Activities in the cultural sector are governed by the bilateral agreement signed in Rome on 8 January 1975 and subsequent executive programmes. The latest Cultural Cooperation Programme implementing the Cultural Cooperation Agreement between Italy and Australia was signed in Rome on 8 May 2015 during the visit to Italy by the then Minister of Arts, Senator George Brandis, and Minister Dario Franceschini, for the bilateral cultural promotion in the fields of literature, music, visual arts, cinema, theatre, publishing and dissemination of publications, books, radio and television programmes, youth exchanges including sports, as well as for the encouragement of direct collaboration between Australian and Italian university, cultural and scientific institutions. In the film sector, there is a specific cooperation agreement for the co-production of film works signed on 28 June 1993.
Cultural cooperation aims above all at the dissemination of information on areas of excellence in our culture, with the collaboration of the Italian Cultural Institutes in Sydney and Melbourne. The Embassy is active in the promotion of Italian design, ancient and contemporary art, the promotion of Italian haute cuisine, cultural tourism with activities aimed at multiculturalism, the promotion of Italian cinema, the promotion of classical and modern Italian music and publishing, the promotion of Italian science and research and humanistic studies with conferences and specific meetings.
The two Italian Cultural Institutes in Melbourne and Sydney organise Italian courses for adults, events and cultural manifestations both independently and in collaboration with Australian organisations.