Party will reverse cuts and invest extra $270.2 million, doubling investment in small to medium arts organisations.

Earlier this month, Shadow Minister for the Arts Mark Dreyfus QC announced the Labor Party’s pledge to restore money siphoned from the Australia Council budget into the Catalyst fund should Labor win power at the July 2 election. Now The Greens have thrown their hat into the ring, announcing the first part of their arts policy in which they have pledged to reverse the Abbott-Turnbull government’s funding cuts and invest an additional $270.2 million in the sector.

“A vibrant, well-resourced and independent arts community is core to any thriving society. Yet instead of investing in our arts and artists, the Liberal government launched an unprecedented attack on the arts sector under former Arts Minister George Brandis,” Greens Arts spokesperson and Federal Member for Melbourne Adam Bandt said.

The Greens will commit to disband the controversial Catalyst fund, restoring full funding to the Australia Council, and will double the amount of funding for the Australia Council’s Grants and Initiatives for small to medium arts organisations and individual artists. They have also indicated that they will reverse efficiency dividends imposed on key...