Why give to the arts?

Like many, I discovered my love of theatre at school.

I wasn’t much of a reader, so when The Players visited, it opened my eyes to the power of spoken storytelling and a good play. In Year 12, another theatre company offered the opportunity for student 'ambassadors' to participate in workshops and attend matinees for free. At university, I spent evenings volunteering at my favourite theatre's bar in exchange for tickets to productions.

Each of these opportunities was made possible by the generosity of others. 

However, it wasn’t until I began working in the arts that I understood the vital role philanthropy played in making these opportunities possible. For much of my life, I couldn’t see it or name it, yet I was benefiting from the culture of giving immensely.

I think this is one of the challenges in communicating the value of the arts, and by extension, the need to support them.  

Most arts organisations in Australia are not-for-profit, relying on a combination of ticket sales, government funding and philanthropic donations to operate. No single source can do it all. While audiences may see the finished product, the support that enables it to exist is often far less visible. As visibility is a key ingredient in garnering giving, this sentiment runs even truer for independent artists and small-to-medium-sized organisations.  

But the value of the arts extends well beyond any one organisation. Our ecosystem of artists and arts organisations helps shape the places we live, the communities we build and the stories we tell about ourselves.  

AusArt Day 2026 on Thursday 22 October is a wonderful opportunity to send some love to your favourite arts organisation. If you have ever left an auditorium, a theatre, a gallery, a concert hall, heck - an open mic night and felt that you came away from that experience changed in some way, consider showing them support this AusArt Day.

And if you're continuing to read this far into our blog post, you are likely to already be a donor to us and/or to other arts organisations in your community. To you, I say, thank you. You help us achieve so much - on stages, in schools and on the road.