SA arts take second curtain call for new govt laws
A new arts and culture bill that failed to be passed before the SA state election is back on stage.
Labor is taking its new laws for the state’s arts and creative industries back to state parliament for approval today in a bid to enshrine how the sector is valued.
The promised Arts, Culture and Creative Industries Bill was first created in 2025 after extensive consultation with the state’s arts sector, including 60 submissions and more than 40 of those from individual artists.
It was introduced to state parliament in 2025 led by former Labor Arts Minister Andrea Michaels, but failed to be passed and enshrined into law before the 2026 state election in March this year.
Today, new Arts Minister Kyam Maher is reintroducing the bill after reviewing the details along with Assistant Minister for Arts Sarah Andrews, saying it now included amendments that made it stronger.
Maher said the Arts, Culture and Creative Industries Bill delivered on the government’s commitment to enshrine how the arts are valued in law, including practical measures to ensure future state governments prepare, maintain and report on a State Arts, Culture and Creative Industries Policy.
Under the new laws, future state governments would have to prepare and maintain a State Policy for the arts, including measures to achieve the policy, strategic priority, and principles to guide decision-making and investment.
The Arts Minister would oversee the policy and be responsible for related public reporting on results in promoting and supporting the arts in South Australia.
SA’s 10-year arts policy, A Place to Create, was launched in 2025 with an initial investment of more than $80 million to support arts and artists.
“The arts are an intrinsic part of our identity as South Australians, yet that has never been properly reflected in legislation,” Maher said.
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“The new laws we’re introducing to parliament not only recognise the importance of the arts to our state, but ensure future governments will need to have a practical plan to support and foster arts and creative industries in our state.”
Andrews said SA was home to world-class artists, art organisations and cultural institutions. She listed government investment of $240 million in the arts, from $8 million in additional grants for artists, to $15 million for the Art Gallery’s winter art series, to more than $12 million to see more local production on TV and cinema screens.
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