Australia’s cultural institutions to receive $535m funding package in May federal budget

National gallery, library and museum among organisations to be thrown financial lifeline after years of underfunding

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A half-billion dollar package to be shared among Australia's national collecting institutions over the next four years will be part of May's federal budget, in a step to ameliorate the effects of years of underfunding in the cultural sector.

The arts minister, Tony Burke, and the finance minister, Katy Gallagher, will make the $535m pre-budget announcement on Wednesday, throwing a financial lifeline to beleaguered institutions such as the National Gallery of Australia, the National Library of Australia and the National Museum of Australia.

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