“Less than half of Australia’s creative workers will be eligible for the JobKeeper wage lifeline, according to the peak group representing performing arts companies, artists and festivals across Australia.

The advocacy group, Theatre Network Australia, expects arts administrators to benefit but thousands of art makers and performers, notably short term casuals, freelancers and contract workers, will be ineligible for the $130 billion JobKeeper scheme.

There are around 48,000 practicing professional artists in Australia, their income a mix of contract work, royalties and advances, sale of art, and casual employment.

Most of these workers move from project to project for periods of less than 12 months, and will miss out on applying for JobKeeper through an arts company, TNA’s executive director Nicole Beyer said.