Diversity Arts Australia congratulates the NSW Government on releasing its inaugural Creative Statement to Parliament, a new report on the health of the state’s arts, culture and creative industries launched at Parliament House on 22 October, 2026. The Statement uses economic data, surveys and case studies to examine three areas: people, infrastructure and audiences.
Among its findings, culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities are participating and attending at higher rates than the general population. In 2025, 55% of CaLD people took part in creative activity as makers or performers, compared with 44% overall, and 88% attended live events, compared with 77%. The report also points to barriers we know well. Many creative workers face insecure work and low incomes. Cost is the biggest obstacle to attending live arts and cultural events, and distance affects people outside Sydney.
We thank the NSW Government for this important step and look forward to working with Create NSW and the sector as future editions of the Statement take shape, so that the full diversity of NSW’s creative communities is reflected and supported.
We encourage everyone to read the Statement and share it with their networks: