FUNDS to establish a permanent Holocaust Museum and Education Centre in in the ACT will be part of the upcoming ACT Budget.

As well, $200,000 will be invested in a new public art commission by a female or non-binary artist in a bid to reflect the diverse nature of our community in public art.

Arts Minister Tara Ms Cheyne says she sees the museum and the commission as “an important reminder of the ongoing need to maintain a respectful, multicultural society”.

In what she called “a statement of ambition”, Ms Cheyne also outlined plans to make Canberra “Australia’s Arts Capital,” and said that, as a first step to realising this ambition, more than $13 million in additional funding through the Budget would provide support to local artists, arts organisations and cultural facilities.

She described the move as “a bold step, but it’s not a leap.“

The arts spending will include:

• $4.2 million to progress site investigations and planning for an expansion and redevelopment of the Canberra Theatre Centre, including $1.4 million in urgent upgrades.
• $2.4 million to assist the Cultural Facilities Corporation to continue its operations, retain staff,and rebuild theatre business in the post-lockdown period.
• $2 million for the Tuggeranong Arts Centre theatre upgrade.
• $2.1 million towards completing the remediation of lead contamination at the former Transport Depot and reimburse Old Bus Depot markets stallholders whose stock has been impacted.
• $960,000 for the expansion and activation of Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMAG).
• $750,000 to establish a Holocaust Museum and Education Centre in Canberra, which will be jointly funded by the ACT and Australian governments.
• $350,000 for Homefront 3, which was brought forward to support artists during lockdown.
• $250,000 for the Ainslie and Gorman Arts Centre.
• $246,000 to support training of theatre technicians at the Canberra Theatre Centre.
• $200,000 for a new public art commission by a female or non-binary artist that celebrates the contribution of these groups.
• $80,000 for the Belconnen Arts Centre.