One of Australia’s premier First Nations training colleges, NAISDA Dance College, has been awarded $13 million as part of the Federal Budget. This funding is part of a larger $115.2 million allocation over four years directed towards the eight national arts training organisations, collectively known as the Arts8. NAISDA Dance College Receives $13 Million Boost from Federal Budget
The funding follows a 2023 Sustainability Review of all Arts8 organisations, commissioned independently by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts.
NAISDA chairperson and proud Wiradjuri woman, Mayrah Sonter, expressed gratitude for the funding, highlighting its significance in supporting the college’s mission.
“We extend our sincere thanks to the Minister for the Arts, the Hon Tony Burke MP, and the Office for the Arts for their support in recognising NAISDA’s pivotal role as a unique, world-first First Nations dance and creative arts education and training organisation,” Ms. Sonter said.
“We are dedicated to empowering our young people, enabling early pathways to a world of creative opportunities and disciplines, while also fostering lifelong learning.”
Ms. Sonter emphasized that the funding would further solidify NAISDA’s leadership in arts education for First Nations Australians. The investment aims to maintain and enhance the college’s unique learning model, which is deeply informed by cultural connection and practice, delivering nationally recognized qualifications.
NAISDA boasts a First Nations student completion rate significantly higher than other accredited tertiary programs within Vocational Education and Training.
“NAISDA provides a transformative education approach, which fosters creative excellence, cultural connection, and self-determination,” Ms. Sonter stated. “This uplift means we can increase capacity and be focused and responsive to what the sector and our communities need.”
“We all want to see foundations in place where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are strong in self, culture, and supported in their aspirations to realize their incredible potential.”
As a world-first dance and creative arts education and training organization, NAISDA plays a crucial role in empowering First Nations people to fulfill their personal and career ambitions through lifelong learning, skills development, and cultural connection. This new funding ensures that NAISDA can continue to nurture talent and provide opportunities for future generations of First Nations artists.
For more information and to support NAISDA’s mission, visit their website or follow them on social media.
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