Artistic Director
Determines and oversees implementation of artistic policies for a performing arts organisation such as a theatre company, dance company, music ensemble, festival or venue.
ANZSCO 2013, the edition the department applies to the points tested visas (189, 190 and 491).
Duties
Published for unit group 2121 Artistic Directors, and Media Producers and Presenters
- managing artistic and media productions to meet quality, cost and timing specifications
- formulating and developing organisations' artistic policies and selecting and planning organisations' artistic programs
- hiring and managing artistic staff
- controlling the use of media production facilities such as studios and editing equipment, stage and film equipment and rehearsal time
- directing the formulation of media production strategies, policies and plans
- introducing programs, music, entertainment items, guests and celebrities
- preparing and reading news bulletins, making special announcements and providing commentary for sports and other events
- presenting opinions on sports, politics, and social and economic matters
- researching, investigating and compiling stories and programs
This is what the occupation is, not what a skills assessment requires. The assessing body applies its own criteria on top of this, and those criteria are not published here. Check them with the body itself.
Who assesses this occupation
Last confirmed against the department's list on 30 July 2026.
This occupation reads differently for the 186 and 482
Two editions of ANZSCO are current at once, and the department applies ANZSCO 2022 to the employer sponsored visas while everything above follows ANZSCO 2013.
The definition is identical in both editions, but the published duties are not:
- managing artistic and media productions to meet quality, cost, and timing specifications
- formulating and developing organisations' artistic policies and selecting and planning organisations' artistic programs
- hiring and managing artistic staff
- controlling the use of media production facilities such as studios and editing equipment, stage and film equipment and rehearsal time
- directing the formulation of media production strategies, policies and plans
- introducing programs, music, entertainment items, guests and celebrities
- preparing and reading news bulletins, making special announcements and providing commentary for sports and other events
- presenting opinions on sports, politics, and social and economic matters
- researching, investigating and compiling stories and programs
If you are going for a 186 or a 482, this is the wording that governs you. Everything above governs the points tested routes.
Where Artistic Director stands right now
Vizard tracks the live queue for this occupation: how many people are waiting at every points score for the 491, the recent invitation round cutoffs, and how far down the queue your own score puts you.
Updated to 1 June 2026, from the department's own SkillSelect data.
See where you standWhere this comes from
Definition and duties: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ANZSCO
Assessing authorities and skilled lists: Department of Home Affairs skilled occupation list
Vizard is not a registered migration agent and nothing here is migration advice. It is published government information, organised. For advice on your own situation, speak to a registered migration agent.