Government scraps controversial Catalyst Fund for arts

March 20, 2017 10:31

The Federal Government has axed the Catalyst Fund for arts and culture after just two years, handing the allocation of investment in arts back to the Australia Council, but the media union has warned the move may have come too late to save small arts projects and organisations.

Arts minister Mitch Fifield has scrapped the Catalyst fund but the MEAA still has concerns.

Over the weekend arts minister Mitch Fifield announced the transfer of $61m in uncommitted arts and culture funding for the next four years would be handed to the Australia Council, bringing an end to the Catalyst Fund set up under Tony Abbott and run from the office of the arts minister.

The creation of the fund in 2015 under then arts minister George Brandis saw $105m stripped from the Australia Council leading to a campaign by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance to have the Catalyst Fund scrapped and funding returned to the council.

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Simon Canning

Simon Canning was Mumbrella's marketing and advertising editor from 2015-2017. In a career spanning journalism and communications over more than 30 years Simon has become one of Australia’s most respected analysts and commentators on the advertising, marketing and media industries. A regular commentator on radio and TV, Simon has also worked in media in the US and UK .

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