In March 2019, the Government of Australia appointed Arena as a board member of the Australia Council for the Arts for a three-year term. The Australia Council for the Arts, informally known as the "Australia Council", is the principal arts council or arts funding body of the federal government of Australia. Australian Arts Minister, Mitch Fifield, released a statement that Arena will be a welcome influence, "The high-profile singer-songwriter, musician and musical theatre actor brings significant experience as an artist to the board".