Creative Australia launches with expectations to rebuild and expand Australia's live arts and entertainment industry

Creative Australia has officially launched today with expectations that the revitalised investment and advisory body for Australia’s arts and entertainment sectors will deliver new opportunities through stronger connections between private and public investment in arts and culture.

The launch of Creative Australia brings together Australia Council for the Arts and Creative Partnerships Australia under one government agency – a move long advocated by Live Performance Australia to enable the building of closer relationships and engagement across the breadth of organisations, companies and businesses of all scales and sizes that make up Australia’s live arts and entertainment industry.

The launch event was held at the Sydney Theatre Company’s Wharf 1 theatre today (24th August).

Minister for the Arts, Employment and Workplace Relations, Tony Burke noted “Under [the National Cultural Policy] Revive, the Government is delivering a new chapter for Australian arts and culture, backed by record funding. Creative Australia will bring the drive, direction and vision that Australian artists have been calling out for.”

LPA Chief Executive, Evelyn Richardson, said Creative Australia would help bring a greater focus to strategic policy and investment to support our cultural and creative sectors.

Richardson shared “We congratulate Minister Tony Burke and the Government on the implementation of one of the key directions set out in the national cultural policy Revive which was launched at the start of the year.

‘We look forward to working with the new Board of Creative Australia and its team in supporting the rebuild and growth of our live arts and entertainment industry following the devastation of COVID.

“Pleasingly, Creative Australia comes to life with the restoration of funding that was lost under the previous government’s budget cuts in 2014, as well as new initiatives such as Music Australia and Creative Workplaces.

“‘To fully realise its ambition and promise, it will be important that current and future governments are committed to greater investment in our cultural and creative industries through Creative Australia.”

The Government revealed its appointees to the board that will lead Creative Australia under the Creative Australia Act 2023 that has now come into effect, replacing the Australia Council Act 2013.

Minister Burke added “these appointees reflect the richness, diversity and strength of the arts in Australia. All of these appointees have already made significant contributions in their respective fields – and I know they’ll ensure the success of Creative Australia.”

The 14 Creative Australia Board Members are:

• Robert Morgan (Chair) – Chair of the Australia Council Board since July 2021 and Chair and Chief Executive of the Clemenger Group Limited

• Professor Wesley Enoch AM (Deputy Chair) – Indigenous Chair of Creative Industries, Queensland University of Technology and internationally acclaimed playwright and director

• Adrian Collette AM – Chief Executive of Creative Australia

• Caroline Bowditch – Chief Executive of Arts Access Victoria, choreographer and performance artist

• Alexandra Dimos – Managing Director of the Nunn Dimos Foundation and Director of Philanthropy Australia

• Stephen Found – Managing Director and owner of Foundation Theatres, operating the Capitol Theatre and Sydney Lyric Theatre

• Rosheen Garnon – Chair of the Board of Taxation and Director of the Smith Family and Women Corporate Directors Australia

• Amanda Jackes – Managing Director and co-founder of Woodfordia Inc and Festival Director of the Woodford Folk Festival

• Dr Lindy Lee – Australian contemporary visual artist and Director of Lindy Lee Artistic Productions Pty Ltd

• Christine Simpson Stokes AM – Executive Director of Australian Capital Equity and Trustee of Western Australia’s children’s charity Telethon

• Courtney Stewart – Artistic Director and Chief Executive of La Boite Theatre, dramaturg, actor and teaching artist

• Kitty Taylor – Executive Co-Director of RANT Arts and visual artist

• Philip Watkins – Chief Executive of Desart Inc and Director and Deputy Chair of Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation, and

• Caroline Wood AM – Chief Executive and co-Founder of the Centre for Stories, and publisher.