Ministry for The Arts

What Ministry for The Arts does

The Ministry for The Arts (legally the Office for the Arts) is an Australian Government agency operating within the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, headquartered in Canberra, ACT. It is the federal policy and grants administration body for Australia's arts, entertainment and cultural sector, delivering the landmark five-year National Cultural Policy "Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place" (released January 2023, $1.3 billion commitment) across five pillars: First Nations First, A Place for Every Story, Centrality of the Artist, Strong Cultural Infrastructure, and Engaging the Audience. It does not develop proprietary technology; its operational footprint consists of policy development, grant administration via the SmartyGrants portal, regulatory management, repatriation services, and stakeholder engagement.

The agency's product portfolio comprises grant programs (Cultural Gifts Program tax incentives, Indigenous Languages and Arts at $47M+ annually, Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support serving 85+ Indigenous-owned art centres, Australian Lending Rights Schemes at $28.7M, Regional Arts Fund, Festivals Australia, Visions of Australia, NCITO, Revive Live, Australian Government International Exhibitions Insurance), the Artbank leasing program, the Indigenous Repatriation Program, the Movable Cultural Heritage protection regime under the 1986 Act, the Resale Royalty Scheme for visual artists, the Cultural Data Online joint platform with state and territory agencies, and policy initiatives such as Equity: the Arts and Disability Associated Plan ($8.1M) and the Arts and Screen Employment Pathways Pilot Program ($2.2M). It oversees 12 National Collecting Institutions (National Gallery, Library, Museum, Portrait Gallery, Film and Sound Archive, Archives, Australian National Maritime Museum, Bundanon Trust, Museum of Australian Democracy, AFTRS, Screen Australia, Creative Australia), which collectively recorded 5.3 million visits and 41.8 million website sessions in 2021-22.

The agency's revenue model is government budget funding: 100% of resources flow from the Australian Government Budget through the parent department, with political oversight by the Minister for the Arts (currently The Hon Tony Burke MP) and administrative leadership by the departmental Secretary (Mr Jim Betts). Distribution occurs through arm's-length grant decisions made by Creative Australia (peer and industry assessment), direct competitive grant rounds via SmartyGrants, program partnerships with state/territory agencies, and tax incentive schemes. Customer segments served include First Nations communities (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, 25 Language Centres, 85+ art centres), d/Deaf and disabled artists and arts workers, regional and remote communities, the literature sector, the screen industry, and the broader Australian public engaging with national cultural institutions.

Name

Ministry for The Arts

Legal name

Office for the Arts

Website

https://arts.gov.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Office for the Arts is an Australian Government agency that administers the $1.3B five-year National Cultural Policy "Revive," delivers grant and tax incentive programs, and oversees 12 National Collecting Institutions serving artists, First Nations communities, disabled arts workers, and regional communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Arts Administration & Cultural Policy

NAICS

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building) (BPAGAHAL), Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI)

Keywords

• Arts policy administration
• Government grants funding
• Cultural heritage protection
• Indigenous arts programs
• National cultural institutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Canberra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Funding: The Office for the Arts is funded through the Australian Government Budget each year. It administers various grant programs and tax incentive schemes including the Cultural Gifts Program, Indigenous Languages and Arts program ($47 million in 2025-26), Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support program, and various other arts funding initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Office for the Arts is an Australian Government agency that develops national cultural policy, administers competitive grant programs, regulates movable cultural heritage, and coordinates 12 National Cultural Institutions. It delivers funding through programs including Indigenous Languages and Arts, Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support, Regional Arts Fund, Festivals Australia, Visions of Australia, the Cultural Gifts Program, Lending Rights schemes, and the Revive Live music program, while providing tax incentives and international cultural exchange support.

Product overview

Ministry for The Arts (Office for the Arts) is a government department that does not offer a commercial product but rather delivers a comprehensive portfolio of policy initiatives, grant programs, and cultural initiatives. The core framework is the National Cultural Policy, Revive: A place for every story, a story for every place, structured around 5 pillars. The main delivery vehicle is Creative Australia (formerly the Australia Council), the principal arts investment and advisory body. Programs include: grant programs for cultural gifts, Indigenous languages and arts, Indigenous visual arts, regional arts, lending rights, and festivals; employment pathways for disabled artists; repatriation of Indigenous heritage; cultural heritage protection; and data platforms like Cultural Data Online. Key initiatives include Artbank (art leasing), the Indigenous Repatriation Program, and the Arts and Screen Employment Pathways Pilot Program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Revive: A place for every story, a story for every place Australia's 5-year National Cultural Policy released in January 2023, providing a comprehensive framework to renew and revive Australia's arts, entertainment and cultural sector. Structured around 5 pillars: First Nations First, A Place for Every Story, Centrality of the Artist, Strong Cultural Infrastructure, and Engaging the Audience.
• Artbank A unique Australian Government support program that acquires the work of living, Australian contemporary artists and makes the collection available to the general public through a leasing program.
• Cultural Gifts Program Offers tax incentives to encourage people to donate cultural items to public art galleries, museums, libraries and archives in Australia. Administered by the Office for the Arts.
• Indigenous Repatriation Program Facilitates the voluntary and unconditional return of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestral remains held in overseas collections and supports the safe return of ancestors and objects held in Australian museums to their Traditional Custodians.
• Movable Cultural Heritage Protection Regulatory and protective measures for movable cultural heritage under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986, including export controls, import regulations, and return of illegally exported foreign cultural property.
• Indigenous Languages and Arts (ILA) Program Invests over $47 million annually to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to express, conserve and sustain their cultures through languages and arts activities. Includes annual operational funding to 25 Indigenous Language Centres.
• Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS) Program Supports operations of over 85 Indigenous-owned art centres, as well as art fairs, regional hubs and industry service organisations that support Australia's Indigenous visual art movement.
• Australian Lending Right Schemes (ELR/PLR) Compensates Australian book publishers and creators for loss of income through the free multiple use of their work in Australian public and educational lending libraries. Annual payments total $28.7 million.
• Regional Arts Fund Supports arts and cultural development in regional and remote communities to help overcome obstacles presented by distance and population size.
• Festivals Australia Provides funding for projects and activities that deliver high quality arts festival programs to regional and remote communities across Australia. Latest round provided $730,000+ across 25 regional festival projects.
• Visions of Australia Supports exhibitions of Australian cultural material to tour across Australia, providing funding to bring new exhibitions to regional communities. Latest round provided $1.4 million for new exhibitions in regional areas.
• National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach (NCITO) Program Brings Australian and overseas cultural material to all Australians through national tours and helps tour Australian works overseas. Provided $1 million through the NCITO program.
• Revive Live Provides funding to support live music and performing arts events across Australia, part of the National Cultural Policy Revive. Over $500,000 in Revive Live funding provided.
• Arts and Screen Employment Pathways Pilot Program A $2.2 million pilot program that matches early to mid-career d/Deaf and disabled artists and arts workers with arts, cultural, screen and digital games organisations for temporary paid job placements of up to 12 months.
• Resale Royalty Scheme Provides resale royalty rights for visual artists, ensuring they receive compensation when their works are resold through the art market.
• Australian Government International Exhibitions Insurance Program Provides funding to offset the cost of insurance for eligible international exhibitions touring to Australia.
• Australian International Co-Production Program Supports international co-productions of film and television between Australia and partner countries, administered in partnership with Screen Australia.
• Australian Screen Production Incentive Provides tax offsets and incentives to support Australian film, television, and digital games production, administered in partnership with Screen Australia.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5.3 million visits to National Collecting Institutions (2021-22)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Australian State and Territory GovernmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural Data Online is a joint initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments providing access to research relating to arts and culture in Australia. Partner agencies include artsACT, Create NSW, Arts NT, Arts Queensland, CreateSA, Arts Tasmania, Creative Victoria, and Department of Creative Industries WA.
• Expert Panel Members (5 panels, 15 individuals)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive Expert Panels appointed by the Minister for the Arts to help shape the next National Cultural Policy. Panels aligned with Revive's 5 pillars: First Nations First, A Place for Every Story, Centrality of the Artist, Strong Cultural Infrastructure, Engaging the Audience. Each panel comprises 3 members representing cross-section of cultural and creative sector.
• Policy Advisory Group Members (9 individuals)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Cultural Policy Advisory Group appointed to help shape overarching direction of Australia's new National Cultural Policy. Members represent broad cross-section of cultural and creative sector including Creative Directors, CEOs, and academics. Provide consolidated advice and strategic guidance to the Minister.
• Creative AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative Australia (formerly Australia Council) is the government's principal arts investment and advisory body and centrepiece of Revive National Cultural Policy. Makes arm's length grant decisions through peer and industry assessment. Funds wide range of arts activities including creation, touring, productions, exhibitions, publishing, recording.
• Screen AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian Government agency supporting Australian screen development, production and promotion. Partner in implementing National Cultural Policy screen initiatives including Australian International Co-Production Program, Australian Screen Production Incentive, and streaming service content requirements.
• AIATSIS (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIATSIS leads the Return of Cultural Heritage (RoCH) program to return Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage material held overseas to Australia. Australian Government announced ongoing funding for RoCH program in May 2024.
• National Collecting Institutions (12 agencies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortfolio of 12 national institutions: Australian National Maritime Museum, Bundanon Trust, Museum of Australian Democracy, National Film and Sound Archive, National Gallery of Australia, National Library of Australia, National Museum of Australia, National Portrait Gallery, Creative Australia, Australian Film Television and Radio School, Screen Australia. Working collaboratively to track trends in activities.
• Diversity Arts Australia (consortium lead)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium led by Diversity Arts Australia selected as service provider for $2.2 million Arts and Screen Employment Pathways Pilot Program. Consortium brings strong lived experience of disability and expertise in supporting d/Deaf and disabled artists and arts workers.
• Implementation Advisory Group (Disability)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory group includes people with disability in paid roles providing advice on issues affecting d/Deaf and disabled artists and arts workers. Members shape implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Equity: the Arts and Disability Associated Plan activities.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Expert Working Group on ICIPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpert working group established to help inform standalone legislation to protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions. Engaged community consultation sessions across Australia from March to June 2024.
• Cox Inall RidgewaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Nations consultants leading the review of the Indigenous Art Code. Conducted consultation and engagement concluding end of November 2024, hearing from more than 400 people through interviews, online survey, and written submissions.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. Australia party to UNESCO Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions since 2009. Also party to UNESCO Convention on Means of Prohibiting Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Cultural Property 1970.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Endowment for the Arts: US federal agency that awards grants to arts organisations and projects. Closest international peer given shared role as a national government arts funding and policy body with grant administration functions.
• Arts Council England: Arm's-length national arts funding body distributing government and National Lottery funds to artists and organisations in England. Directly comparable in mandate, grant-making model, and policy advisory role.
• Canada Council for the Arts: Canadian federal Crown corporation that supports arts and culture through grants, prizes, and services. Comparable as a national-level arts funding body with similar portfolio of programs for artists and cultural organisations.
• Creative New Zealand: New Zealand national arts development agency funded by government and Lottery Grants. Directly comparable in delivering arts funding, policy advice, and sector development for a national cultural sector.
• Creative Australia: Australian Government's principal arts investment and advisory body (formerly Australia Council), launched under Creative Australia Act 2023. Sits within the Office's portfolio and operates as the arm's-length grant-making peer executing the policy it sets.
• Creative Scotland: Scottish public body distributing Scottish Government and National Lottery funding for arts, screen, and creative industries. Comparable in mandate and structure as a national-level public arts funding body.
• Arts Council of Ireland: Irish Government agency for developing the arts, distributing exchequer funds. Comparable in role as national arts funding and development body with similar grant programs and policy advisory function.
• Department of Canadian Heritage: Canadian federal department responsible for cultural policy, heritage, and arts funding programs. Comparable as a government department with arts policy, grant administration, and cultural heritage protection responsibilities.
• National Arts Council of Singapore: Singapore government agency supporting the development of the arts through grants, partnerships, and resource provision. Comparable as a national-level arts funding and development agency with similar grant administration model.

Broad incumbents

• British Council: UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. Comparable as a broader government-linked cultural agency with international cultural engagement and policy remit beyond grant-making.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ministry for The Arts