<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/09/australia-in-danger-of-becoming-an-artless-country-as-enrolments-in-creative-courses-collapse>
"Australia risks becoming an “artless country” if it does not address the
long-term decline in enrolments in creative courses, with more than 40 courses
and degrees axed in less than a decade.
New research published in the
Australian Journal of Education this week found
fewer students in high school and university were choosing to study the
creative arts. At the same time, it found, dozens of tertiary courses were
being slashed.
The research pointed to the former Morrison government’s job-ready graduate
scheme as directly relating to the decline. Implemented in 2021, that scheme
substantially increased the cost of arts and creative courses to cheapen Stem
courses.
Under the widely panned policy, the cost of creative arts degree programs for
students rose by 19%, while arts, society and culture degrees rose by 116%.
The changes meant that, in 2026, a student enrolled in a commonwealth supported
place for mathematics would make an annual contribution of $4,738, while a
performing or visual arts student would pay just over double that at $9,537 and
a humanities, media and curatorial student would pay $17,399 per year.
Prof Sandra Gattenhof, who co-authored the study, said there had been a
“rollercoaster decline” in enrolments since the scheme was implemented.
“There’s a disincentive for students to go into these areas and it’s not like
they are big money-making areas,” she said.
“We’re heading into, within the next five years, a real reduction in the
capacities to sustain a creative and cultural workforce … There will be an
enormous decline in the amount of creative and artistic activity in
Australia.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
