A delegation of 50 arts representatives will meet with high-profile politicians to discuss objections to the Federal Budget.

As the Federal Budget is due to pass through the Lower House later this week, representatives from the Labor and Green Parties are due to meet in Canberra with a delegation of high profile arts leaders from the small to medium scale arts sector. The collective of 50 representatives from the Australian arts community will consult with Shadow Minister for the Arts Mark Dreyfus and leader of the parliamentary caucus of the Australian Green Party Richard Di Natale to discuss and develop a challenge to the reforms to arts funding that have been the focus of major controversy since the budget announcement on May 12. Attorney General and Minister for the Arts George Brandis has also been invited to the pivotal meeting, but at the time of publication had yet to confirm his attendance.

If passed, the budget will redirect over $104 million dollars from the Australia Council for the Arts over the next four years to fund Minister for the Arts George Brandis’ new National Programme for Excellence in the Arts (NPEA). While the Ministry for the Arts have dismissed...