Asia Pacific Arts Awards
When
Monday 18 January 2027Where
Powerhouse Parramatta, SydneyReturning to Sydney in 2027, Creative Australia’s Asia Pacific Arts Awards celebrates the exceptional artists and creative forces shaping the Asia-Pacific. Join us for an inspiring evening of connection, collaboration, and contemporary practice with artists and cultural leaders from across the region. Register your interest in attending today. Places are limited, so early registration is encouraged.
When: Monday 18 January 2027, 6-11pm (AEDT)
Where: Powerhouse Parramatta, Sydney
Register
If you have any questions, please contact Asia Pacific Arts Awards Team on 1800 226 912 or asiapacificartsawards@creative.gov.au.
Award Categories
Connect
Awarded to an Australian organisation for delivering an intersectional program to diverse audiences over the last 18 months.
Innovation
Awarded to an Australian artist, group, collective or arts organisation to recognise a unique method of practice, engagement, and/or process to build creative links in Asia or the Pacific.
Impact
Awarded to an Australian artist, group/collective or arts organisation for significant international and intercultural impact on communities and/or audiences in Asia or the Pacific for a body of work over 5-10 years.
Inspire (Individuals, Collectives, Groups)
Awarded to an Australian artist, group or collective for a project of artistic merit, or a significant body of work that was co-presented, co-produced, or co-developed, in Asia or the Pacific.
Inspire (Organisations)
Awarded to an arts organisation or cultural institution for a project of artistic merit, or a significant body of work that was co-presented, co-produced or co-developed in Asia or the Pacific.
Legacy
Awarded to an individual or arts organisation that has demonstrated leadership and commitment to working interculturally and internationally, building the capacity of communities and audiences, or opening pathways for a new wave of diverse artists, over 10+ years.
History of the Awards
The previous iteration of Asia Pacific Arts Awards (called the Australian Arts in Asia and the Pacific Awards) was held in 2013, delivered by the Office for the Arts.
In 2013, these awards focused on fourteen categories, recognising artists and/or groups working across various artforms. Creative Australia’s new categories aim to centralise artists, groups/ collectives and arts organisations that have done significant work in the region.
On 30 January 2023, the Australian Government released its landmark National Cultural Policy—Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place available at arts.gov.au/culturalpolicy.
One of the actions in Revive is the reintroduction of the Asia Pacific Arts Awards to be delivered by Creative Australia in line with the functions of Creative Australia set out in the Creative Australia Act 2023 to recognise and reward the contribution of artists and others to the arts in Australia, support and promote the development of markets and audiences for the arts, and support arts practice that reflects the diversity of Australia.
Previous shortlists and recipients
2026 shortlist and recipients
Legacy Award
- William Yang [Recipient]
- Arts & Cultural Exchange (ACE)
- Brian Castro
- Dr Chandrabhanu Haroon
- Vipoo Srivilasa
Impact Award
- Small Island Big Song [Recipient]
- Marrugeku
- Aunty Sana Balai
- Winnie Dunn
- Yuriyal Bridgeman
Innovation Award
- Haji Oh [Recipient]
- Chamber Made with CultureLink Singapore
- Critical Path (for work by curator Matt Cornell)
- Regional // Regional (R//R)
- Threshold
Connect Award
- Encounter Theatre Inc [Recipient]
- ArtPlay
- Cypher Culture
- Liquid Architecture
- Performing Lines Tasmania
Inspire – Individuals, Collectives and Groups Award
- Hand to Earth [Recipient]
- Avra Banerjee
- Elyas Alavi
- Leyla Stevens
- Tian Zhang
Inspire – Organisations Award
- Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts (Asia TOPA 2025) [Recipient]
- Australian Art Orchestra (AAO) - Ane Te Abia
- Bangarra Dance Theatre - Horizon
- Mulgrave Gallery - The Invisible Line: Stories, Legends and Past Connections
- Patch Theatre - ZOOOM
2025 shortlist and recipients
Impact Award
- Liminal Magazine [Recipient]
- Belvoir St Theatre/Kurinji
- Latai Taumoepeau
- Annette Shun Wah
- James Mangohig
Innovation Award
- Bábbarra Women’s Centre with Tharangini Studio [Recipient]
- Arts House (Okkoota ಒಕ್ಕೂಟ)
- Footscray Community Arts (The Saison Foundation and Footscray Community Arts First Nations Art and Cultural Exchange)
- Pari and Arab Theatre Studio with Gudskul (Lumbung)
- RMIT University’s non/fictionLab (Connecting Asia Pacific Literary Cultures: Grounds for Encounter and Exchange)
Connect Award
- PacifiqueX [Recipient]
- Blacktown Arts
- Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre
- Refugee Art Project
- un Projects
Inspire (Individuals, Collectives, Groups)
- Taloi Havini [Recipient]
- Abdul Abdullah
- Léuli Eshrāghi
- Crossing Rivers (Paschal Daantos Berry, Roselle Pineda)
- Angela Tiatia
Inspire (Organisations)
- Wantok Musik Foundation (Hamoris Lian Timor - Reviving the Sound of Timor) [Recipient]
- 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art (4A.I.: Elsewhere in India)
- Arts House, Campbelltown Arts Centre, PICA (BLEED Biennale 2024)
- Indian Ocean Craft Triennial 2024 (IOTA 2024)
- National Gallery of Australia with National Gallery of Singapore (Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia)
Legacy
- Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan [Recipients]
- Leo Tanoi
- Yumi Umiumare
- Grace Vanilau
- Alexis Wright
2024 shortlist and recipients
Impact Award
- Chun Yin Rainbow Chan
- Grace Heifetz
- S. Shakthidharan
- Priya Srinivasan [Recipient]
- Annette Shun Wah
- William Yang
Innovation Award
- Australia-Taiwan First Nations Art Exchange 2023 (Sophie McIntyre)
- Hi Viz Satellites (Chamber Made)
- Hyphenated Projects [Recipient]
- Portside Review (Centre for Stories)
- Women’s Wealth (QAGOMA)
- Australian Art Orchestra
Inspire (Individuals, Collectives, Groups)
- Hoda Afshar
- Club Até [Recipient]
- Zoe Butt, Thailand
- Mayu Kanamori
- Luke George and Daniel Kok
- Monica Lim
- Kimberley Moulton
Inspire (Organisations)
- Chamber Made
- Contemporary Asian Australian Performance
- Gamelan DanAnda
- Marrugeku
- Restless Dance Theatre
- QAGOMA (Asia Pacific Triennial APT 10) [Recipient]
Judging panels
Expert industry advisors consider entries for the six award categories. The industry advisors are responsible for making recommendations to Creative Australia.
2026 judging panel
- Khadim Ali
- Reggie Ba-Pe III
- Jacob Boehme
- Ngioka Bunda-Heath
- Jay Emmanuel
- Nuala Furtado
- Jade Hadfield
- Corin Ileto
- Nusra Latif Qureshi
- Hau Latukefu
- Jamie Lewis
- Aijia (AJ) Li
- Jazz Money
- Sisonke Msimang
- Rosabel Tan
- Danielle Toua
- Panda Wong
- Sandi Woo
2025 judging panel
- Felix Preval
- Hoa Pham
- Jessica Clark
- Jinghua Qian
- Joanna Bayndrian
- Khaled Sabsabi
- Kimba Thompson
- Lynn Fu
- Maissa Alameddine
- Nicole Foreshew
- Ramesh Nithiyendran
- River Lin
- Shilo McNamee
- Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa
- Tarun Nagesh
- Thea-Mai Baumann
- Veronica Pardo
We acknowledge the many Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and honour their Elders past and present.
We respect their deep enduring connection to their lands, waterways, and surrounding clan groups since time immemorial. We cherish the richness of First Nations peoples’ artistic and cultural expressions. We are privileged to gather on this Country and to share knowledge, culture and art, now and with future generations.
