Michael Parekowhai’s The World Turns greets visitors to the Queensland Art Gallery. Photo: Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland Government.
Queensland’s LNP Government is seeking to breathe new life into the state’s arts scene with the launch of two funding programs to support artists in the Sunshine State.
The Crisafulli Government’s Queensland’s Time to Shine: a 10-year strategy for arts and culture provides artists, organisations and community-led regional arts groups with valuable resources. The program follows the announcement of the $39.2 million Organisations Fund for 2026-2029.
The Regional Community Arts Program intends to remedy what the LNP Government has characterised as a decade of decline under Labor.
“The Crisafulli Government is delivering for Queenslanders by ensuring the arts are accessible for all Queenslanders,” Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek said.
“These programs are the first in a range of new opportunities that will deliver on our newly launched comprehensive 10-year arts and culture strategy, Queensland’s Time to Shine.
The plan recognises the important role that arts organisations play in the community to foster engagement in the sector, while also understanding their reliance on volunteers.
Under the program, organisations can apply for core funding of $50,000 a year for two years to cover overheads, program delivery and staff wages.
In addition, a one-year project funding stream of up to $20,000 is available for community-led groups and organisations delivering creative activities.
The Queensland Arts Project Fund features a range of funding streams, including one-off grants, a general stream offering up to $70,000, a dedicated stream up to $20,000 for individual artists and arts workers, and two-year matched funding worth up to $150,000 for large projects.
Extra funding up to $10,000 is available to support the access needs of artists or audiences with disability.
Mr Langbroek said the new programs showed the considerable effort the government was making to deliver on plans for a fresh start for the arts in the state.
Applications for the program are available on the government’s arts website.
