A new national report has urged governments to take a more strategic, collaborative approach to arts and cultural investment, warning Australia risks falling behind internationally as federal per capita spending falls to its lowest level on record.

The Big Picture, released by advocacy group A New Approach (ANA), found that federal per capita expenditure on arts and culture in 2023–24 was $114, the lowest level recorded. By contrast, state and territory per capita expenditure reached a record $123. It also found Australia’s population grew by 27 percent between 2007–08 and 2023–24, while total cultural expenditure increased by only 19 percent over the same period. On an international comparison, Australia ranked 25th out of 31 OECD countries for expenditure on “recreation, culture and religion” as a share of GDP.

The report noted a growing share of arts and cultural investment is being directed to infrastructure, with 18 percent of total spending in 2023–24 allocated to capital expenditure, compared with 11 percent in 2009.

According to ANA Chair Rupert Myer, governments should work together on a long-term cultural policy agenda. “We need a unifying goal for the entire arts, culture and creativity system,” he said.