House of Oz Director Georgie Black embracing one of the inaugural winners of the Prize Purse awards – a new initiative made possible by a philanthropic partnership between Adelaide Fringe Festival and House of Oz, which allows winners to take their shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2025. Photo: Anastasia Comelli.
There are countless independent artists around the country who are working hard developing their new projects, and none of them will be surprised to hear that it has never been more expensive to make art in Australia than it is right now.
Since 2020 (when the global pandemic sent prices of many goods sky high) the raw costs involved in art-making have risen steadily, with items such as artist-grade paints and canvases going up around 25% (if not more) since 2019.
ArtsHub's Arts Feature Writer Jo Pickup is based in Perth. An arts writer and manager, she has worked as a journalist and broadcaster for media such as the ABC, RTRFM and The West Australian newspaper, contributing media content and commentary on art, culture and design. She has also worked for arts organisations such as Fremantle Arts Centre, STRUT dance, and the Aboriginal Arts Centre Hub of WA, as well as being a sessional arts lecturer at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).
