Queensland makers deserve a fair share
One in five Australians lives in Queensland. Craft and design investment should reflect that.
Queensland is home to 20.7% of Australia's population, yet has received only 8.4% of federal craft and design investment over the past decade. artisan, Queensland's only dedicated craft and design organisation and the State's member of the ACDC Network, is seeking equitable investment to match our population, cultural contribution, and the national opportunity ahead of Brisbane 2032.
First Nations First
Queensland's First Nations cultural leadership is nationally significant, with more than 150 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language groups and over half of Australia's Torres Strait Islander population. artisan already works with leading art centres and has demonstrated strong results through The Shape of Time. We are proposing an ongoing co-designed program with Queensland First Nations art centres in partnership with Indigenous Art Centre Alliance to support knowledge exchange and professional development while protecting cultural authority and intellectual property; extend international pathways through national and international events such as Singapore and Milan Design Weeks; grow shared opportunities in arts and health, tourism, and community income; and deliver programming led by First Nations partners.
"From IACA’s perspective, the submission is particularly significant for its commitment to First Nations creative priorities. Queensland is home to extraordinary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural and linguistic diversity, and its First Nations art centres are among the nation’s most important creative and community-led organisations.
IACA strongly supports the proposal for an ongoing, appropriately funded program co-designed by artisan, IACA and its member First Nations art centres."
Edwina Circuitt
CEO Indigenous Art Centre Alliance (IACA)
The Centrality of the Artist
Queensland faces real workforce pressures including weakened specialist training, limited maker infrastructure, and constrained pathways from study to sustainable practice. We are proposing a ten-year Queensland craft and design workforce plan, including funded residencies with leading national studios, alongside targeted and subsidized employment support so artisan can offer competitive rates and close capability gaps.
Strong Cultural Infrastructure
artisan is a critical part of Queensland's craft and design infrastructure, supporting careers, business growth, professional development, and links to tourism, manufacturing, and regional markets. Current federal investment of $101,000 per year does not reflect Queensland's scale or significance. An equitable allocation is at least $395,111 annually. We are proposing ten-year organisational funding at the equitable level to protect current investment and expand programs, exhibitions, market development, and practitioner income pathways.
Engaging the Audience
Craft and design delivers cultural, social, and economic value. Research links creative participation with reduced stress, stronger social connection, and improved wellbeing, while the sector holds significant unrealised commercial potential. The runway to Brisbane 2032 is a strategic opportunity to build visibility, markets, infrastructure, and international relationships that last beyond the Games. We are proposing a Queensland market development strategy to grow regional opportunity, exports, and audiences; strengthen cultural tourism aligned with THRIVE 2030 and Destination 2045; and secure a dedicated craft and design component in the Brisbane 2032 cultural program.
This submission is made in conjunction with the ACDC Network joint submission to the National Cultural Policy Review, May 2026.
