NAAE Federal Election Statement, 3 May 2025
All children deserve access to quality Arts education. Right now, too many miss out. Arts education and training in Australia are in a state of crisis, and urgent government support is needed.
WHO WE ARE
The National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE) is a coalition of peak Arts and Arts education associations that represent approximately 10,000 Arts educators across Australia. NAAE members are Art Education Australia (AEA), Australian Dance Council – Ausdance, Australian Society for Music Education (ASME), Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM), Drama Australia, and National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA).
NAAE advocates for every Australian student in primary and secondary schools to have access to quality Arts Education across the five Arts subjects: Dance, Drama, Media Arts, Music and Visual Arts. We ask all political parties to endorse this principle.
THE DECLINE IN ARTS EDUCATION AND TRAINING: A CRISIS FOR AUSTRALIA'S CREATIVE FUTURE
Arts education and training in Australia are facing a silent but urgent crisis. Despite overwhelming evidence of its positive impact on students’ academic achievement, well-being, and engagement (see research cited below), the Arts remain undervalued and underfunded within our national education system. This is not merely an oversight—it reflects long-standing policy neglect and misplaced priorities.
In schools, offerings in Arts education have been steadily reduced, and enrolments in senior secondary ATAR Arts subjects have plummeted across most states and territories. Meanwhile, post-school pathways are also in decline, with vocational and tertiary options shrinking at an alarming rate. Since 2018, Australian universities have discontinued 40 Creative Arts courses, severely disrupting the training pipeline for the next generation of artists, arts educators, and arts workers. Aspiring young Australians now face fewer opportunities to pursue creative careers.
This decline is occurring at a time when young Australians are grappling with worsening mental health, social isolation, and school disengagement. The embodied, collaborative nature of Arts learning offers a powerful response to these challenges—building creativity, confidence, and a deep sense of belonging (Bruefach & Reynolds, 2022; Carbonaro & Workman, 2016; Copeland et al., 2018). Yet, by sidelining the Arts, policymakers have denied students access to essential tools for expression, connection, and resilience.
Australian and international research confirms that Arts education fosters both artistic and transferable skills—collaboration, innovation, problem-solving, communication, deep literacy, and critical thinking (e.g. Bamford, 2006, 2009; Catterall et al., 2012; Fleming et al., 2016; Martin et al., 2013; Saunders, 2021, 2025; Winner et al., 2013). Students who engage in the Arts also perform better in non-Arts subjects (Martin et al., 2013). Beyond academics, Arts participation enhances well-being and fosters inclusive learning environments where mutual respect and meaningful relationships can flourish (Gray & Lowe, 2019; Corvo et al., 2020; Cutcher & Boyd, 2018).
The public understands this. A 2023 national survey found that 97% of Australians engage with the Arts and 74% believe they should be a core part of education (Creative Australia, 2023). Yet school enrolments continue to fall, primary school Arts provision is shrinking, and Creative Arts university courses are vanishing.
This trend threatens more than just the education sector — it jeopardises Australia’s creative future. The Arts are a critical part of Australia’s cultural, social, and economic fabric. They generate billions in economic value, strengthen civic participation, and cultivate the imagination and innovation our society needs to thrive.
Still, public policy continues to frame the Arts as non-essential. This damaging narrative undermines the status of Arts education and accelerates a cycle of decline: without robust training pathways, we lose the educators, artists, and cultural leaders of tomorrow.
The Arts are not a luxury—they are a necessity. To secure Australia’s creative future, policymakers must prioritise Arts education and invest in a vibrant, inclusive, and economically robust Arts ecosystem.
WHAT WE ARE CALLING FOR
We are seeking national leadership to ensure every Australian student has access to quality education in all five Arts subjects — Dance, Drama, Media Arts, Music, and Visual Arts — and to secure the future of the Arts in Australia through strong investment in Arts education and training.
The National Advocates for Arts Education is calling for all political parties to endorse the following policy imperatives:
1. Invest in First Nations-led Arts Education and Workforce Development
NAAE calls for dedicated investment in First Nations-led education, training, mentorship, and workforce development across both school and tertiary Arts education.
To support culturally safe and meaningful implementation of The Australian Curriculum: The Arts, schools must have access to appropriate, locally developed resources and programs led by First Nations artists and educators. Teachers have expressed strong interest in delivering First Nations content and concepts but require greater access to professional learning and support to do this well.
2. Commission a bipartisan Inquiry into Arts Education and Training
We call on all political parties to commit to commissioning a national, bipartisan inquiry into Arts education and training. This should build on the important work of the recent NSW Parliament’s Joint Select Committee into Arts and Music Education and Training, extending its scope across all states and territories.
A national inquiry must examine the current state of Arts education and training provision, from early childhood through to tertiary, vocational and Initial Teacher Education. It should address issues of equitable access, declining participation, workforce sustainability, and the economic and social value of Arts education.
As Australia prepares for a major global event — the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games — and seeks to strengthen its cultural identity, creative industries, and innovation agenda, a nationally coordinated approach to Arts education policy is essential. This inquiry would deliver evidence-based recommendations to build a strong, future-focused Arts education system that supports student learning, teacher expertise, cultural development, and national prosperity.
3. Fix the damage caused by the Job Ready Graduates Scheme
NAAE calls for urgent intervention to address the disproportionate impact of the Job Ready Graduates (JRG) Scheme on Creative Arts tertiary courses, which saw student fee contributions rise by up to 113%. This policy has had a significant and damaging effect on Creative Arts programs at Australian universities.
Between 2018 and 2025, NAAE has identified 40 discontinued Creative Arts degrees and many others which have undergone major reductions.
We note that the Australian Universities Accord – Final Report (February 2024) recommended that “the Australian Government reduce student contributions for those affected by JRG and move towards a student contribution system based on potential lifetime earnings” (p. 5).
We further urge all parties to recognise students’ rights to access diverse Arts education and training opportunitie, not just through the seven national performing arts training organisations, but across a broader and more inclusive tertiary sector.
4. Fund Arts Education in Schools
NAAE calls for dedicated and sustained investment in Arts education across Australian schools — including resources, professional development, and student learning initiatives — to ensure every student can access quality learning in Dance, Drama, Media Arts, Music, and Visual Arts.
Over the past seven years, enrolments in senior secondary Arts subjects have declined nationally, with reduced provision also evident in middle and primary schools across the country.
The National Cultural Policy: Revive allocated just $2.6 million to in-school Arts initiatives over five years—compared to $75.6 million invested in STEM education over the same period. We call on the Commonwealth Government to provide matched funding for Arts and STEM education initiatives to support a balanced and equitable curriculum for all students.
5. Strengthen Arts Education in Initial Teacher Education (ITE)
NAAE calls for urgent action to halt the erosion of Arts-specific education in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs. This includes increasing the time allocated to curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment in The Arts, particularly in early childhood and primary education courses.
Primary and early childhood teachers must be equipped to confidently teach at least one Arts subject in depth. NAAE urges the incoming government to mandate a minimum of two full units in Arts education (covering Dance, Drama, Media Arts, Music, and Visual Arts) within primary ITE degrees. This reflects Recommendation 2 from the NSW Parliament’s Joint Select Committee inquiry into Arts and Music Education and Training.
This requirement should be embedded in the updated Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures, overseen by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL).
6. Fund a National Artist-in-Schools Program
NAAE calls for increased funding to Creative Australia to establish a national artist-in-schools program that connects professional artists with schools and communities across the country. This should include re-establishing a community partnerships funding stream and supporting both existing and new initiatives that place artists in schools.
Funding should specifically support:
Teaching artists to deliver Arts experiences for students and communities.
Arts engagement programs that build creative confidence.
Ongoing professional learning for teachers in collaboration with artists.
This investment would expand access to the Arts, strengthen Arts education delivery and foster long-term partnerships between schools and the professional Arts sector.
7. Protect Independent Research and Fund Arts Education Research through the Australian Research Council (ARC)
NAAE calls for dedicated Australian Research Council (ARC) funding to support high-quality research in Arts education. Sustained investment is essential to build a robust, evidence-informed Arts education sector and to enable long-term planning, innovation, and impact.
We also call for the protection of ARC independence, including its peer-review processes, to ensure funding decisions are guided by research excellence—not political interference.
8. Fund Arts Professional Teaching Associations, Peak Bodies, and Service Organisations
NAAE calls for dedicated funding for Arts professional teaching associations, peak bodies and service organisations to help realise the goals of the National Cultural Policy and strengthen the broader ecology of the Arts and cultural sector. These organisations play a vital role in advocacy, professional learning, sector development, and connecting education with industry.
9. Continue Collaboration with SaCSA to Strengthen the Arts and Arts Education Workforce
NAAE calls on the incoming government to continue working closely with Service and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA), as it leads national efforts to identify and address workforce challenges in the Arts and education sectors. With SaCSA’s work already underway, ongoing collaboration is essential to support cross-sector partnerships and deliver high-quality training products that reflect the skills needs of a dynamic and evolving sector.
10.Embed Arts Education in National Cultural Policy
NAAE urges all political parties to commit to developing a new National Cultural Policy that builds on the existing Revive framework. The next policy should span all government portfolios and fully embed Arts education and training as a core pillar.
While Revive provides a strong foundation, its next iteration must be developed by the incoming government in close consultation with artists, Arts educators, communities, and peak Arts bodies to ensure a well-supported Arts and cultural sector that serves all Australians.
NAAE acknowledges the extensive research and industry evidence demonstrating how Arts education fosters individual and collective resilience during times of crisis. We urge policymakers to recognise and act on this evidence.
Meaningful investment, adequate resourcing, and sustained support—through professional learning and quality initial teacher education—are essential to harness the skills and insights developed across the Arts education sector in recent years. This is critical to understanding how change is experienced on the ground and to realising the ambitions of Version 9.0 of the Australian Curriculum.
Let’s build a future where every Australian student can access the full promise of The Arts. We call on all political parties to commit to the policy changes needed to make that future a reality.
For further comment contact:
Dr John Nicholas Saunders
Chair, National Advocates for Arts Education
contact@naae.org.au
john.nicholas.saunders@gmail.com
REFERENCES
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