In January 2023, the Government launched Australia’s first arts policy in a decade. Revive – the National Cultural Policy sets out a suite of discrete actions and measures to be achieved over 5 years. Two years on, and with an inquiry into the policy underway, this FlagPost outlines what has been achieved so far, what can be expected in 2025, and new issues that have arisen since Revive was published.

Current progress

The most substantial change arising from Revive has been the restructuring of the Australia Council for the Arts into a new body called Creative Australia (through passage of the Creative Australia Act 2023, and the Creative Australia Amendment (Implementation of Revive) Act 2024). The new Creative Australia has subsumed the functions of Creative Partnerships Australia and includes 4 new boards, 3 of which are now operational: Music Australia, Creative Workplaces, First Nations Arts and Writing Australia (to commence from July 2025).

Other noteworthy developments include:

• launch of the Sharing the National Collection initiative, to support the long-term loan of works in the National Gallery’s collection to galleries and cultural institutions throughout Australia
• extension of the Public and Educational Lending Right Schemes to include digital content
• expansion of the Resale Royalty Scheme to provide royalty payments to visual artists from the commercial sale of eligible works in certain international markets
• support for the development of digital games through the introduction of the Digital Games Tax Offset and funding support through Screen Australia
• introduction of 5-year funding terms for the ABC and SBS (previously 3-year)
• recognition of activities undertaken by artists looking for work for the purpose of mutual obligation requirements for income support payments
• a scoping study to understand current and emerging workforce challenges and skills needs across the cultural and creative sector
• launch of discrete action plans, including:
  • Voices of Country—Australia's Action Plan for the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022–2032
  • Equity: the Arts and Disability Associated Plan, under Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–31.
• increased funding to:
  • the Regional Arts Fund
  • the 8 national performing arts training organisations
  • infrastructure projects including an Aboriginal Cultural Centre in Perth and the Burnie Cultural Precinct in Tasmania.
• commencement of reviews into:
  • award coverage of the arts sector and minimum standards as part of the Review of Modern Awards
  • the effectiveness of Australia’s copyright enforcement regime
  • the Indigenous Art Code.

In the 2023–24 Budget (p. 182) the Government also provided pilot funding to support access to art and music therapy programs, satisfying an action from Revive. It is unclear how this funding was directed. Notably however, the level of access to these therapies through the National Disability Insurance Scheme is now in doubt, following announced changes to  the treatment of these therapies from February 2025. An independent review into the matter is now underway.

A full list of actions that have been achieved or are in progress is available on the Office for the Arts’ website.

Incomplete actions

A list of all intended actions under Revive is included at pages 97 to 106 of the policy. Noteworthy actions that remain incomplete include:

• implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full: progress on this is in doubt following the failed October 2023 Referendum on establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice
• establish the National Resting Place, dedicated to the care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestors returned from overseas, where there is insufficient information on their community of origin: following a site change, new designs for Ngurra are currently underway, however a construction timeline has not  been announced
• introduce stand-alone legislation to protect First Nations knowledge and cultural expressions: work is progressing, most recently with the creation of a working group
• introduce local content quotas for online streaming services: this is delayed indefinitely
• support 60 primary schools around Australia to teach local First Nations languages and cultural knowledge: this is in progress
• respond to the Productivity Commission’s report on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Visual Arts and Crafts: a response does not appear to have been published
• establish artist residencies to visit Australian World Heritage Sites: progress towards this is unclear
• amend the Archives Act 1983 to enhance the National Archives of Australia’s ability to manage government records and information that reflects the digital age, and the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 to simplify processes for the protection of movable cultural heritage: legislation is yet to be introduced for either measure.

What to expect in 2025

The work of Writing Australia is expected to commence on 1 July 2025. Recruitment for the council is currently underway. Relatedly, Australia’s inaugural poet laureate is scheduled to be appointed in 2025.

With the new First Nations Arts Board of Creative Australia having commenced in 2024, progress is also expected on the promised First Nations Creative Workforce Development Strategy.

New developments and further actions

Since the publication of Revive, the Government has committed to further arts policy actions contained in Equity: the Arts and Disability Associated Plan (see chapter ‘Advancing Revive’). Voices of Country also includes a list of recommendations (pp. 33–36), which are framed as ‘guidance’ to stakeholders working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities, including government, rather than discrete actions.

The current inquiries into the challenges and opportunities within the Australian live music industry and the National Cultural Policy itself may also lead to recommendations for further action. In its May 2024 interim report, the latter inquiry recommended that the Government provide further support to the festivals sector through both funding and insurance. In line with concerns around the viability of the live music and events industry, the Government provided $8.6 million towards the new Revive Live program in the 2024–25 Budget.

Revive has been well received by a sector that has struggled to attract attention and funding over the last ten years. Given this history, there is no doubt that the sector will continue to closely watch, and advocate for, the delivery of Revive into 2025 and beyond.