Soul-Crushing Cuts Hit Print Workshop

Australian Print Workshop Faces Existential Threat After Sudden Funding Cut

A cornerstone of Australia’s fine art printmaking scene, the Australian Print Workshop (APW) in Melbourne, is grappling with an unprecedented crisis following the abrupt cessation of crucial state government funding. This institution, renowned internationally and a vital hub for artistic creation and public engagement for 45 years, has seen its future thrown into jeopardy by the non-renewal of a four-year grant from Creative Victoria.

The APW had been diligently planning a year-long program to commemorate its 45th anniversary, a significant milestone for an organisation that has consistently fostered artistic innovation. However, just before the Christmas break, Chief Executive and Artistic Director Anne Virgo received the devastating news that the funding, which had been providing an annual sum of $168,630 until the end of 2025, would not be extended. The funding expired at the commencement of January, leaving the APW in a precarious financial position.

“It’s really set the cat amongst the pigeons,” Virgo stated, describing the unexpected blow. “I’ve had to divert extra energy and time to what is now an emergency situation for us. We don’t have an answer as to what our future holds.”

The Australian Print Workshop operates as a not-for-profit entity, boasting both a public gallery and a fully equipped workshop. It serves as a unique space where expert printmakers collaborate with established and emerging artists, as well as members of the public, to produce original fine art prints. The calibre of work emerging from the APW is evident in its inclusion in the collections of prestigious institutions globally, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Furthermore, prints created at the workshop have graced exhibitions across dozens of countries, spanning Russia, Germany, China, and the United States.

The APW has a distinguished history of supporting Australia’s artistic luminaries. Renowned artists such as Jeffrey Smart, John Brack, and Arthur Boyd have all utilised the workshop’s facilities to create their prints. More contemporary figures, including Patricia Piccinini and Shaun Gladwell, have also contributed to the workshop’s rich legacy.

A particularly significant aspect of the APW’s work has been its long-standing collaboration with Aboriginal artists from remote communities. This partnership dates back over three decades, with early engagement involving Gooniyandi artist Mervyn Street and his contemporaries in Fitzroy Crossing. Demonstrating the lasting impact of these collaborations, one of Mervyn Street’s prints is currently featured in a nightly animation projected onto the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House.

“To think that all of that expertise, energy, and government support over 44 years to build this knowledge and expertise could just stop, it’s just soul destroying,” Virgo lamented, highlighting the profound loss this funding cut represents.

The immediate repercussions of the funding withdrawal are already being felt within the organisation. The APW is currently unable to afford the replacement of its General Manager. While Creative Victoria has offered a six-month interim funding package, the APW has not yet been able to access these funds, further exacerbating the uncertainty.

Victorian artist Lisa Waup, who has been a visitor to the APW’s gallery since her student days in the 1980s and recently undertook a residency there in 2024, expressed her deep concern. “I just have great admiration for the Australian Print Workshop, and the thought of it not continuing in its full capacity is quite shattering to hear,” she shared.

Danie Mellor, an artist from New South Wales with experience on visual arts boards for both state and federal funding bodies, has also collaborated with the APW, producing a series of photo-based prints in 2025. He anticipates that the workshop will need to undertake a significant strategic rethink of its operations and programming in light of this development.

“It’s always something of a financial shock when there’s multi-year funding that doesn’t go ahead,” Mellor commented. “The management of that can sometimes be a very hard call.”

This funding crisis comes at a time when there is a palpable resurgence of public interest in fine art printmaking, as evidenced by the strong attendance at the recent second edition of the Melbourne Art Print Fair.

The APW does receive some support from other sources, including an annual $100,000 grant from the federal funding body, Creative Australia, and ongoing philanthropic contributions. Crucially, unlike many other arts organisations, the APW owns the Fitzroy building it has called home for decades and has accumulated cash reserves. Virgo predicts that these reserves will be depleted before the end of the current year, but acknowledges that without them, the workshop would have faced imminent closure.

David Latham, representing the advocacy group Save our Arts, pointed out that the Australian Print Workshop is not an isolated case, with several smaller organisations also missing out on Creative Victoria funding. “It’s an absolute pittance to the government, but a wrecking ball through small but important arts incubators and organisations,” Latham stated. He further argued that such cuts not only fail to address debt issues but also create a significant cultural deficit, questioning the ultimate purpose behind these decisions.

Creative Victoria has been approached for comment regarding this situation.