A great idea was floated this week by Save Our Arts, a group campaigning for reform and funding to protect Australia’s arts and cultural sector. It’s a $180 million Culture Pass scheme providing $100 vouchers to all 16-to-21-year-olds to spend on Australian books, music, and performances. We’re very supportive: it’s like a junior version of Giving Culture!
This idea was covered in the Sydney Morning Herald this week, along with findings from a report published by A New Approach (ANA). ANA found that while Australia’s population increased by 27% between 2007–08 and 2023–24, government cultural expenditure over that time only increased by 19%. And, on a GDP basis, Australia is spending around one-quarter less on ‘recreation, culture and religion’ than its OECD peers.
While it’s important for Australian government at all levels to support arts and culture, we don’t believe they should go it alone. ANA says that “Australians still want to enjoy cultural and creative experiences and expect federal, state and territory, and local governments to help make these accessible” – but the Australian corporate sector can be doing a lot more to support our cultural institutions.
And that’s one of the goals behind Giving Culture – to encourage greater corporate support for the arts through our gift voucher program. On that topic, we’ve included the latest news and voucher offers from our partners below!
If you’d like more information about Giving Culture, contact us or sign up to our monthly emails at givingculture.com.au/contact. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn for other updates and posts on what’s happening at Giving Culture, and in the arts and culture scene in Australia.
Sydney Film Festival
The Sydney Film Festival is just six weeks away and the news is coming thick and fast. Take a sneak peek at the first films of the program and start redeeming your Flexipass for Sartorial: Fashion in Film, a film-lover’s series of stylish cinema, new and old – including the new film by Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation).
Sign up to SFF eNews to be the first to hear weekly announcements as soon as they drop. And use your Giving Culture voucher to secure your Flexipass for first access to tickets when the full program is announced on 6 May 6.
Incognito Art Show
Explore $100 original A5 artworks ahead of the Incognito Art Show’s upcoming shows in Sydney, Brisbane and Townsville.
This year’s Incognito Art Show is set to feature over 40,000 artworks donated by more than 15,000 artists, including emerging creatives, hobbyists, first-timers and many of Australia’s most celebrated artists.
Artists remain anonymous until their artwork is purchased, when it’s flipped over and the artist’s identity is revealed on the back.
Every purchase helps fund professional development programs supporting artists with disability at Studio A, The Art Factory and Access Arts.
Start building your wishlist and discover new artworks as they drop each week!
In preparation for this year’s exhibitions, you can redeem now for an Incognito Art Show – Gold Voucher or an Incognito Art Show – Silver Voucher.
Australian Chamber Orchestra
Berlin-based prodigies, The Leonkoro Quartet, exploded onto the world stage in 2019 and already tour the world, playing with courage, candour and heart. ACO is thrilled to present the young stars for their Sydney debut at ACO On The Pier, introducing a generation of musicians with the spirit and commitment to excellence the ACO has long championed.
Schubert’s Fantasy & Octet, touring to Newcastle, Canberra, Sydney, Adelaide, Wollongong and Melbourne, 14-30 May
Lyrical beauty, emotional depth, human connection. Discover the greatest of musical poets as Richard Tognetti directs an intimate ensemble (pictured top) for two exquisite works that showcase Schubert as a master of chamber music.
“Schubert’s genius lies in his ability to absorb suffering and transform it into something luminous.” – Richard Tognetti
You can redeem either an ACO – Gold Voucher or ACO – Silver Voucher to put towards tickets to either The Leonkoro Quartet or ACO’s Schubert’s Fantasy & Octet national tour.
The Australian World Orchestra
Enter AWO’s national fundraising competition to win a 24×36″ print from the 2025 AWO x Architecture in Music collaboration with Charles Brooks, valued at $1300.
Thanks to the generosity of Charles Brooks, AWO is thrilled to offer a prize open to participants Australia wide; a limited-edition Print of the ‘ex Hämmerle – ex Baumgartner’, a 1717 Stradivarius, played by AWO’s Daniel Dodds. It’s 1 in an edition of 100, signed and numbered by the artist, with a certificate of authenticity.
For $20, submit an entry to the competition before 7 May 2026 and in 25 words or less, tell AWO who you think would live in this ‘room’.
And, don’t forget, if you want to secure your tickets for AWO’s August concerts, where 92 of Australia’s finest musicians from around the world come together for an unforgettable program, redeem your Gold or Silver Voucher for the Melbourne performance on 19 August at Arts Centre Melbourne, or the Sydney performance on 20 August at Sydney Opera House.
Australian Theatre for Young People
The 2026 cast and crew behind ATYP’s new production of Saplings has just been announced. After premiering at The Rebel Theatre for the Sydney Festival in 2024 and winning Sydney Theatre Awards’ Best Production for Young People, Yuwaalaray playwright Hannah Belanszky and Kalkadoon director Abbie-lee Lewis bring Saplings to the stage once again – this time on a national tour! Have a look at the list of touring venues starting with the Sydney Opera House from 13 May – Saplings might be coming to a theatre near you.
Contact us at info@givingculture.com.au or on (02) 4872 4981 to find out how you can redeem your gold or silver voucher for tickets to Saplings.
Ensemble Offspring
Tickets for EO’s Avant Gardens Autumn concerts in Sydney in May are selling quickly, so redeem your silver voucher now for two tickets for one of these two in-demand salon garden performances featuring three iconic female composers at the heart of an intimate trio program.
You will also need to move quickly for our gold ‘Intro to EO’ Subscription, giving you tickets to one of the May concerts, as well as The Oracle in June, EO’s biggest and boldest program of the season which is also its most subtle and surreal, and REICH: REJOICE: REPEAT in September, in honour of Steve Reich’s 90th birthday with a joyous retrospective celebrating the hypnotic power of Reich’s signature rhythmic groove.