Music, Film & Arts Grants Take $87.1 Million Hit In Budget

Aus Council and Screen Australia face cuts

A total of $87.1 million will be cut from the federal arts funding with the Australia Council and Screen Australia hit in last night's budget.

While community radio was spared cuts that threatened to decimate the sector, arts funding body Australia Council (which offers grants to contemporary emerging artists) and film funding body Screen Australia were not so lucky.

Across the next four years, Australia Council will lose $28.2 million, starting with $9.6 million in 2014/15.

As recently as April, the Council funded 11 independent labels including Future Classic, Rice Is Night, Stop Start and Hope Street Recordings to the tune of $420,000.

It also offer grants to musicians for touring nationally and internationally, recording and promotion and for the industry, including artist managers.

Screen Australia will take a $25.1 million cut across the next four years, with the Attorney-General's Department's art programs set to lose $33.8 million.

The budget resisted the Commission Of Audit's recommendations to merge Aus Council and Screen Aus, and the cuts are lower than recommended, but the figures are nonetheless substantial.

Screen Australia are expecting to have a revenue of approximately $100,000 during 2014/15, 90 percent of which will come from government funding.

Graeme Mason, CEO of Screen Australia, said, “Screen Australia like other Government organisations has been required to contribute to balancing the Federal Budget. We will undertake a comprehensive review of all programs and how they are delivered. We will maintain our commitment to working efficiently in order to minimise the impact on the Australian screen sector.”

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In a brief statement sent to theMusic.com.au, an Australia Council spokesperson said, “The Council is currently considering the most appropriate ways to apply this adjustment, with a focus on minimising the impact across the sector.”

Both bodies will now take stock to streamline their operations to minimise the damage.