Welcome to Australian Major Performing Arts Group

Live performance – theatre, circus, contemporary dance, classical ballet, concerts, opera, musicals and comedy – creates a rich and vibrant cultural life for all Australians.

Involvement in the performing arts, on or off the stage, inspires creativity and fosters excellence. It cultivates our future leaders.

The Australian Major Performing Arts Group or AMPAG as its often called, is the umbrella group for Australia’s 28 major performing arts companies who inspire millions in schools and theatres across the country and the world. The companies have a commitment to the achievement and maintenance of excellence in performance, and to engaging in new and creative ways of entertaining and inspiring people.

We work to ensure that the brilliance of these companies is adequately supported by the government – Federal, state and local – and accessible to all Australians.

On this site you’ll find out information about AMPAG members, a calendar which lists their opening nights (sign up to the email alerts!), current issues that we are working on, some information on arts funding and also what you can do to advocate for the arts. You can also Play Your Part in the Arts by registering with the We All Play a Part campaign to celebrate Australian creativity.

NEWS

Serve the arts parties right

MICHAEL Kantor, the outgoing artistic director of the Malthouse Theatre, says that given the lamentable performance of politicians during this federal election campaign it's hard to single out the arts as a poorly served constituency. ''Because everything has been poorly served,'' says Kantor. But still, he says, it's hard not to feel hard done by given the piecemeal policies put forward by the major parties. ''None of them speak to a vision of how the arts are part of Australian culture.'' read more

Parties gamble on creative fortunes

FOUR days before the election, the Coalition has finally released an arts policy, albeit in a foyer of Jupiter's Casino on the Gold Coast. read more

Opera Australia to scale Ring's epic heights

AMONG international opera companies, Wagner's 15-hour opera The Ring is known as "The Curse''.  read more

The arts will guide us through the 21st century with style and flair

Music, dance and theatre will adapt to the changing times to reflect the new patchwork culture.  read more

Election messages for the performing arts

Endorsed by the Australian Performing Arts Centres Association (APACA), Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG) and Live Performance Australia (LPA) read more