Ivka Taylor-Moss and journalist Ben Eltham dive into the state of the arts in Australia, tracing how arts funding has evolved from colonial institutions to the post-war welfare state and the lasting legacy of the Whitlam government.

Ben unpacks why federal involvement lagged after Federation, how public arts funding took shape after World War II, and why opera, orchestras, and major institutions continue to dominate funding priorities.

The conversation turns to power, policy, and precarity - from the lack of a strong federal arts lobby to the insecure, freelance reality facing most artists as Ben argues for culture as fundamental to everyday life and human identity, not just a luxury add-on.