Melbourne Artists and Workers Rally for Increased State Cultural Funding

Performers, musicians and arts workers gathered outside the State Library in Melbourne on a Monday evening for a pre-election protest urging candidates to commit to long-term funding for the cultural sector. The demonstration featured participants holding signs, including one that read "To eat or not to eat, that is the question," alongside super-sized puppets such as a one-eyed space alien, a rainbow octopus and a giant skull provided by companies including A Blanck Canvas, Snuff Puppets and Lemony S Puppet Theatre.

Performers Reuben Kaye, Chloe Hayden and Milo Hartill joined the rally, with Kaye addressing the crowd during the event. Celia Handscombe, an Arts Centre Melbourne worker and unionist, told attendees that individuals were being forced to leave the industry due to financial pressures. She stated that while workers were not in the sector for money, survival was impossible without it, noting that artists were departing and cultural organisations were closing.

Speakers told the gathering that arts workers were frequently underpaid or expected to work without compensation, while many smaller organisations faced precarious futures. According to Monash University researcher Ben Eltham, Victoria's cultural funding has declined by 15 per cent in real terms since the 2021-22 period, with the small-to-medium sector experiencing the most severe impacts. Figures from Don't Break Our Arts indicate that the most recent state budget locked in a one-third real-term reduction in creative industries spending over the next four years.

Museum staffer Sue Westwood, holding a placard reading "Have a Heart for Art," expressed a loss of faith in political parties because arts funding rarely appeared prominently on policy platforms. Max Nunes-Cesar, another participant, noted that many of his colleagues relied on full-time jobs outside the industry to help fund productions. The Victorian election is scheduled to be held on November 28.

The demonstration highlighted ongoing concerns within Victoria's creative community regarding shrinking budgets and the long-term viability of small-to-medium cultural organisations. Industry representatives continue to press state election candidates for financial commitments to support workers and prevent further closures across the sector.