Arts and culture made evident.

A New Approach (ANA), Australia’s national arts and culture think tank, has shown through independent research and analysis that Australians from every walk of life participate in and benefit from arts, culture and creativity.

Our work informs discussion, inspires public policy and brings together decision makers and industry leaders around evidence-led ideas and pathways for pragmatic action.

Our Board, staff, expert advisors and Philanthropic Partners are rigorous and collegial as they make evident the value and opportunities of Australian arts, culture and creativity.

Belong, Trust, Connect: Policy opportunities for social cohesion through arts and culture

Australia’s social cohesion is being tested by domestic and global challenges. Evidence shows cultural and creative engagement can help. But not all governments in Australia explicitly pursue social cohesion through cultural policy, and most policy focused on social cohesion does not integrate cultural and creative engagement. This Analysis Paper is a resource for people and organisations looking for policy initiatives that can bring and keep us together through arts and culture.

Transformative Edge 2024: How arts, culture and creativity impact our prosperity, cohesion, security, health and sustainability

ANA’s latest Insight Report establishes culture and creativity as the ‘edge’ we have been looking for to rebuild social cohesion, strengthen our economies, reconnect our communities and help us to lead healthy, safe and sustainable lives. Transformative Edge 2024 brings together new fact-based insights about the impacts of culture and creativity on prosperity, cohesion, security, health and sustainability. It shows how cultural and creative engagement can help us respond to Australia’s deepest challenges.

Insight Report Thriving through Thick and Thin: Partnerships for Our Cultural Life

Intentional and informed efforts to strengthen people’s and organisations’ capacities to work in partnerships using a constructive, purpose-focused approach are essential to securing Australia’s place as a cultural powerhouse.

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Insight Report The Big Picture 4: Public Expenditure on Artistic, Cultural and Creative Activity by Governments in Australia in 2007–08 to 2021–22

... government investment in arts and culture in Australia is part of a wide range of financial inflows that facilitate cultural and creative engagement by people in Australia, with its positive contributions to social cohesion, thriving communities and productivity.

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Analysis Paper Intergenerational arts and culture: Lessons across middle Australia

The voices of middle Australia should give arts and culture stakeholders the confidence to act boldly and urgently in their actions to support the development of a rich cultural life for all Australians.

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Insight Report Accelerate: Reframing culture’s role in productivity

Despite productivity commonly being linked with ideas of creativity and innovation, limited explicit research attention has been paid to productivity benefits of creative and cultural participation and expression.

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Insight Report To Scale: Mapping Financial Inflows in Australian Arts, Culture and Creativity

ANA’s research dispels a view – a ‘myth’, even – that Australian cultural and creative industries are predominantly financed through government assistance.

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A New Approach acknowledges that it meets, works and travels on the lands of First Nations peoples. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and to all First Nations peoples.