Australia in danger of becoming an ‘artless country’ as enrolments in creative courses collapse

Creative departments have been on the chopping block in restructures at the Australian National University, pictured, the University of Technology Sydney and Macquarie. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Australia risks becoming an “artless country” if it does not address the long-term decline in enrolments in creative courses, with more than 40 courses and degrees axed in less than a decade.

New research published in the Australian Journal of Education this week found fewer students in high school and university were choosing to study the creative arts. At the same time, it found, dozens of tertiary courses were being slashed.