Arts, culture & creativity · Est. 2013

A vote for the arts, on every ballot.

“A more creative, cultural and educated life to all”

The Arts Party was the world's first registered political party dedicated to arts, culture and creativity. Founded by two Sydney artists and crowdfunded into existence, it was a party built on principles, and it gave Australians the chance to vote for the creative life of the country.

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This is the official website of the Arts Party. The party's former domain, artsparty.org.au, has lapsed and is no longer under its control.

2,000+paid members
2M+Senate ballots that numbered us in their top six (2016)
20federal candidates across every state in 2016
2crowdfunding campaigns: one to register, one to run

Our story

Started over a beer at Coogee. Crowdfunded onto the ballot.

In October 2013, filmmaker PJ Collins and actor Nicholas Gledhill launched the Australian Arts Party. Neither major party was making the case for the arts, so they set out to build a party that would.

Registration needed at least 500 founding members. An Indiegogo campaign brought them in, and the Australian Electoral Commission registered the party in August 2014. As far as we know, no other country had ever registered a party for the arts.

Over the next five years the party stood candidates at state, federal and local elections. Every campaign was paid for by its supporters. In 2016 it put Senate candidates on the ballot in every state.

“To provide something that's long overdue: a dedicated voice to support and encourage arts and creativity for all Australians.” PJ Collins, founder, 2013

Timeline

Over a decade in the arena

From a crowdfunding page to a national Senate ticket.

  1. Party founded in Sydney; Indiegogo campaign opens for founding members.

  2. Registered by the Australian Electoral Commission.

  3. Two members stand as independents at the Queensland state election.

  4. Party leader PJ Collins stands for the NSW Legislative Council.

  5. First official Arts Party candidate, Lou Pollard, contests the North Sydney by-election.

  6. Federal election: 7 House and 13 Senate candidates across every state, funded through Pozible.

  7. Voluntarily deregistered as a federal party, continuing as a registered party in New South Wales.

  8. Contests the NSW local government elections.

  9. NSW party registration ends after several years. The Arts Party community carries on online.

Our principles

A party built on principles, not on a single issue.

The arts were our starting point, not our limit. We believed a creative, cultural and educated life should be open to every Australian, and that this idea could inform every area of policy.

Fund the makers

Triple the grants that reach individual artists and small-to-medium arts organisations.

A creative economy

Australia's future depends on the quality of its ideas, not just what comes out of the ground.

Positive politics

A non-political political party, working with all sides to put creativity on the agenda.

In the press

What they said