Arts Hub, Richard Watts
13 May 2026

Amrit Gill, CEO of peak body Theatre Network Australia, tells ArtsHub: ‘Theatre Network Australia acknowledges the release of the 2026-27 Federal Budget in what is clearly a constrained fiscal environment. In this context, it is encouraging to see that overall Commonwealth investment in the arts remains stable. This continuity provides an important foundation for a sector that continues to recover, adapt and contribute significantly to Australia’s cultural, social and economic life.

‘However, we note the absence of new targeted measures for the performing arts, particularly for independent artists and small-to-medium organisations, who are the primary drivers of artistic innovation, employment and audience engagement across the country.

‘Without additional support, the gap between what is resourced and what is needed will continue to widen.’

TNA’s statement emphasises that rising costs across the sector, intensified by global economic pressures, are placing increasing strain on artists and organisations, and that funding levels are not keeping pace with inflation, demand or the complexity of delivering work in this environment.

‘This risks undermining the resilience and sustainability of the very parts of the sector that generate new work and nurture diverse voices,’ says Gill, adding that TNA is also concerned about the potential impacts of changes to the NDIS.

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