Announced Tuesday 23 June
The 2026–27 New South Wales Budget will commit $1.21 billion towards arts and culture in the state with $537.2 million of that directed to capital investment.
Among the big spends: $29.3m toward Sound NSW’s Contemporary Music Strategy and $29.1m for the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner to develop more vibrant night-time precincts in metropolitan and regional areas.
$26.8m is earmarked for the Creative Communities Package, delivering new programs in line with the Creative Communities Policy including in Western Sydney and Regional NSW. $17m goes to Creative NSW to grow audiences and support a sustainable creative ecosystem across the state.
$2m will be invested planning for the construction of a sound shell for a permanent, purpose-built open-air performance stage in Western Sydney.
The largest arts and cultural investment is a bricks-and-mortar one: the Powerhouse Ultimo revitalisation, which will receive $207m over the next four years. The funding will support the ongoing restoration of the heritage-listed site and the creation of expanded exhibition, collection and visitor facilities aimed at strengthening Sydney’s cultural and tourism offering.
The State Library of NSW is also a significant beneficiary. The budget includes $22.5m for the Mitchell Rooftop Development, which will double the amount of rooftop space accessible to the public while addressing critical roof repairs. A further $5m has been allocated for public domain improvements around the library, including landscaping, lighting and accessibility upgrades, while $1.3m will support new customer engagement and cybersecurity systems.
The Australian Museum will receive funding across a number of projects, including $12.4m for the ongoing digitisation of its collections and $2.7m for a new First Nations Gallery designed to present Indigenous histories and cultures through a community-led approach. Additional funding has been allocated for conservation and building works, including upgrades to collection storage facilities and remediation of the heritage-listed Parkes Farmer Wing.
Qtopia Sydney will receive $12.1m to assist the transformation of the former Darlinghurst Police Station into a permanent LGBTQI+ museum and cultural centre. Museums of History NSW has been allocated $9.5m for critical maintenance across its portfolio of heritage properties, while $2.6m has been earmarked for remediation works at the Walsh Bay arts precinct and $2.2m for conservation works at Sydney Observatory.
This follows the earlier announcement of Heartland: a plan for regional NSW arts, culture and creative industries 2026–2035. A plan to bridge gaps, support creative collaborations and activate local support for the arts in Regional NSW.
Image: Silenced, Vox Theatre Photo: Natalie Low.
For more details on the NSW Budget 2026, visit this link