Mitch Fifield picks up the cultural portfolio as Malcolm Turnbull listens to the arts community.

Senator the Honourable George Brandis QC has lost his role as the Australian Minister for the Arts in Malcolm Turnbull’s first cabinet as Prime Minister. He will be replaced by the former Assistant Minister for Social Services and Manager of Government Business in The Senate, Mitch Fifield, who also picked up the Communications portfolio.

After one of the longest nights in federal politics in recent memory, many within the arts community lobbied the new Prime Minister to dismiss Senator Brandis and reverse the changes to the arts funding infrastructure instituted in the Federal Budget. Turnbull, a man with a more visible enthusiasm for cultural activities than his predecessor, and who is regularly seen at theatre and other arts events in Sydney, was bombarded on social media by artists and arts lovers alike from the moment he emerged victorious over Tony Abbott on Monday night. The #FreeTheArts movement led the charge, urging supporters to contact Mr Turnbull and a protest took place outside his Wentworth electorate office in Sydney. Two days ago Nick Cave weighed in alongside 361 other Australian writers who signed an open...