Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

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FUNDING FOR HERITAGE AND ARTS

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

In 2003-04 the Australian Government provided $1,699.4m in funding for heritage and arts activities, while the state and territory governments contributed $2,356.2m in total (table 12.24). Local governments provided a further $945.1m, taking total government funding for heritage and arts activities to $5,000.7m.

Between 2000-01 and 2003-04 funding of arts activities by the Australian Government steadily rose, while funding of heritage activities steadily declined. Nevertheless, the overall funding of heritage and arts activities by the Australian Government in 2003-04 ($1,699.4m) was higher than in any of the previous three years, and 1.7% higher than the funding provided in 2002-03.

The amount of funding provided for arts activities by state and territory governments fluctuated between 2000-01 and 2003-04. However, the funding of heritage activities during this time steadily rose, as did the overall funding of heritage and arts activities. The $2,356.2m provided in 2003-04 for heritage and arts activities combined was 5.3% more than the amount provided in the previous year.

12.24 GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR HERITAGE AND ARTS, By level of government(a)
		2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
Category of funding		$m	$m	$m	$m
Australian
	Heritage	502.3	471.1	461.1	440.3
	Arts	1,146.6	1,149.3	1,209.4	1,259.2
	Total	1,648.9	1,620.4	1,670.5	1,699.4
State and territory
	Heritage	1,632.0	1,806.6	1,891.3	1,951.4
	Arts	292.6	414.0	346.9	404.8
	Total	1,924.6	2,220.7	2,238.1	2,356.2
Total		3,573.5	3,841.1	3,908.6	4,055.6
(a) Excludes funding by local government. Source: Cultural Funding by Government, Australia, 2003-04 (4183.0).

In 2003-04 total funding of over $1 billion was allocated to both broadcasting and film activities ($1,075.8m) and nature parks and reserves ($1,051.8m) by the Australian, state and territory governments. The other major recipients of funding from these governments were museums (excluding art museums) with $527.2m, and libraries and archives with $473.1m (table 12.25). It is not possible to determine the contribution of local governments to these activities because comprehensive details regarding funding by local governments are not available for 2003-04.

12.25 GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR HERITAGE AND ARTS(a) - 2003-04
		Level of government
		Australian	State and territory
Category of funding		$m	$m
Heritage
	Art museums	45.7	159.9
	Other museums	202.4	324.8
	Nature parks and reserves	68.8	983.0
	Zoological parks, aquaria and botanic gardens	7.4	126.6
	Libraries and archives	116.0	357.1
	Total	440.3	1,951.4
Arts
	Literature and print media	27.9	4.5
	Performing arts	105.4	79.8
	Performing arts venues	1.0	144.5
	Visual arts and crafts	10.7	16.7
	Broadcasting and film	1,012.8	63.0
	Community cultural centres and activities	12.0	12.7
	Administration of culture	36.1	41.2
	Other arts n.e.c.	53.1	42.5
	Total	1,259.2	404.8
Total		1,699.4	2,356.2
(a) Excludes funding by local government. Source: Cultural Funding by Government, Australia, 2003-04 (4183.0).

Local governments are significant providers of library services to the community. For 2000-01, when information about funding by local government was available in greater detail, libraries and archives received more than half of the heritage and arts funding provided by local governments ($458.7m out of a total of $872.4m). This was 55% of the total funding provided to libraries and archives by all three levels of government.

BUSINESS FUNDING

The ABS conducted the Business Generosity Survey in respect of 2000-01. During the 12 months businesses gave $1,447m to organisations or individuals, of which 'arts and culture activities' (namely the performing arts; the creative arts; museum, art gallery and library activities; and zoological or botanical parks and gardens operation) received $70m. This comprised $40m of sponsorship, $23m of donations and over $6m of 'business to community projects' funding. Sport and recreation activities received 43% of the total given by businesses to organisations or individuals. For additional information see Funding for sport and recreation. Other activities covered by the survey were community service and welfare, health, education and training, and environmental activities.

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