NAVA Members add your voice

Submissions close 20 February 2026.  

The Senate Select Committee on Productivity in Australia is examining long-term strategies to strengthen Australia’s economic resilience and performance.

This inquiry is an opportunity to articulate how arts work, creative and cultural labour and arts infrastructure contribute to national growth, regional sustainability and international competitiveness.

The terms of reference include:

• objectives for a strategy to achieve a more balanced distribution of population between cities and regional Australia;
• structural barriers to sustainable growth;
• the impact of regulatory tax burdens on productivity growth;
• the impact and opportunity of technology; and
• Australia’s competitiveness and benchmarking against similar nations.

Artists and arts organisations can highlight how current tax, regulatory and policy settings affect long-term sustainability in the sector.

Survey closes 23 February 2026.

NAVA strongly encourages all artists and arts workers to take the Creative Workplaces Survey and help create the first national picture of what it's really like to work in the sector today.

Whether you’ve been underpaid, censored, exploited, harassed, bullied, discriminated against or injured, or if your experiences in the arts have been positive, your anonymous responses will help inform Creative Workplaces' policy, advocacy and support work. The resulting report will also provide valuable evidence for the broader sector, including NAVA, to strengthen advocacy and push for systemic change.

Takes about 40mins to complete.

Deadline for submissions 5pm (AEDT) Monday 2 March 2026.  

This inquiry by the House Standing Committee on Communications, the Arts and Sport is examining how philanthropic giving currently supports arts and cultural activity in Australia, and what opportunities exist to grow that support. 

It is particularly interested in:

• barriers and incentives in the tax, regulatory and funding environment;
• emerging models such as digital fundraising and impact investment;
• increasing philanthropic engagement with the creative sector, including small and regional organisations.  

Philanthropy plays an important complementary role to public funding in supporting artists careers through fellowships, exhibitions, residencies, and community projects. Many artists and organisations have direct experience trying to attract, retain or grow private support.

This inquiry is an opportunity to share what that has actually been like. What are the challenges of building donor relationships, the administrative burden, the incentives that help, and the gaps that make fundraising harder than it should be.

Submissions close 10 April 2026.  

The Senate Education and Employment Committee is examining the Higher Education Support Amendment (Reverse Job-Ready Graduates Fee Hikes and End $50k Arts Degrees) Bill 2025. The Bill proposes to reverse recent fee increases on arts and other degrees introduced under the Job-Ready Graduates reforms.  

Higher education fees have impacts on access, equity and workforce development. Students and prospective students are affected by the rising costs, and many artists and art historians have experienced job losses linked to course cuts across the country.

Tell the Committee how course costs, student debt and funding reforms affect you, your career path, your organisation or community.

Good submissions clearly address some or all of the questions or terms of reference; use examples and personal or organisational experience; explain why the committee should consider your views and what outcomes would help; and are typically 2–5 pages (though longer submissions are acceptable). 

You do not need to answer every question in each inquiry. Focus on the areas that matter most to you.

Illustration by Emily Johnson

ID: A drawing of two hands holding pens as though writing, on a green background.