The queer art of funding

HERE’S SOMETHING A BIT GRIM… FROM 2013-2018 IT WAS RECORDED THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDED 80 BILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY GROUPS EACH YEAR. OF THAT 80 BILLION JUST 0.07% WAS AWARDED TO QUEER RELATED PROJECTS. 2 OUT OF 2,882.

Yep. I know - it’s atrocious of me to harp on about funding and saving the arts when there are much larger issues in the world. However, I am an artist and my mother’s name is Karen, so I feel like its in my DNA to complain.

Funding for everyone is dire, especially in the current circumstances, but this issue dates way back. According to ourcommunity.org from 2013-2018, state governments approved 23,188 applicants but only 24 were for LGBTQIA+ causes. GRIM. That’s only 0.10%. For the icing on this very sad cake, 48% of LGBTQIA+ groups around Australia only had a $10,000 annual budget to work with. Most likely still do… GRIM!

Of course there are funding opportunities for us queers and that’s something to be grateful for. But they are limited and not as equal as we would hope.

Is it possible that the broader community (the government) believes our equality ends with the right to be married?

Asking for a friend.

We can do something about this! If you’re an institution that creates funding opportunities, make more space for queer artists.

If you know a queer artist, provide assistance, advice and support for their art as much as you can.

Donate to artists, share their content and celebrate the magic that queer art offers to our community.