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GOVERNMENT FUNDING

In 2007-08, government funding for cultural activities totalled $6,311.4m, with state and territory governments providing almost half (47% or $2,952.2m), the Australian Government contributing 37% ($2,358.9m), and local government making up the balance of 16% ($1,000.3m).

Operational expenditure accounted for 88% of cultural funding by all levels of government in 2007-08, while funding for capital expenditure accounted for the remaining 12%.

Apart from direct funding, the Australian Government also provides assistance through tax concessions such as the Cultural Gifts Program, which offers tax deductions to encourage the donation of items of cultural significance to public art galleries, museums and libraries. According to the 2007-08 Annual Report of the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA), 617 donations were made to the program in that year with a total value of $43.2m.

In 2007-08, the majority (76% or $1,788.2m) of Australian Government cultural funding supported Arts activities. Radio and television services were the main beneficiaries, receiving over three quarters of the total Arts activities funding provided by the Australian Government (76% or $1,352.7m).

In contrast, state and territory governments directed the majority (77% or $2,266.3m) of their funding to Heritage activities in 2007-08. Environmental heritage was the largest recipient in 2007-08, receiving $1,345.4m, almost half (46%) of the total state and territory government funding for cultural activities.

4.1 Cultural Funding By level of government - 2007-08
			Value of funding	Percentage of total
			$m	%
Australian Government(a)
	Heritage
		Art museums	58.2	0.9
		Other museums and cultural heritage	232.3	3.7
		Environmental heritage	121.0	1.9
		Libraries	65.4	1.0
		Archives	93.8	1.5
		Total heritage	570.7	9.0
	Arts
		Literature and print media	27.2	0.4
		Music performance	35.3	0.6
		Drama	31.9	0.5
		Dance	36.8	0.6
		Music theatre and opera	8.7	0.1
		Other performing arts	8.4	0.1
		Performing arts venues	-	-
		Music composition and publishing	1.8	-
		Visual arts and crafts	32.5	0.5
		Design	0.1	-
		Radio and television services	1 352.7	21.4
		Film and video production and distribution	115.5	1.8
		Multimedia	3.7	0.1
		Other arts	133.5	2.1
		Total arts	1 788.2	28.3
	Total Australian Government		2 358.9	37.4
State and territory government
	Heritage
		Art museums	178.2	2.8
		Other museums and cultural heritage	365.0	5.8
		Environmental heritage	1 345.4	21.3
		Libraries	317.6	5.0
		Archives	60.1	1.0
		Total heritage	2 266.3	35.9
	Arts
		Literature and print media	8.2	0.1
		Music performance	103.1	1.6
		Drama	23.3	0.4
		Dance	14.4	0.2
		Music theatre and opera	16.8	0.3
		Other performing arts	35.1	0.6
		Performing arts venues	235.2	3.7
		Music composition and publishing	1.1	-
		Visual arts and crafts	28.2	0.4
		Design	3.4	0.1
		Radio and television services	2.3	-
		Film and video production and distribution	91.8	1.5
		Multimedia	6.3	0.1
		Other arts	116.8	1.9
		Total arts	685.8	10.9
	Total state and territory government		2 952.2	46.8
Local government
	Art museums		51.0	0.8
	Other museums and cultural heritage		33.1	0.5
	Libraries		653.4	10.4
	Performing arts		38.1	0.6
	Cultural or arts services n.e.c.		224.8	3.6
	Total local government		1 000.3	15.8
Total			6 311.4	100.0
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) The Australian Government refers to the federal government. It does not refer to the aggregate of state and territory governments, nor does it include local government.
Source: Cultural Funding by Government, Australia, 2007-08 (cat. no. 4183.0).