Creative practitioners don’t always like to gather, but by golly we’re more powerful united than we are alone! Below is a comprehensive list of Australian and International peak bodies, unions and support organisations for creative practitioners. This is everyone that we could find at this stage – If you know of an organisation that isn’t here, and should be, please let us know!
Association of Artist Managers (AAM) – www.aam.org.au
A not-for-profit organisation AAM exists to develop, protect and promote the reputation and interests of music managers and their artists.
APRA-AMCOSS – apraamcos.com.au
APRA-AMCOSS help music creators get paid for their work and give music users easy ways to legally play and copy what they like.
Arts Access Australia (AAA) – www.artsaccessaustralia.org
AAA is the peak national body for arts and disability, and they work to increase opportunities and access for people with disability as artists, arts-workers, participants and audiences.
AusDance – ausdance.org.au
AusDance is the peak body supporting and representing the Australian dance profession.
Australasian Writers and Art Directors Association (AWARD) – awardonline.com
AWARD is open to anyone with an interest in the creative side of the advertising business.
Australian Cartoonists Association (ACA) – cartoonists.org.au
The ACA keeps artists connected with other cartoonists and with what’s going on in the cartoon industry at large.
Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) – www.cinematographer.org.au
The ACS is a not-for-profit organisation that provides a forum for cinematographers to further develop their skills through mutual co-operation.
Australian Costumers Guild (ACG)
The ACG is a non-profit organisation whose aims are to encourage development of skills and sharing of knowledge in subjects relating to costume design, construction and care.
Australian Design Alliance (ADA) – australiandesignalliance.com
The ADA is an alliance of key professional member based associations representing designers.
Australian Directors Guild (ADG) – www.adg.org.au
The ADG is a registered industry association representing the interests of film, television and digital media directors, documentary makers and animators.
Australian Fashion Council – ausfashioncouncil.com
The Australian Fashion Council (AFC) exists to promote the growth of the textile & fashion industry in Australia.
Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA) – www.agda.com.au
AGDA is the peak national organisation representing the Australian communication design industry
Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC) – www.agsc.org.au
The AGSC promotes excellence in screen composition through industry events, government lobbying and direct membership advice.
Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) – www.architecture.com.au
AIA is the peak body devoted to the recognition and advancement of individual advertising professionals in Australia.
Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA)– www.aila.org.au
AILA champions quality design for public open spaces, stronger communities and greater environmental stewardship.
Australian Institute of Professional Photographers (AIPP) – aipp.com.au
The AIPP (now including Australian Commercial and Media Photographers ) advocates for excellence in imaging and is the membership organisation of choice for professional and aspiring image makers.
Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA) – www.aimia.com.au
AIMIA is Australia’s peak body for the digital media industry, and delivers initiatives and services to help digital businesses grow.
Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) – ami.org.au
Incorporating the AIA, AMI is the peak body devoted to the recognition and advancement of individual advertising professionals in Australia.
Australian Music Centre (AMC) – www.australianmusiccentre.com.au
The AMC is the national service organisation dedicated to the promotion and support of both the artform of music and the creators and performers of contemporary classical, improvised jazz, experimental music and sound art in Australia.
Australian Performing Arts Centres Association (APACA) – www.apaca.com.au
APACA is the national peak body representing and supporting performing arts presenters from the iconic Sydney Opera House to remote regional centres.
Australian Production Design Guild (APDG) – www.apdg.org.au
APDG is a non profit organisation committed to raising the profile of stage and screen design.
Australian Publishers Association (APA) – www.publishers.asn.au
APA is the peak national body responsible for representing the Australian publishing industry.
Australian Screen Editors Guild (ASE) – www.screeneditors.com.au
ASE is an organisation dedicated to the pursuit and recognition of excellence in motion picture film and televisual post production.
Australian Screen Sound Guild (ASSG) – assg.org.au
The ASSG represents the profession of screen sound in film, television, multimedia and other related audio industries.
Australian Society of Authors (ASA) – www.asauthors.org
The ASA is the principal advocate for the professional and artistic interests of Australian authors.
Australian Textile Arts and Surface Design Association (ATASDA) – www.atasda.org.au
ATASDA a national non-profit organisation that was formed to support and showcase Australian Textile Artists and Surface Designers.
Australian Web industry Association (AWIA) – www.webindustry.org.au
AWIA’s purpose is to keep members up to date with news, events, resources and best practice in the Australian web industry.
Australian Writers’ Guild (AWG) – www.awg.com.au
The AWG is the peak industry body representing writers for stage, screen and radio.
Colorist Society International (CSI) – www.coloristsociety.com
Colorist Society International (CSI) strives to advance the craft, education and awareness of the art and science of color grading and color correction.
Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) – www.cbaa.org.au
The CBAA champions community broadcasting by building stations’ capability and by creating a healthy environment for the sector to thrive.
Contemporary Art Organisations Australia (CAOA) – www.caoa.com.au
A national network of fifteen public, independent, non-collecting contemporary art organisations from all Australian states and territories that advocates for the small-to-medium contemporary visual arts sector in Australia.
Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) – chass.org.au
The Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) exists to raise awareness of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) and their critical role in building the societies of the future.
Council of Textile & Fashion Industries of Australia (TFIA) – www.tfia.com.au
The TFIA has been successfully representing Textile, Clothing and Footwear (TCF) industries since the 1940s.
Creative Australia – creative.gov.au
Previously Australia Council for the Arts, Creative Australia is the Australian Government’s arts funding and advisory body.
Design institute of Australia – www.design.org.au
DIA is the organisation through which designers work for the future of the design professions in Australia.
Illustrators Australia – www.illustratorsaustralia.com
IA helps Australian and New Zealand illustrators to promote themselves throughout the industry.
Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA) – www.igea.net
IGEA is an independent industry association representing the business and public policy interests of Australian and New Zealand companies in the computer and video game industry.
Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) – iped-editors.org
PIEd exists to advance the profession of text or word-based editing. Branches of IPEd host workshops, seminars, meetings and other events that are open to members. IPEd has also established the Editors Directory.
Live Performance Australia – www.liveperformance.com.au
LPA is the peak body for the Live Performance industry.
Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) – www.alliance.org.au
MEAA was formed in 1992 as the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance from the merger of three organisations: the Australian Journalists Association, Actors Equity of Australia, and the Australian Theatrical & Amusement Employees Association. Members include people working in TV, radio, theatre & film, entertainment venues, recreation grounds, journalists, actors, dancers, sportspeople, cartoonists, photographers, orchestral and opera performers as well as people working in public relations, advertising, book publishing and website production… in fact everyone who works in the industries that inform or entertain.
Music Australia (MEAA) – musicaustralia.org.au
Music Australia exists to strengthen Australia’s musical futures as the leading national advocate for industry, community and education, delivering quality information, services and engagement.
Musicians Union of Australia (MEAA) – www.musicians.asn.au
The MUA protects the interests of Australian musicians, and represents musicians at all levels of government and industry.
National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) – www.visualarts.net.au
NAVA is the representative and respected voice for Australian visual arts.
National Craft Initiative (NCI) – www.nationalcraftinitiative.com.au
National Craft Initiative supports, builds and advocates for the craft/design sector in Australia.
Performing Arts Connections Australia – paca.org.au
Performing Arts Connections Australia is the national peak body representing and supporting performing arts presenters and creators in Australia by providing leadership, building capacity and facilitating relationships that strengthens the connection between the art and the audience.
Playwriting Australia – www.pwa.org.au
Playwriting Australia is the national peak body for playwriting, with a mission to support the development and promotion of great new Australian writing for performance.
Regional Arts Australia (RAA) – regionalarts.com.au
RAA is the key national body representing those working with and for the arts in regional and remote Australia.
Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) – www.spaa.org.au
SPAA unites screen businesses to campaign for a healthy commercial environment.
Theatre Network NSW (TNN) – tnn.org.au
TNN offer resource sharing, networks, advice and advocacy for anyone working in the theatre.
UNIMA Australia (Union Internationale de la Marionnette) – www.unima.org.au
UNIMA Australia is an association that supports and connects puppeteers, puppet makers and all people interested in puppetry arts in Australia and world-wide.
Women In Film and Television Australia (WIFT) – wiftaustralia.org.au
Empowering, advocating for and connecting women in film and television across the nation.
World Craft Councils Australia – wccaustralia.org.au
Australia ACC is the national entity representing Australia in the World Crafts Council.
And you can find even more organisations here!
Photo by Jessica Sysengrath on Unsplash