Australia’s classical music and arts magazine has bold plans to improve national coverage.

Limelight has today launched a bid to raise much needed funds to improve national arts coverage via a scheme that aims to better represent the small to medium sector and ensure that artists from right across Australia have a bigger and better say about the arts and all matters cultural. The online campaign is being managed with the help of the Australian Cultural Fund, a fundraising platform for Australian artists established in 2003 to encourage donations to the arts and managed by Creative Partnerships Australia.

“Ever since I joined the magazine, I’ve wanted to increase our coverage outside of NSW where our staff are based,” says Limelight editor Clive Paget. “With arts coverage on the decline in mainstream media, it’s now more vital than ever that we reach out to help promote arts events right across the nation, but to do that we really do need the help of readers and those passionate about the future of the arts and arts journalism in Australia.”

Limelight’s plans come in two parts: a major overhaul of the website for easier reader access, improved hosting of exciting and up-to-date video, audio and imagery, and enabling better and wider conversations with our journalists online. The other aim is to engage a professional arts journalist on a part-time basis in each state to engage with and promote the local arts scene through news, reviews and feature writing.

“Limelight is the only national publication that currently attempts to cover arts events nationwide, but that’s always been hugely ambitious and expensive as we pay our journalists,” says publisher Andrew Batt-Rawden who bought Limelight three years ago as an independent title. “By helping us take the next step forward, the Australian artists you care about will be better-promoted, and readers in every state will be able to find out in more depth what’s going on in the arts in their regions.”

The new campaign is a case of “every cent helps” as the Australian Cultural Fund is designed to benefit the art and the artists (in this case Limelight and its writers). Donors commit rather than pledge funds and all donations are taken into account at the end of the campaign. The donor also benefits, as anything over $2 is tax deductible through the ACF.

Through the new campaign, and other initiatives, Limelight hopes to raise $25,000 for a digital upgrade and a further $80,000 for content and journalists over a first year. It’s hoped that a successful national launch will result in further years becoming largely self-sufficient through the benefits of increased advertising revenue.

“If we even only get a portion of our goal, it helps enormously,” said Clive Paget. “Australia deserves a better national coverage and badly needs an informed, supportive and independent voice. I think that we have the track record and the experienced journalists to make that happen. All we need now is your help.”

Click here for more information on how you can make a difference.

Since its inception the ACF has helped to raise millions of dollars for Australian artists, allowing them to share their stories, passion, and creativity around Australia and the world. Creative Partnerships is a not-for-profit organisation supported by the Australian Government through the Ministry for the Arts. Creative Partnerships’ unique Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status allows the ACF to offer tax deductibility to donors.