Industry voices, including artists like Lisa Waup and Danie Mellor, warn that projects and programming may need to be rethought amid broader arts funding cuts.

Chief executive and artistic director Anne Virgo called the funding loss catastrophic, forcing crisis management and threatening the organisation’s future.

Creative Victoria offered six months of interim funding, but the workshop has not yet accessed it and cannot replace a general manager due to financial strain.

David Latham of Save Our Arts criticized the cuts as inadequate and potentially harmful to cultural incubators and small organisations.

Melbourne’s Australian Print Workshop, a national hub for fine art printmaking, faces an emergency after losing its four-year Creative Victoria funding of about $168,630 annually beyond 2025.

Creative Victoria had not yet commented as the report went to print, underscoring the wider trend of funding reductions hitting smaller arts organisations.

The workshop runs a gallery and collaborative printmaking space, with works in major collections and international shows, and has a track record of collaborating with Aboriginal artists.

Even with the funding gap, public interest in fine art printmaking remains strong, as shown by attendance at the Melbourne Art Print Fair.

The centre also receives about $100,000 annually from Creative Australia and relies on philanthropic support, while owning its Fitzroy building and maintaining some cash reserves.