Share your tax story
Share your experiences in a survey to help NAVA push for a tax system that works for artists.
The push for a tax system that works for artists is gaining momentum, and your voice is critical to its success.
The NSW Government’s consultation on The Art of Tax Reform has now closed, with over 250 submissions from individuals and organisations published. These contributions put forward essential ideas, including NAVA’s call for long-overdue reforms like tax exemptions on grants and prizes, and changes to non-commercial loss rules that unfairly impact artists.
In addition, the Senate has extended the deadline to the Inquiry into the National Cultural Policy, with new terms of reference that explicitly include potential tax reform as a way to boost the productivity of Australia’s creative sectors. NAVA will submit a detailed response by the 3 October deadline to advocate for a more supportive national tax framework for artists.
We need your help to build the case
Ahead of The Art of Tax Reform Summit in late September 2025, NAVA needs quantitative data and personal stories to demonstrate the true scale and impact of the current system on artists' lives.
NAVA is calling on all artists to take our short survey. Your responses will provide key evidence of how many members have been impacted by key tax measures in the last five years, or expect to be soon, and how significant that impact has been.
Have you faced a surprise tax bill after a one-off good year? We also urgently seek personal case studies to illustrate the human cost of these policies. If you’ve experienced challenges with:
- Unexpected ATO debts due to fluctuating income
- Taxation on grants, prizes, or fellowships
- GST complexities
- Non-commercial losses rules
- Superannuation or HECS/HELP issues
…your story is invaluable. These real-world examples will help make the case for reform. Every response strengthens NAVA’s advocacy.
Survey closes Wednesday 17 September 2025. Contact us at nava@visualarts.net.au with your story or to arrange a conversation in confidence.
NAVA is preparing further supporting evidence to present at The Art of Tax Reform Summit on 25 September and in our submission to the National Cultural Policy inquiry. With your stories, we can advocate for reforms that address the precarity of artists’ incomes and ensure the financial sustainability of the tax system for our sector.
Image credit
Photo by Garry Trinh.
ID: A person is holding a protest sign that reads “TAX REFORM THAT WORKS FOR ARTISTS” in bold black letters. They stand near a concrete wall, with others partially visible around them.
