10 Essential Resources for Australian Artists
Building a career in the arts involves more than creating work. Artists, performers, writers, curators, and arts workers regularly have to navigate contracts, copyright, funding applications, employment conditions, fundraising, business administration (to name a few!) alongside their creative practice.
Fortunately, a range of resources, advocacy bodies, and support services exist to help creatives better understand their rights, access professional advice, sustain their businesses, and identify new opportunities. Some provide legal support and industry standards, while others offer funding pathways, business guidance, professional development, or advocacy on behalf of the sector.
This guide highlights some of the most important Australian arts industry resources that can support your professional practice at every stage of a creative career. If you're preparing for your first exhibition, negotiating a contract, applying for funding, building a freelance business, or seeking new opportunities, this guide can help you source valuable tools, information, and support.
1. NAVA Code of Practice
What Is It?
The Code of Practice for Visual Arts, Craft and Design is Australia's leading professional standards guide for the visual arts sector. Developed by the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA), it outlines ethical and professional standards for artists, galleries, commissioners, arts organisations, and institutions.
Why It Matters
Many artists are unsure what constitutes fair pay, appropriate working conditions, or standard industry agreements. The Code provides benchmarks that can support negotiations, quoting, decision-making, and help you better understand professional expectations across the sector.
What They Offer
- Recommended artist payment standards
- Exhibition and commissioning guidelines
- Public art and residency guidance
- Contract and agreement resources
- Allowances and other expense guidelines
- Best practice recommendations for organisations and artists
Who Should Use It?
- Visual artists
- Photographers
- Sculptors
- Installation / public artist
- Curators
- Galleries and arts organisations
- Consultants
- Arts workers
How To Access It
Visit: code.visualarts.net.au
2. Arts Law Centre of Australia
What Is It?
Arts Law is Australia's national community legal centre for artists and creative professionals. It provides legal information, contract resources, educational materials, and specialist legal advice tailored to the arts sector.
Why It Matters
Legal issues can arise at any stage of a creative career. Understanding contracts, copyright, licensing, intellectual property, and business structures can help you protect their work and avoid costly mistakes.
What They Offer
- Free or low-cost legal advice services
- Contract templates
- Copyright information
- Intellectual property guidance
- Business and governance resources
- Educational webinars and articles
Who Should Use It?
- Artists
- Writers
- Performers
- Musicians
- Filmmakers
How To Access It
Visit: artslaw.com.au
3. Copyright Agency
What Is It?
The Copyright Agency is a not-for-profit organisation that collects and distributes royalties to Australian creators when their work is reproduced under licensing agreements.
Why It Matters
Many artists and creators are eligible to receive payments for the use of their work but are unaware these schemes exist. Copyright Agency manages a range of licensing and royalty programs, helping creators receive income when their work is reproduced through educational institutions, government departments, businesses, and other licensed organisations. In addition to royalty payments, Copyright Agency also manages the artists' resale royalty scheme and supports creative projects through its Cultural Fund.
What They Offer
- Royalty payments
- Copyright licensing
- Educational resources
- Advocacy for creators
- Funding for artists and writers
- Professional development opportunities
Who Should Use It?
- Visual artists
- Photographers
- Writers
- Illustrators
- Publishers
How To Access It
Visit: copyright.com.au
4. Australian Society of Authors (ASA)
What Is It?
The Australian Society of Authors is the professional membership body for Australian writers and illustrators. It provides industry advice, advocacy, legal support, mentorships, professional development opportunities, and recommended rates of pay.
Why It Matters
Publishing contracts, royalties, licensing agreements, and copyright can be difficult to navigate. The ASA helps you understand your rights and provides professional guidance at every stage of their careers. Members can access personalised advice, legal support, industry resources, mentorships, and benchmarking rates.
What They Offer
- Contract and publishing advice
- Copyright guidance
- Mentorship programs
- Industry advocacy
- Professional development opportunities
- Recommended rates of pay
Who Should Use It?
- Authors
- Illustrators
- Poets
- Freelance writers
- Children's book creators
How To Access It
Visit: asauthors.org.au
5. Fair Work
What Is It?
Fair Work provides information on employment rights, minimum wages, workplace conditions, classifications, and award rates across Australia. This includes industry awards that apply to many arts and cultural workers, such as the Live Performance Award, which covers performers, production staff, and employees working across theatre, dance, music, and live events.
Why It Matters
What They Offer
- Award summaries
- Minimum pay rates
- Workplace rights information
- Leave and employment conditions guidance
- Classification and wage calculators
Who Should Use It?
- Performers
- Musicians
- Production staff
- Arts administrators
- Gallery staff
- Creative freelancers working as employees
How To Access It
Visit: fairwork.gov.au
6. Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA)
What Is It?
MEAA (Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance) is Australia's union representing workers across the media, entertainment, and arts industries. It advocates for fair working conditions and provides advice, support, and representation for members working across areas including performance, journalism, screen production, music, and the broader creative sector.
Why It Matters
MEAA advocates for fair pay, safe workplaces, professional standards, and improved working conditions, while also providing support when members encounter workplace disputes, contract concerns, discrimination, bullying, or unfair treatment.
What They Offer
- Workplace advice and representation
- Contract and industrial support
- Advocacy for fair pay and conditions
- Professional codes and industry standards
- Campaigns and sector-wide advocacy
- Networking and professional development opportunities
Who Should Use It?
- Actors
- Musicians
- Journalists
- Screen practitioners
- Performing artists
- Creative freelancers
- Arts and entertainment workers
How To Access It
Visit: meaa.org
7. Australian Arts Opportunities
What Is It?
Our Australian Arts Opportunities is an online platform that brings together arts jobs, grants, residencies, call-outs, awards, prizes, commissions, exhibitions, and professional development opportunities from across Australia. Opportunities are updated daily and cover a broad range of creative disciplines, career stages, and locations.
Why It Matters
Arts opportunities are often spread across hundreds of websites, newsletters, social media accounts, and organisation mailing lists. Having a centralised source can save time, reduce missed deadlines, and make it easier to discover opportunities relevant to your practice and professional goals.
What They Offer
- Arts jobs
- Grants and funding opportunities
- Residencies
- Awards and prizes
- Call-outs
- Commissions
- Professional development opportunities
Who Should Use It?
- Artists
- Writers
- Performers
- Arts workers
- Makers
- Dancers
- Screen & Production
- Musicians
- Photographers
- Creative businesses
How To Access It
Visit: artsupport.com.au
8. Australian Cultural Fund
What Is It?
The Australian Cultural Fund is a fundraising platform that helps artists and arts organisations raise money through tax-deductible donations.
Why It Matters
Fundraising can provide an additional source of income alongside grants, commissions, and artwork sales. The platform allows creatives to seek support directly from their communities and supporters.
What They Offer
- Tax-deductible fundraising campaigns
- Project fundraising pages
- Donation processing
- Fundraising resources and guidance
Who Should Use It?
- Artists
- Writers
- Musicians
- Performers
- Filmmakers
- Arts organisations
How To Access It
Visit: australianculturalfund.org.au
9. business.gov.au
What Is It?
business.gov.au is the Australian Government's central resource for small business information, planning tools, registrations, grants, and business support services. It provides practical guidance on topics such as business planning, marketing, finance, taxation, insurance, employment, and legal obligations.
Why It Matters
Many artists operate as sole traders, freelancers, or small business owners, often without formal business training. Understanding business fundamentals can help you manage finances, navigate legal and tax obligations, plan for growth, and build a more sustainable creative practice.
What They Offer
- Business planning tools and templates
- ABN and business registration information
- Grants and support finder
- Free business mentoring
- Financial management resources
- Marketing and sales guidance
- Tax and legal information
- Business advisory services
Who Should Use It?
- Artists selling works or services
- Freelancers
- Sole traders
- Creative consultants
- Small creative businesses
- Arts workers operating businesses
How To Access It
Visit: business.gov.au
10. State Small Business Support Services
What Is It?
Every Australian state and territory provides business support services designed to help small business owners access advice, mentoring, training, workshops, and planning resources. These services are typically delivered through government business agencies and are available to sole traders, freelancers, and small businesses across a wide range of industries.
Why It Matters
Many artists operate as small businesses but are unaware that free or low-cost support is available. These services can provide practical guidance on business planning, marketing, finances, pricing, growth, and long-term sustainability, helping creatives build stronger foundations for their practice.
What They Offer
- Business mentoring and advisory services
- Workshops and webinars
- Business planning support
- Marketing and sales guidance
- Financial management resources
- Digital and e-commerce training
- Small business tools and templates
Who Should Use It?
- Artists
- Freelancers
- Sole traders
- Creative consultants
- Small creative businesses
- Arts workers running independent practices
How To Access It
Each state and territory offers its own business support services. Make sure to research and contact your region to see what support they can offer.
- Business Victoria (Victoria)
- Business Queensland (Queensland)
- Service NSW Business Bureau (New South Wales)
- Business Tasmania (Tasmania)
- Small Business Development Corporation (Western Australia)
- Office for Small and Family Business (South Australia)
