best-australian-arts-organisations

BEST AUSTRALIAN

ARTS ORGANISATIONS

Art organisations are an important part of the arts industry. Artists are without a trade union, so we virtually have no voice when it comes to politics and therefore rely heavily on art organisations who keep things going for us.

We believe it is important to join a couple of organisations and support them, as they are our only force, when laws or tax issues are undesirably changed. Some of them have done amazing jobs over the years to keep a voice for artists open. When choosing an organisation, pick them for your personal needs as well as how much they do on a national level for the arts industry.

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This page was last updated: March 14, 2016

BEST AUSTRALIAN ARTS ORGANISATIONS

Artbank is the largest buyer of contemporary Australian art in the country. Promoting and making the collection available for rent and reinvesting its revenues back in to the collection. Artbank focuses its support on emerging artists. Over 10,000 artworks for rental, while actively supporting contemporary Australian artists.

ABAF provides all you need to know about sponsorships, partnerships and donations to the art. They work with businesses large and small, arts organisations of all types, individual artists, trusts and foundations and provide advice, professional development, volunteering and networking opportunities. Many of the services are free.

ABC arts news, blog, reviews, events, newsletter, new work, TV and Radio and forums.

Australian Commercial Gallery Association is the leading national body representing commercial art galleries. A strong collective voice for art galleries and their artists. The acga and its members play a critical role in the visual arts world, promoting and supporting emerging and established artists and cultivating the Australian art market.

Directory for artists, their works, art organisations, institutions and suppliers including Art Dealers, Associations, Auctioneers and Valuers, Employment, Exhibition Opportunities, Framers,, Galleries, Government, Institutes, Organisations, Professional Development, Publications, Suppliers.

The Arts Law Centre is the national community legal centre for the arts in Australia. This site keeps you up to date in the arts law world, sample contracts, legal information online,

An eclectic mix of artists, enthusiasts, musicians, performers and comedians with a few internet business types thrown in for good measure. The ArtsHub is an online source of Australian arts news, with a comprehensive art jobs classified service. Visited over 100,000 times each month. Over 800 arts companies advertising their latest jobs offers.

Australia's Government arts funding and advisory body. Supporting Australia’s arts through funding, strengthening and developing the arts sector. Each year, they provide more than $158 million in funding for arts organisations and individual artists across the country.

A fee based online arts portal profiling Australian artists of all media - filmmakers, painters, poets, musicians, bands, actors, animators, fashion designers, graffiti artists, glass artists, jewellers, graphic designers etc. Once joined there is no exra fee for commissions or referrals made through this site.

Supporting a creative Australia through information, advocacy and legal advice on copyright. They also produce publications, do research, and make submissions on copyright policy issues.

State Government agency and major funding body dedicated to Queensland's arts. Dedicated to supporting and growing Queensland's vibrant and innovative arts by promoting a diverse, dynamic, creative culture; strengthening partnerships and collaboration; and capitalising on Queensland's unique strengths and characteristics.

The Artworkers Alliance has been closed. It was one of the most important and successful organisations Queensland ever had. We are very sorry to see that funding was not continued for such important body.

Enormously comprehensive search listing of art related websites. Art Search is supporting the International arts industry and provides quick and easy access to people, businesses and websites in 3 main industries, Fine Art, Entertainment Arts and Crafts. They also content publishers for other related websites.

Advancing the profile of visual artists in Western Australia. Artsource delivers quality, core services on behalf of individual artist members and the visual arts sector, in partnership with stakeholders. Membership and advocacy body for visual artists in WA. Inspires, expands and improves the profile and sustainability of artists and the sector.

Listing of art & craft blogs, directories and more. A team of craft minded folk who wanted to make it easier for craft suppliers and teachers to reach a targeted audience. They are developing a directory of craft businesses who are able to provide products and services both here in Australia and internationally.

Most complete and convenient access to copyright permission for millions of publications.

Top advocacy organisation for Australia's contemporary craft and design. Its vision is as an essential contributor to Australia's national and international cultural and creative industries. Craft Australia lobbies for those industries and brings them international attention.

Arts business resource offering a huge amount of free or to buy downloadable business forms.

IP Australia administers Australia's IP rights system, specifically patents, trade marks, designs and plant breeder’s rights. Their core task is to administer statutes relating to IP.

NAVA is the peak body representing and advancing the professional interests of the Australian visual arts and craft sector. NAVA undertakes advocacy and lobbying, research, policy and project development, data collection and analysis. It also provides expert advice, resources, professional representation and development and a range of other services. Artrillium House highly recommends this organisation.

An Australian Art Competitions Directory listing Australian Visual Art Awards and Prizes. The database is available for free and has some interesting statistics on art prizes.

Australia Council for the Arts program of market development initiatives to showcase the best of Australia’s contemporary arts to the world.Promotes high-quality, 'export-ready’ Australian arts to key international decision makers and profiles a broad spectrum of the Australian arts – dance, literature, music, theatre, and visual arts and crafts – and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.

Positive Solutions is a specialised and client focused company serving non-profit, government and commercial clients, operating from our office in Brisbane, Australia.Services include research, policy and cultural planning, facilities planning, business planning and organisational development, visual art projects and board development.

Regional Arts Australia is the key national body representing the broad and complex interests and concerns of those working with and for the arts in regional, rural and remote Australia.

Australia & NZ's not-for-profit rights management organisation for the visual arts providing copyright licensing services to a wide customer base.Representing about: 43% of Australian and NZ artists, 40,000 international artists in Australian & NZ through reciprocal agreements with 45 visual arts rights management agencies around the world. Licensing services generating over $2 million for artists in 2008-09.

FAMOUS QUOTES

One must from time to time attempt things that are beyond one's capacity.

Auguste Renoir

Art is contemplation. It is the pleasure of the mind which searches into nature and which there divines the spirit of which Nature herself is animated.

Auguste Rodin

Art is the signature of civilizations.

Beverly Sills

What is real is not the external form, but the essence of things . . . it is impossible for anyone to express anything essentially real by imitating its exterior surface.

Brancusi

Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.

Camille Pissarro

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it, we go nowhere.

Carl Sagan

There are more valid facts and details in works of art than there are in history books.

Charlie Chaplin

If I didn't think what I was doing had something to do with enlarging the boundaries of art, I wouldn't go on doing it.

Claes Oldenburg

I believe it is impossible to make sense of life in this world except through art.

Daniel Pinkwater

Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.

Edgar Degas

Painting is easy for those that do not know how, but very difficult for those that do!

Edgar Degas

Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.

Edgar Degas

No amount of skillful invention can replace the essential element of imagination.

Edward Hopper

Art is literacy of the heart

Elliot Eisner

If apple is the language of the future, then art must be the core.

Elliot Eisner

The artist need not know very much; best of all let him work instinctively and paint as naturally as he breathes or walks.

Emil Nolde

I am an artist… I am here to live out loud.

Emile Zola

Art is skill, that is the first meaning of the word.

Eric Gill

Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who cannot attain it in anything.

Eugene Delacroix

The source of genius is imagination alone, the refinement of the senses that sees what others do not see, or sees them differently.

Eugene Delacroix

Well designed and extremely easy to use Australian Web Directory. You can add websites for free.

Web Directory Australia

A great Australian Art Web Directory with listings of businesses & organisations that provide support, resources, education and inspiration for the visual artist.