SA budget provides little relief for the arts

The 2017-18 arts budget is targeted towards capital works and festivals, with no new money for individual artists and small-to-medium arts organisations.

The 2017-2018 budget includes $1.25 million for Adelaide Festival for presentation of major international works, such as Glyndebourne’s Saul, the centrepiece of the 2017 festival. 

South Australian Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis’ fourth budget, handed down yesterday, provides little joy for the arts sector save for a few major organisations and events. There is no new money allocated towards small-to-medium companies or individual artists.

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Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts