About Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport
The Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport creates social and economic opportunities for NSW. We are growing our creative industries and workforces, driving strong visitor and night-time economies, ensuring a responsible hospitality sector and putting arts, culture and sport at the heart of our communities.
What we do
Together we:
- Create social and economic opportunities for the state
- Support the creation of jobs across the creative, visitor and night-time economies
- Prioritise First Nations artists, stories and culture
- Ensure arts, culture and sport are at the heart of every community to be enjoyed and accessed by all
- Drive visitation through events, campaigns and visitor experience development
- Activate our night-time and creative economies to unlock unique precincts and community spaces
- Deliver a vibrant and responsible hospitality, liquor, racing and gaming environment
- Support NSW's key Cultural Institutions to ensure access for all, enable community experiences and education and preserve the state's diverse cultural assets and history.
We are delivering:
- NSW’s Arts, Culture and Creative Industries Policy: Creative Communities – championing arts and culture throughout the state. Expanding support for the broader creative industries including contemporary music, screen and digital games, and strengthening the creative sectors in regional NSW and Western Sydney.
- Ongoing Vibrancy Regulatory Reforms – creating an environment that reduces red tape and encourages operators within the creative industries and night-time economy sectors to launch and grow.
- 24-Hour Economy Strategy – a new expanded strategy to grow night-time economies in major centres across NSW.
- Hospitality and Racing Strategy 2025 – supporting a dynamic and responsible liquor, gaming and racing environment.
- NSW Screen and Digital Games Strategy – a 3-year plan to provide stability and sustainability within the NSW screen and digital games sectors, while supporting the growth of international markets.
- Contemporary Music Strategy – a 10-year strategy to drive the development of a thriving and globally competitive contemporary music industry.
- NSW Visitor Economy Strategy – supporting the sector to make NSW the premier visitor economy of the Asia Pacific.
- Participation in Sport and Active Recreation – supporting all individuals, communities and organisations across NSW to enjoy and realise the benefits of participating in sport and active recreation and supporting high performance sport.
Our department and related agencies
The Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport portfolio comprises divisions, agencies, offices, entities and business units.
Arts and cultural institutions
Founded in 1872, the Art Gallery of NSW is committed to making art a vital part of everyday life. We serve the widest possible audience as a centre of excellence for the collection, preservation, documentation, interpretation and display of Australian and international art. We are a forum for scholarship, art education and the exchange of ideas.
Established in 1827, The Australian Museum is a leading voice for the richness of life, the earth and culture in Australia and the Pacific. It is a dynamic hub of information, resources and research covering the region’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.
The Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) is Australia’s contemporary museum for excellence and innovation in applied arts and sciences. Our venues include the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo, Powerhouse Museum in Parramatta, Sydney Observatory and Museums Discovery Centre. We are uniquely placed to demonstrate how technology, engineering, science and design impact Australia and the world.
Museums of History NSW brings together the historic houses, museums and collections previously in the care of Sydney Living Museums with the vast archives and records in the NSW State Archives Collection. We provide greater access to these assets and to a broad range of stories about our social, cultural and political histories and identities. The agency also has responsibility for managing and storing government records for NSW public sector offices.
The State Library of NSW collects and preserves materials and evidence relating to our place in the world and makes them accessible to everyone in NSW and beyond. The library exists to support and encourage research, debate, conversation, inspiration, learning and enjoyment. The State Library of NSW is governed by the Library Council of NSW.
State Records NSW is the NSW Government’s records management authority. Our core role is to support transparent and accountable government by ensuring that government records are properly created, managed and made accessible to the public.
The Sydney Opera House is a World Heritage-listed masterpiece of “human creative genius” that belongs to all Australians. It is Australia’s number one tourist destination and its busiest performing art centre.
Agencies
Destination NSW is the NSW Government agency for the tourism and major events sector. We aim to achieve economic and social benefits for the people of NSW through the development of tourism and the securing of major events. Learn more on the Visit NSW and sydney.com websites.
The Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission is the independent regulator of the greyhound industry in NSW. The Commission was one of the main recommendations from the Greyhound Industry Reform Panel, which was set up to provide new animal welfare and governance arrangements to reform the greyhound industry.
The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) is an independent statutory body established under the Gaming and Liquor Administration Act 2007. We review and determine contentious licensing proposals and take disciplinary action against licensees and others where necessary.
The NSW Independent Casino Commission (NICC) is a statutory authority created under the Casino Control act 1992. We address the risks and harms arising from casino operations through increased regulatory oversight.
The NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) is the state’s high performance sports organisation, supporting NSW athletes to become world’s best.
The Office of Sport is the lead NSW Government agency for sport and active recreation. Through its mission to build active communities, it provides leadership, policies, programs, funding and infrastructure to help create healthier people, connect communities and make a stronger NSW.
Venues NSW manages a network of public sporting and entertainment facilities in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Its story began with the establishment of the Sydney Cricket Ground in the 1850s and around its network, Venues NSW hosts the biggest sports and concert artists in the world.
Entities
Create NSW is responsible for furthering the NSW Government’s vision for NSW to be known for its bold and exciting arts and culture that engages the community and reflects the state’s rich diversity. We invest in the success and future of arts, screen and culture in NSW through infrastructure and funding programs.
Liquor & Gaming NSW regulates the liquor, gaming, wagering, casino and registered clubs sectors in NSW. We’re also committed to partnership with industry to support business.
The Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner is bringing State and Local Governments and industry together to create safe and vibrant opportunities for people to enjoy Sydney.
The Office of Racing provides racing policy advice and manages legislation to support the effective oversight and economic viability of racing in NSW. We also manage relationships between the NSW Government and organisations responsible for the 3 racing codes – thoroughbred (horses), greyhound and harness.
The Office of Responsible Gambling leads the development of responsible gambling strategies and public policy advice to the NSW Government, while supporting and managing the Responsible Gambling Fund (RGF), the Club Grants Category 3 Fund Infrastructure Grants program and the Community Development Fund.
As NSW’s film agency, Screen NSW supports our screen industry through a vast range of initiatives and promotes NSW as a premier filmmaking destination.
Sound NSW is a dedicated office within the NSW Government committed to the growth, development and promotion of contemporary music in NSW.