Overview
Towards Equity 2 is Creative Australia’s second equity and diversity report, providing an updated, data-driven assessment of diversity across its workforce, investment and Australia’s arts and cultural sector. This report moves beyond documenting existing conditions to establish a framework for tracking change over time and measuring progress against broader national indicators.
The report assesses diversity performance across four key areas: leadership diversity in organisations receiving multi-year funding; diversity among peer assessors involved in funding decisions; diversity of grant and funding recipients; and workforce diversity within Creative Australia. Progress is measured against findings from 2021 and, where possible, against national comparators.
Communities of focus
The report maintains a strong focus on communities that have historically faced barriers to participation and leadership in the arts:
- First Nations people
- People from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
- d/Deaf and disabled people
- Women
- People living in regional and remote communities
- Children and young people
- LGBTIQ+ people.
This approach recognises that equity requires sustained attention to how different groups experience access, opportunity and representation across the system.
Key findings
Overall, the findings show improvement across most diversity measures since 2021:
- Leadership representation within multi-year funded organisations has increased across all communities of focus, indicating progress in governance and senior decision-making roles.
- Diversity among peer assessors remains a key strength, supporting fairer and more inclusive funding outcomes.
- Project investment now has broader reach, with funding supporting a wider range of artists, organisations, and initiatives.
- The data highlights where further effort is needed -including a continued focus on disability, regional communities, and children and young people.
National context and lived experience
National datasets are included to contextualise these findings, covering diversity among practising artists and cultural workers, as well as patterns of attendance and creative participation across Australia. Qualitative spotlights, including insights from First Nations and d/Deaf and disabled artists and leaders, complement the data and highlight how policies and funding decisions shape lived experience.
Looking ahead
The report fulfils Creative Australia’s statutory research role under the Revive National Cultural Policy and the Creative Australia Act 2023. Using transparent, evidence-based methods, it assesses participation, access and representation across the arts. Together with the first report, Towards Equity 2 reflects a long-term commitment to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement in equity and diversity across the organisation and the wider cultural sector.
By committing to regular, transparent reporting, Creative Australia aims to support long-term change, strengthen sector-wide practice, and ensure progress toward equity and diversity remains visible, measurable and accountable.
Watch the Auslan interpretation of the report
Towards Equity 2: Creative Australia Diversity Data Report
Download the report
Overview
Towards Equity: A research overview of diversity in Australia’s arts and cultural sector brings together published and unpublished data and research on representation within the arts and cultural sector in Australia.
It assesses equity among audiences and participants, artists, the cultural and creative workforce, cultural leaders and among Creative Australia investment and staff.
The report presents information for eight focus groups or demographics in the Australian community: First Nations people; cultural and linguistic diversity; people with disability; gender; LGBTIQ+ people; Australians living in regional and remote locations; children and young people; and older people.
Creative Australia – like many other government and industry organisations – is committed to monitoring and reporting diversity across our investment, activities and sector.
In many cases, terminology and definitions are shifting and/or contested. Information and data gaps, as well as questions and recommendations for building a more comprehensive picture of diversity in our arts and culture, are also identified in this report.
Australia’s diversity is our richest asset. Equity must be central to how we think about, support and engage with arts and culture in this country.
This research shows that while much work has been done, much more work lies ahead.
Please explore this report. It is one milestone in the conversation that can inform action across the industry to address inequities.
Key Findings
- Despite limitations in the data, the research shows that Australia’s arts and culture do not yet reflect the diversity of our people.
- Many of the communities who are most engaged with Australia’s arts and culture are also underrepresented, under-resourced or under-compensated for their work.
- For example, we see arts and cultural engagement embedded in the daily lives of First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse Australians. However, while core to the energy of the sector, First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse Australians are still often unable to access or shape its resources and decision-making.
- Australians living with disability are more likely than other Australians to be making art but are less likely to making money from it. And people with disability continue to face barriers in attending arts events.
- While women are more likely to recognise the positive impacts of arts and creativity than men, they face more barriers to arts attendance. And while there are just as many women artists as men artists, women artists earn less.
- Australians in remote areas are more likely than those living in metropolitan or regional areas to attend the arts to improve their wellbeing. However, they are twice as likely to experience difficulty getting to events compared to those in metropolitan or regional areas.
Access and resources
Easy English
Download an Easy English version of the report
If you are in distress and need someone to talk to:
- Call 000 if your life is in danger
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- 24 hour, confidential personal crisis support. Lifeline Text and Lifeline Chat also available between 12pm and 2am (AEST)
- Beyond Blue Support Service 1300 22 4636
- 24 hour confidential mental health support. Beyond Blue Chat also available 1pm-12am (AEST)
- The Support Act Wellbeing Helpline 1800 959 500
- 24 hour confidential phone counselling service to anyone who works in Australian performing arts or creative industries
- WellMob online social, emotional and cultural wellbeing resources for First Nations peoples
- Disability Gateway links for safety and help for people with disability.
Anti-racism, human rights and access resource links:
- Racism It Stops With Me anti-racism resources and campaign run by the Australian Human Rights Commissoin
- Creative Equity Toolkit anti-racism and equity resources for the creative sector run by Diversity Arts Australia
- Arts Access Australia resources on arts and disability in Australia.
