Australia's national day of giving to the arts returned on 22 October, with more than 350 artists and arts organisations inviting the public to donate directly to creative projects. AusArt Day, delivered by Creative Australia, spans music, dance, theatre, literature, film, visual arts and other disciplines, with supporters able to choose a participant and give through that artist's or organisation's own fundraising platform.

The initiative builds on a first year in 2025 that raised $2.42 million from 4,768 individual donors in support of 323 artists and organisations. Nearly half of those donors were giving to their chosen artist or organisation for the first time, and almost three quarters of participants reported stronger fundraising skills and confidence afterwards. Creative Australia has backed this year's campaign with resources, workshops and promotional materials, plus $500,000 in microgrants to help participants build their appeals.

Supporters lending their names to the day include singer-songwriter Gordi, theatre director Wesley Enoch, First Nations author Jared Thomas and philanthropist Alex Dimos. Gordi has framed the appeal around process rather than product, noting that art takes hours, days and years to develop, while Creative Australia chief executive Adrian Collette has described the day as a chance to recognise the people behind the experiences audiences value.

The project sits within Creative Australia's remit under the national cultural policy Revive, which encourages private support for the arts. Beyond the money raised on the day itself, the aim is to help artists diversify their income, build lasting donor relationships and develop fundraising capability, turning a single day of generosity into a more durable base for Australian creativity.