Australian Council for the Arts
1968 – 1973
Renamed Australia Council in 1973.
Non-statutory council, chaired by H. C. Coombs, that advised the government on the arts and distributed Commonwealth grants to the performing arts and, through its Film and Television Committee and the Experimental Film and Television Fund, to film.
Names over time
- Australian Council for the Arts1968–1973
- Australia Council1973–2023
- Creative Australia2023–present
How it came into existence
Announced by Prime Minister Harold Holt on 1 November 1967 and set up in 1968 by executive decision within the Prime Minister's portfolio; it took over Commonwealth funding of the performing arts previously channelled through the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust, a non-government company.
Changes during its life
- 31 May 1971Moved with the other Commonwealth arts functions to the Department of the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts.
- 19 December 1972Arts functions returned to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet under the Whitlam government.
How it ended
Restructured in 1973 by the Whitlam government into an interim council with separate boards for each art form, known as the Australia Council; the name and statutory status were confirmed by the Australia Council Act 1975.
- arts funding and advice
- performing arts grants
Restructured with art-form boards and renamed.
Main functions
- advice to government on arts policy
- grants to performing arts companies
- support for experimental film and television
- arts development and training grants
Where it sits
Last in the portfolio of Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Lineage
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Sources
Some dates or links for this organisation are not fully confirmed. Corrections are welcome.