Strategic objective: Vibrant arts and culture across the state
Enhance Queenslanders' access to arts and culture, through investment in the creation, development and presentation of arts product, cultural experiences and cultural infrastructure.
Queensland's Time to Shine
In July 2025, we launched Queensland's Time to Shine: a 10-year strategy for arts and culture 2025–2035 to deliver long-term benefits to Queensland's creative economy with a clear plan and vision for the future. This strategy recognises the importance of a thriving creative arts sector and statewide vibrant arts scene, and outlines key priorities designed to drive meaningful outcomes for the sector and the broader community, including:
- delivering statewide creative activation and legacy outcomes inspired by the opportunities of Brisbane 2032
- shining a global spotlight on Queensland's unique arts and cultural experiences to attract audiences, drive regional economic growth and enhance the state's reputation as a dynamic arts destination
- connecting Aboriginal artists and creatives and Torres Strait Islander artists and creatives to opportunities that deliver economic, cultural and social benefits for individuals, communities and Queensland
- preparing Queensland's creative sector for the future by investing in skills, innovation and opportunities that support long-term careers and a growing creative economy
- strengthening access for all Queenslanders to enriching arts and cultural experiences
- celebrating and investing in the development and sharing of stories by Queensland storytellers.
The strategy has already begun enhancing our creative economy through a range of initiatives, including:
- refreshing the Cultural Tourism Fund, with $899,110 in multi-year funding announced to enhance arts-led tourism outcomes in regional Queensland. This initiative showcases the state's unique stories and cultural heritage while offering opportunities for additional investment to boost marketing strategies
- increasing inclusion of Queensland artists and audiences with disability by investing $107,331 in additional funding across 14 projects
- launching the Queensland Major Commissioning Fund to support new, impactful work and programming in the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games
- establishing the Queensland Festivals Network, focusing on identifying shared priorities and collaborative solutions to common challenges.
Cultural infrastructure
High-quality cultural infrastructure supports the development, presentation, and accessibility of arts and culture.
In 2025–26, Arts Queensland continued to enhance Queensland's creative infrastructure by:
- opening the $235.3 million Glasshouse Theatre in March 2026, with the 1,500-capacity venue making the Queensland Performing Arts Centre the largest performing arts centre in Australia under one roof
- delivering the Floriate public art commission, a spectacular four-metre-high bronze public art sculpture by acclaimed Torres Strait Islander artist Brian Robinson, for the Glasshouse Theatre's forecourt
- completing the delivery of the Judith Wright Arts Centre upgrade and expanding its tenancy, rehearsal and other back of house spaces
- supporting the refurbishment of regional cultural infrastructure including the Wondai Regional Art Gallery, which now features new spaces for workshops and community events, and the Phoenix Ensemble's community theatre, with improvements to flooring and seating.
Regional arts and culture
Supporting the arts in regional and remote communities helps all Queenslanders access and engage with high-quality arts and cultural experiences.
In 2025–26, we supported regional and remote communities by:
- investing more than $1.5 million in 27 organisations through the new Regional Community Arts Program—empowering volunteers to deliver community arts and cultural activities across Queensland
- refreshing the Regional Arts Services Network—focusing on an artform-based approach to engaging artform-specific organisations and employing 7 regionally based arts officers to deliver statewide services
- ensuring statewide arts touring—with $3.35 million supporting 42 Queensland artists and organisations through the Touring Queensland Fund, bringing more live music, theatre, exhibitions, and workshops in circus, dance, literature and music composition to regional and rural Queensland.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts
Aboriginal arts and cultures and Torres Strait Islander arts and cultures play an important role in expressing Queensland's identity.
In 2025–26, almost $7.5 million in dedicated and contestable funding was invested to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, arts workers and organisations including:
- $2.89 million of dedicated project funding supported more than 50 Aboriginal recipients and Torres Strait Islander recipients to develop and present new work, strengthen skills and grow employment
- $3.73 million in operational funding supported the sustainability of 28 organisations and Indigenous Art Centres
- more than $1.06 million invested through other project funds to support creative outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and communities.
Throughout 2025–26, key partnerships were progressed to promote economic outcomes for Indigenous creatives working in craft and design. These included:
- a collaboration with Health Infrastructure Queensland to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander designs into furniture, fixtures and equipment in health settings
- a partnership with Blaklash, an Aboriginal-owned and operated design studio to develop Interwoven, a portfolio of designs by several Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, for use in infrastructure and commercial projects.
Growing a strong creative workforce
Investment in strong creative businesses and professional development fosters sustainable, long-term careers and strengthens the future of Queensland's creative sector.
In July 2025–26, Arts Queensland invested significant funding to support the operational and programming costs of Queensland's small to medium arts organisations and major performing arts organisations, who are major employers of the state's creative workforce. Investment included:
- a record-breaking funding of $38.79 million over four years for 52 arts organisations through the Organisations Fund 2026–2029, the highest number of recipients to date, including 12 new entrants and 17 regional arts organisations
- $12.83 million to support 7 major performing arts organisations through the National Performing Arts Framework Partnership, a joint initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments administered by Creative Australia.
Other support delivered in 2025–26 to strengthen creative careers, address critical skills gaps and build capacity in Queensland's sector included:
- supporting the Tech Connect Queensland Traineeship Program, delivered by QPAC in partnership with Stage Queensland and Arts Centre Melbourne, to provide several one-year traineeships offering accredited training and hands-on theatre experience in live production and technical services
- supporting LATCH—a 12-month product development and retail initiative delivered by Artisan, to accelerate entry to retail and economic opportunities for Queensland makers of craft and design.
Enhancing arts access for children, young people and schools
The department is committed to ensuring that children, young people and school communities can access high-quality arts experiences that support their learning and engagement across a range of disciplines and curricula.
In 2025–26, the Regional and Remote Schools Touring Service delivered curriculum-aligned live performances, workshops, residencies and tailored engagement models for school students, as well as arts learning resources for teachers, through the Shake & Stir Theatre Company. Students at over 220 schools accessed the service during the reporting period.
Other new programs delivered in 2025–26 to further expand arts engagement opportunities for Queensland school students included:
- the Music Education Partnership Fund, which provides opportunities for music organisations to partner with schools to develop music education programs tailored to the needs of students and teachers
- the Early Childhood Education and Care Program, which supports the delivery of arts and cultural experiences in State Delivered Kindergarten and early childhood education and care services.
Cultural tourism
Queensland has a strong record of delivering unique and iconic arts and cultural events that promote cultural tourism outcomes across the state.
In 2025–26, several initiatives were delivered to support the sector, including:
- investing over $6.4 million in the Brisbane Festival and Queensland Music Festival to deliver significant economic outcomes for Queensland. This included more than 2 million Queenslanders and visitors engaging with festival events and the creation of more than 2,500 employment opportunities for artists and arts workers
- investing in Queensland regional festivals, including the Woodford Folk Festival, Australian Festival of Chamber Music, North Australian Festival of Arts and Festival of Outback Opera, to deliver strong programs, employ artists and drive regional visitation and economic benefits.
Service area performance
Objective
Enhance Queenslanders' access to arts and culture, through investment in the creation, development and presentation of arts product, cultural experiences and cultural infrastructure.
Description
Arts Queensland:
- leads the implementation of arts, cultural and creative policy in Queensland in partnership with key stakeholders
- facilitates the delivery of the Queensland Government's arts and cultural priorities and administers government investment in funding programs and capital works programs
- manages the state's arts and cultural assets that provide public spaces for arts production and engagement, including the Queensland Cultural Centre at Brisbane's South Bank; Festival House at 381 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley; Judith Wright Arts Centre; and Bulmba-ja in Cairns
- supports the governance and compliance of arts companies (Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts; Queensland Music Festival; Major Brisbane Festivals; and Screen Queensland) and arts statutory bodies (Queensland Art Gallery Board of Trustees (Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art); Board of the Queensland Museum (Queensland Museum Network); Queensland Performing Arts Trust (Queensland Performing Arts Centre); Queensland Theatre Company (Queensland Theatre); and Library Board of Queensland (State Library of Queensland) in the arts portfolio
- provides arts and cultural policy and strategy advice to the Queensland Government.
Table 4: Arts performance measures
Effectiveness measure—percentage of grant recipients who are satisfied Arts Queensland investment programs delivered intended objectives | 95% | 98% |
Efficiency measure—government funding provided direct to arts and cultural sector as a proportion of total investment program budget | 90% | 92% |
| Facilities management |
2025–26 target/estimate |
2025–26 actual |
|---|
Effectiveness measure—utilisation of arts-owned and/or managed arts and cultural facilities1 | 6.4M visitors | 7.1M visitors |
Notes:
1 The variance between 2025–26 target/estimate and 2025–26 actual is due to the higher-than-expected attendance at performances and exhibitions at the Queensland Cultural Centre.
2 The variance between the 2025–26 target/estimate and 2025–26 actual is due to a reduction in contract fees during the period.