Decline in Arts Education and Training
The National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE) is calling for a national, bipartisan inquiry into Arts Education and Training, warning that Australia’s creative and cultural future is at risk without urgent government intervention.
Chair of NAAE, Dr John Nicholas Saunders, said, “Over the past decade, we’ve seen a steady erosion of Arts education in schools, and training pathways in universities. Between 2018 and 2025 alone, 40 creative arts courses have been discontinued by Australian universities, with many more courses having undergone major cuts. The pipeline for future artists, arts workers, and arts teachers is being cut off at its source.”
Among the courses to have been discontinued since 2018 include Charles Sturt University’s Bachelor of Theatre Media; Griffith University’s Bachelor of Popular Music and Bachelor of Arts in Contemporary and Applied Theatre; Monash University’s Bachelor majors in theatre and performance, Bachelor Music’s stream of ethnomusicology and musicology and Centre for Theatre and Performance; Queensland University of Technology’s Bachelors of Music, Dance Performance and Technical Production; Southern Cross University’s Bachelor Contemporary Music and University of Newcastle’s Bachelor Creative and Performing Arts (Drama).
This month an independent review into the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Performing Arts courses made 20 recommendations including the removal of a dance major and a refocusing of the acting program towards digital and screen.
NAAE, which represents approximately 10,000 educators through peak Arts education associations, met with senior advisors to the Federal Education and Arts Ministers in late 2024 to sound the alarm on the growing crisis. The organisation has since compiled new data and policy recommendations ahead of the 2025 Federal Election.
Dr Saunders also highlighted the damaging impact of the Job Ready Graduates (JRG) Scheme, which increased student contributions for Creative Arts degrees by up to 113%.
“This policy has decimated course offerings and made creative careers less accessible to young Australians,” he said. Introduced by former Education Minister Dan Tehan under the Morrison Government, the scheme remains unchanged under the current Education Minister, Jason Clare.
Dr Saunders remarked: “Job Ready Graduates has been a massive policy failure and caused widespread damage. We need urgent action to fix it before the arts education and training ecosystem collapses.”
The Australian Universities Accord Final Report, delivered to government in February 2024, recommended a shift to a fairer system based on lifetime earnings. NAAE urges all parties to act on this and ensure that Arts education is treated equitably within the tertiary system—not just within the elite performing arts institutions, but across the full breadth of creative disciplines.
Beyond preparing the next generation of artists, NAAE emphasises that Arts education is critical for all students. “Arts education fosters deep literacy, creativity, collaboration, communication, and problem-solving—skills that are essential for life and work in the 21st century,” Dr Saunders said. “Every child deserves access to high-quality Arts education, regardless of their postcode, background, or career path.”
With the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, NAAE argues that bold, coordinated action is essential. “A bipartisan inquiry would provide the evidence base and political will needed to restore and strengthen Arts education across the country,” Dr Saunders said.
“Arts education is not an optional extra — it’s a human right and essential for every Australian to thrive in a creative, connected, and democratic society,” said Dr Saunders.
Dr Saunders is the author of the School Drama Book available for sale on Book Nook.
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