Australian Arts Education Decline Deepens Amid Policy Impact
New research indicates a long-term decline in creative course enrollments and offerings across Australia, with over 40 courses and degrees discontinued in less than a decade. This concerning trend spans both high school and university levels.
"Fewer students are choosing to study creative arts at both high school and university levels."
This shift is directly linked to the former Morrison government's 'job-ready graduate scheme', implemented in 2021.
Policy Impact and Financial Costs
The 'job-ready graduate scheme' significantly increased the cost of arts and creative courses while simultaneously reducing the cost of STEM courses. Under this policy, creative arts degree programs saw a 19% cost increase for students, and arts, society, and culture degrees increased by a substantial 116%.
The financial disparity is stark. By 2026, an annual contribution for a commonwealth-supported mathematics student would be $4,738. In sharp contrast, a performing or visual arts student would pay $9,537, and a humanities, media, and curatorial student would face a fee of $17,399.
Enrollment Trends and Course Discontinuation
Professor Sandra Gattenhof, a co-author of the study published in the Australian Journal of Education, highlighted the immediate impact. She described a "rollercoaster decline" in enrollments since the scheme's implementation. This disincentivizes students and could lead to a significant reduction in Australia's creative and cultural workforce capacity within five years.
The figures paint a bleak picture of course availability:
- Between 2018 and 2025, 48 creative arts degrees were discontinued, impacting entire disciplinary pipelines in some regions.
- Undergraduate creative arts degree enrollments declined at 30 out of 46 higher education providers surveyed in the five years leading to 2023, with some institutions experiencing drops exceeding 50%.
The decline is not limited to higher education. At the high school level, Year 12 ATAR enrollments in arts subjects decreased by 21% in the eight years to 2023. Specific reductions include:
- Drama: -39%
- Dance: -38%
- Media: -25%
- Music: -16%
- Visual Arts: -14%
Urgent Calls for Reform
Dr. John Nicholas Saunders, another co-author, issued a grave warning: if the trend continues, Australia risks limiting access to arts learning and potentially becoming an "artless country."
"Reforming the 'job-ready graduate scheme' is 'urgent' and necessary in the current term of government, arguing it harms students and Australia."
Luke Sheehy, chief executive of Universities Australia, echoed this sentiment, stating the scheme's reform is "urgent." He also pointed out a significant disparity in government focus: there is a lack of national government initiatives to address this issue in arts education, in contrast to the $75.6 million invested in STEM education initiatives to tackle similar enrollment shortfalls.
Professor Gattenhof emphasized the need for decisive government leadership and a formal recognition of a crisis in arts, culture, and creativity, similar to the strong support provided for STEM fields.