocacy

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Arts equity training
• Cultural diversity advocacy
• Anti-racism resources
• Creative sector research
• Community arts development

Headquarters

HQ city

Parramatta

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Core funding from Creative Australia (principal arts funding and advisory body) and Create NSW. Additional project funding from Creative Victoria, NSW Government Strengthening Social Cohesion Community Grants, and Office for the Arts.
2. Project-Based Grants: Time-limited grants for specific initiatives such as the Anti-Racism & The Arts campaign (NSW Government), Fair Play program (Creative Victoria, Create NSW), and various program partnerships.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organisations supporting cultural diversity in the arts. Donation page available for public contributions.
4. Publication Sales: Sale of hard copies of reports such as the Fair Play Reflections Report at $30 per copy to cover production and postage costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS) is a national non-profit that delivers equity training, mentoring, research, resources, advocacy, events, and recognition programs to increase cultural diversity and racial equity across Australia's arts, screen, and creative industries. Its deliverables include the Creative Equity Training online program, the Anti-Racism & The Arts campaign and resource hub, the Fair Play equity initiative, The Luminas national honours program, and The Colour Cycle Podcast, all targeted at arts organisations, creative workers, and government partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Anti-Racism & The Arts: A project and campaign empowering the creative sector to tackle racism and drive systemic change, combining creativity, capacity-building, and education.
• Fair Play: Equity, Inclusion and the Creative Industries
• Creative Cultural Diversity Network (CCDN)
• The Luminas
• The Colour Cycle Podcast

Products and services

• Creative Equity Training A flexible, self-paced online learning program designed for people working across the arts, screen and creative industries to embed racial equity into everyday organisational decision-making. Built by Diversity Arts Australia and led by artists and practitioners with lived experience.
• Anti-Racism & The Arts Campaign A project and campaign empowering the creative sector to tackle racism and drive systemic change, combining creativity, capacity-building, and education across masterclasses, a knowledge hub, a Racial Literacy Quiz, and a tracking survey.
• Fair Play: Equity, Inclusion and the Creative Industries A landmark initiative focused on equity and inclusion in the creative industries, providing equity training and mentoring sessions to Australian arts and creative organisations and culminating in the Fair Play Reflections Report.
• Anti-Racism in the Arts Resource Hub An interactive knowledge hub hosted at antiracism.art providing tools, materials, and resources to support anti-racism work across Australia's creative sectors.
• Racial Literacy Quiz An interactive reflective tool for individuals and organisations to assess their understanding of racial equity issues and identify learning needs.
• The Luminas National Honours Program A national honours program celebrating First Nations and culturally diverse leaders in arts, screen, and media sectors through Storyteller, Leadership, and Hall of Fame award categories, presented jointly with Media Diversity Australia.
• The Colour Cycle Podcast A podcast produced by Diversity Arts Australia covering arts diversity topics, artist profiles, and sector conversations; available in podcast feed and archive on the organisation's website.
• Creative Cultural Diversity Network (CCDN) A national initiative bringing together creative workers and organisations in pursuit of racial and cultural equity through peer support, networking, online roundtables, virtual gatherings, and in-person regional events.
• Fair Play Reflections Report A landmark publication capturing seven years of learning, practice and impact from the Fair Play equity initiative; available as a hard copy at $30 per copy to cover production and postage costs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75 organisations reached nationally through Fair Play program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major and minor.

• Media Diversity AustraliaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026Joint presenting partner for The Luminas - a new national honours program celebrating First Nations and culturally diverse leaders in arts, screen, and media.
• TAFE NSWmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver Anti-Racism & The Arts Masterclass Program, training 15 participants on anti-racism advocacy in the arts.
• Koorie Heritage TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReference group member for Fair Play Reflections Report. Partner in equity and inclusion initiatives.
• Arts Access VictoriamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReference group member and partner in Fair Play program, contributing to equity frameworks and practices.
• Wheeler CentremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for Fair Play program, supporting public programming and knowledge sharing.
• Regional Arts VictoriamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReference group member and partner in advancing regional arts equity and cultural diversity.
• Sydney Opera HousemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor venue partner for Anti-Racism & The Arts launch and The Luminas inaugural ceremony. Hosts major events and provides programming support.
• NITV (National Indigenous Television)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for The Luminas honours program, contributing to recognition of Indigenous and culturally diverse media professionals.
• SBS (Special Broadcasting Service)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for The Luminas honours program and Anti-Racism & The Arts masterclasses. Co-presenting Leadership Honour category.
• Victorian Music Development OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting music sector diversity and equity initiatives in Victoria.
• GaruwaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAboriginal-led organisation partner in Fair Play program advancing cultural safety and equity.
• Shifting GroundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation in Fair Play program supporting ground-breaking equity initiatives.
• JumbunnaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research partnership supporting truth-telling and Indigenous research.
• Arts and Cultural ExchangemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-location partner housing Diversity Arts Australia's Parramatta office. Venue for masterclasses and events at 8 Victoria Rd, Parramatta.
• Hachette AustraliamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of The Luminas Hall of Fame category. Publisher supporting recognition of diverse authors and storytellers.
• WELD StoriesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative collaborator for The Luminas program, contributing to storytelling and presentation of honourees.
• Design AwardsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor component of The Luminas program recognising design excellence in creative industries.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Regional Arts Australia: Peak body for regional arts practice in Australia; Fair Play reference-group partner with overlapping equity, cultural diversity and sector-capacity-building remit, especially for geographically underrepresented creatives.
• Arts Access Victoria: Victorian arts-equity organisation focused on access, equity and inclusion in creative industries. Active Fair Play reference-group member and longstanding partner with overlapping equity-training, advocacy and community-development programs.
• Media Diversity Australia: National organisation advocating for cultural diversity in Australian media. Co-presenting partner with Diversity Arts Australia on The Luminas, sharing the same advocacy-and-recognition remit in the parallel media sector.
• First Nations Arts Network (BlakDance / Auspicious Arts): Indigenous-led arts organisations advancing First Nations representation and equity in Australian arts, screen and cultural sectors — adjacent mission to DARTS and overlapping partner ecosystem (e.g., Koorie Heritage Trust).
• Multicultural Arts Victoria: State-based arts organisation promoting cultural diversity through festivals, performances and sector-development programs in Victoria; operates the same CaLD-arts advocacy and cultural-equity mandate at sub-national scale.
• Wheeler Centre: Melbourne-based literary and ideas organisation that partnered with DARTS on Fair Play public programming; comparable in operating in the arts-and-culture sector with national event, podcast and publishing output.

Broad incumbents

• Australia Council for the Arts (Creative Australia): Principal federal arts funding and advisory body — DARTS's largest core funder and policy counterpart. Comparable only at the macro 'national arts-administration' level rather than as a direct competitor.
• Diversity Council Australia: Peak body for workplace diversity and inclusion across all Australian industries; broader remit than DARTS but overlapping training, research, advisory and advocacy products in the equity space.

Regional players

• Welcome to Australia: Australian advocacy organisation promoting diversity, inclusion and racial equity through community programs and policy — adjacent migrant/anti-racism mandate with shared ecosystem of funders and partners.

Others

• IETM (International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts): International network supporting equity, diversity and inclusion in the performing arts; relevant comparator for DARTS's international policy and inclusion-benchmarking work, though operating at cross-border rather than national scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DiversityArtsAustralia
• Xtwitter.com/diversityarts
• Instagraminstagram.com/diversityarts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/diversityarts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diversity-arts-australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Diversity Arts Australia