Live Performance Australia Pitches New Production Incentive

Live Performance Australia has lodged its submission for Australia's next National Cultural Policy, putting a proposed Live Performance Production Incentive front and centre as the single most transformational reform available to the sector.

The mechanism would apply a 40 per cent offset or rebate on production costs across both commercial and not-for-profit live performance organisations.

The model put forward by the peak body for Australia's live arts and entertainment industry indicates it would be revenue-positive for the government.

Live theatre alone contributes over $4 billion in turnover to the broader economy, more than $2 billion in gross value added, and sustains over 30,000 jobs. Every dollar spent by a theatre organisation generates a spillover effect of more than $4 across the wider economy. 

LPA CEO Eric Lassen said the incentive was long overdue.

“The production incentive is a proven model to drive investment and creative ambition,” he said.

“It is activity-driven, and modelling shows a 40 per cent offset or rebate on production costs would be revenue-positive for government.”

The submission calls for the incentive to sit at the centre of a broader package of cultural tax initiatives, alongside a strategic funding uplift for Creative Australia — covering the National Performing Arts Partnership Framework, small to medium organisations, contemporary music, and development priorities including children and young audiences and arts festivals.

“The next cultural policy needs to build on those foundations with some bigger and bolder ideas that tackle the systemic challenges and take up the opportunity to more fully realise Australia's cultural and creative potential," Lassen said.

Read the LPA's full submission here.