The arts and cultural sector set to stimulate regional tourism

Local arts organisations will be enabled to develop and promote arts and cultural events for tourists across regional Australia under the Morrison Government's $5 million Regional Arts Fund (RAF) Cultural Tourism Accelerator program, launched today.

Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said the $5 million program will support regional artists, arts workers and organisations to develop new events, programs and performance opportunities that will attract audiences from across the nation.

“The arts and cultural sector is a key contributor to the prosperity of Australia's regional economy and will play a strong role in bringing tourists back to the regions,” Minister Fletcher said.

“As the vaccine rollout continues and states and territories open up, supporting activities such as festivals, events and visual art exhibitions in regional communities will be critical to attracting tourists and visitors. Accelerating tourism to regional communities will help them rebound from the devastating impacts of the pandemic.”

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon Dan Tehan MP, said the program would be critical to boosting local economies through cultural tourism.

“Promoting arts and cultural events across our regions will support jobs and businesses in tourism, hospitality, accommodation, and retail – providing a major uplift to regional communities and their local economies,” Minister Tehan said.

Chair of the Darwin Festival and Member of the Creative Economy Taskforce, Ian Kew, said the RAF Cultural Tourism Accelerator program will reactivate the arts and cultural sector and be vital in driving tourism in the regions.

“Regional Australia is rich with diverse arts and cultural activities and this funding will create opportunities for tourists to engage with local communities and artists to support the local economies that continue to feel the effects of COVID-19, including Indigenous arts and tourism,” Mr Kew said.

The program forms part of the Government's Regional Arts Tourism package announced in the 2021-22 Budget and will be implemented by Regional Arts Australia and local program administrators, as a one-off Strategic Partnership Grant through the RAF.

The Morrison Government is investing more than $1 billion into the arts and creative sector in 2021-22.