Sir Robert William Askin Operatic Scholarship

Travelling scholarship to support the professional development of a man or male under 30 with outstanding ability and promise in opera.

About the Scholarship

The Sir Robert William Askin Operatic Scholarship was established by a Deed of Lady Mollie Askin to further culture and advance education in Australia by providing a travelling scholarship for Australian citizens with outstanding ability and promise in opera.

The scholarship is awarded biennially to a young man or male candidate who has outstanding ability and promise in opera. The scholarship is worth $30,000, payable in two instalments of $15,000 over two years.

A list of previous recipients is available here.

Who can apply

Applications for the Sir Robert William Askin Operatic Scholarship are open to individual artists who identify as a man or male and are Australian citizens aged 18 – 29 at the closing date.

These are terms established by the Sir Robert William Askin Operatic Scholarship Trust. There are no exceptions to these requirements.

If you are an Australian citizen but will have difficulty providing a copy of a birth certificate, passport or citizenship certificate, please contact Artists Services.

Who can’t apply

You can’t apply for a scholarship if:

you have an overdue grant report
you owe money to Creative Australia
you were previously awarded a Sir Robert William Askin Operatic Scholarship.

Scholarship funds can be used to assist with study programs, professional training courses and mentor programs that would not otherwise be obtainable due to lack of financial resources.

Scholarship proposals will be reviewed by Creative Australia staff. We may seek industry advice on your scholarship before making our recommendations to Perpetual, who will make the final decision.

The decision of Perpetual is final, and no feedback will be provided on your application or the decision.

Your application will be assessed against two criteria:

the potential of the applicant
the viability of the proposal.

Scholarship applications are submitted through Creative Australia’s Application Management System (AMS).

Once logged into the AMS, click on ‘Apply for a Grant’ from the left panel menu. Scroll down the list of opportunities. Under ‘Co-Investment Opportunities’ select ‘The Sir Robert William Askin Operatic Scholarship’.

The type of questions we ask you in the application form include:

your name and contact details
your gender
confirmation that you are an Australian citizen
confirmation of your age
information about your practice, your professional experience and your career goals
the proposed aims and activities of your scholarship (names of teachers/institutions, travel plans, dates, etc.), and how your planned activities will assist your career
supporting material relevant to your proposal.

Additional material can be submitted to support your application. We will review support material to understand your artistic practice and viability of your proposal.

We do not accept support materials submitted via post. Application-related material received by post will not be assessed and will be returned to the sender. If you think you will have difficulty submitting your support material online, please contact Artists Services.

You can submit the following support material with your application:

1. Artistic support material

You may submit up to two URLs (web links). These URLs should be direct links to material that can include video, audio, images, and writing.

Please provide:

1. - a direct link/URL to a video or audio recording of a performance.

Letters of support

You may include up to three letters of support or written references for you and your scholarship, with each letter not exceeding one A4 page. The letters should explain how the proposed scholarship will benefit you.

Our preferred method of receiving support material is via URLs (weblinks). However, if you cannot supply artistic support material via URL, we will accept artistic support material in the following formats:

1. - video (MP4 and Windows Media)
  - audio (MP3 and Windows Media)
  - images (JPEG and PowerPoint)
  - written material (PDF).

Please note: Our assessors will not access any URLs that require them to log in or sign up to a platform. Please do not provide links to Spotify or other applications that require users to log in or pay for access.

If you are linking to media files that are private or password protected like Vimeo, please provide the password in the password field on the application form.

To find out more about support material, including advice on how to get examples of your work online, please contact Artists Services.

Key dates

Applications close: Tuesday 6 February 2024, 3pm AEDT (or earlier if application limit is met).

Amount: $30,000

Notification: Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by the end of April 2024.

Apply now

Please note: Perpetual will only accept a limited number of applications annually. Once this limit is met, no further applications can be submitted.

APIEF Fundraising Residential 2023

Five-day training event designed for early-to-mid career arts fundraisers.

About the opportunity

We have partnered with the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) to offer five places at their upcoming major residential training event, the Asia Pacific Institute in Educational Fundraising (APIEF).

This five-day event will be held at Novotel 10/14 Eastern Beach Rd, Geelong VIC on the 23rd–27th of October 2023.

Run by experts in educational and arts fundraising, APIEF is an in-depth training event offering interactive sessions covering a diverse range of topics including annual and regular giving, major gifts, bequests and legacies, campaigns, stewardship, ethics, effective prospect tracking, making the case for support and more.

This opportunity is for early-to-mid career arts fundraisers representing an arts organisation with an emerging and/or established fundraising program.

This opportunity includes:

A pass to the four-day training program
Four nights of accommodation at Novotel 10/14 Eastern Beach Rd (check in Monday 23
October, check out Friday 27 October)
Institute materials and meals as indicated in the event schedule.

Any additional transport and accommodation costs will be the responsibility of the participant. Each place at the event is valued at A$4,860.

We encourage you to visit the APIEF website for the full program and information on presenters, sessions and opportunities.

Applicants must be employed in a role that includes fundraising or development.

Applicant organisations must:

Be based in Australia and carrying out most of their arts activity or practice within
Australia
Be a legally constituted entity (with an ABN)
Be registered as a not-for-profit organisation, as defined by the Australian Taxation
Office (ATO)*, and;
Be operating with the primary purpose of providing arts and cultural opportunities for
Australian artists and audiences

*Definitions of not-for-profit entities may be found on the ATO and ASIC websites.

All expressions of interest (EOI) must outline:

Your organisation’s primary purpose
How the opportunity will benefit you
How the opportunity will benefit your organisation, and;
Your history of fundraising training

Programs team
T: 03 9616 0321
E: cpa.programs@creative.gov.au

Arts leadership

Key dates

EOI opens: Thursday 10 August 2023, 12pm AEST
EOI closes: Thursday 7 September 2023, 5pm AEST
Assessment: Friday 8th September to Tuesday 19th September
Applicants notified: Friday 22 September
APIEF: Monday 23 October 2023 – Friday 27th October 2023

Before you submit your EOI, read these guidelines thoroughly and contact our programs staff with any questions.

Submit EOI

Visiting International Publishers (VIPs) Program – Committee Members 23-26

Seeking Australian rights managers and publishers to join the VIPs Committee from 23-26.

About the program

The Visiting International Publishers (VIPs) program invites international publishers, scouts and literary agents to Australia each year, to showcase Australia’s literary talent, discuss global publishing trends, strengthen cross-cultural relationships, and promote the sale of rights to Australian titles in international markets. The week-long schedule of business meetings, networking events, and industry forum panel discussions is delivered in Sydney across the same dates as the Sydney Writers’ Festival each year.

Since its inception, the program has been delivered in consultation with a Committee of Australian industry representatives, selected on the basis of their extensive industry expertise and international market knowledge. They represent a range of skills and experience across the Australian publishing industry, have strong connections internationally, and are passionate about Australian writers and writing.

Two of our current Committee members Anne Beilby from Text Publishing, and Gaby Naher from Left Bank Literary are concluding their terms this year, and we would like to sincerely thank them for their generous contribution of expertise, enthusiasm and patience across the pandemic disrupted years of the program.

We are seeking two industry representatives to fill their positions on the Committee.

Membership of the Committee comprises a rights manager, a publisher, and a literary agent, with at least one of the Committee members specialising in books for younger readers. With Annabel Barker from Annabel Barker Agency continuing her term as our literary agent representative, we invite applications from publishers and rights managers working in adult fiction and non-fiction (or across lists for both adults and younger readers).

Applications are now open for positions on the Committee for the next three years, with the 2024 program dates of 20-26 May 2024.

If you need advice about applying, contact an Artists Services Officer.

Responsibilities include:

selection of the VIPs each year;
assistance with program planning and events, in particular the industry forum;
availability for the duration of the program week to host the VIPs in Sydney;
promoting the program internationally to encourage suitable applications.

An honorarium of $1,500 will be paid to the successful candidates as a contribution towards their work on the program. Return economy airfares to Sydney and accommodation for the program dates will also be covered, along with meals at official VIPs events.

All other costs associated with participation in the VIPs program are the responsibility of the individual.

Further details will be provided to committee members upon invitation.

Who can apply

- Australian rights managers and publishers working in adult fiction and non-fiction (or those working across lists for both adults and younger readers)

Who can’t apply

Your application will be considered ineligible if:

you do not meet the eligibility criteria for the grant category to which you are applying
you received a grant, or administered a grant, from the Australia Council in the past and that grant has not been satisfactorily acquitted
you owe money to the Australia Council
it includes requests for funding for activities that have already occurred.

Our staff will assess your application against the published selection criteria and will seek recommendations by industry advisors as needed.

You will be notified of the outcome of your application approximately six weeks after the closing date.

Expressions of Interest are reviewed against a framework which considers the overall mix of representatives necessary to reflect the Australian publishing industry, including:

1. Rights managers and publishers

2. Genres and areas of expertise

3. A mix of smaller and larger publishing houses

4. Geographic spread across states and territories

Applicants are required to respond to the following selection criteria:

1. Industry experience and knowledge of international markets

2. The contribution you can make to the success of the program

Your application must comply with the following Protocols. We may contact you to request further information during the assessment process, or if successful, as a condition of your funding.

Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts

All applications involving First Nations artists, communities, or subject matter must adhere to these Protocols, and evidence of this must be provided in the application and support material. Read more.

Commonwealth Child Safe Framework

All successful applicants are required to comply with Australian law relating to employing or engaging people who work or volunteer with children, including working with children checks and mandatory reporting. Successful organisations who provide services directly to children, or whose funded activities involve contact with children, will also be required to implement the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

You must consider how you will promote health and safety and mitigate risk. This includes taking into account the latest Australian Government COVID-19 health and travel advice.

If your application is successful, you will be responsible for your own COVID-19 safety planning and risk management.

No supporting material is required. Please note that you will be unable to attach supporting material to your online application.

You are not required to submit a budget with your application.

If your application is successful, you are responsible for your own COVID-19 safety planning and risk management. This includes taking into account the latest Australian Government COVID-19 health and travel advice.

To discuss your application, please contact Karen Le Roy, Acting Manager, International Engagement on 02 9215 9054 or k.leroy@creative.gov.au.

International

Key dates

Applications close: Tuesday 19 September 2023 at 3pm AEST

Program dates: 2023-2026
Location: Online, Sydney
Amount: $1,500

Please note: To apply to Tuesday 19 September closing date you must be registered in our application management system by 4pm AEST on Monday 18 September.

If you have a question, or need help with your application, please call or email us.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application approximately six weeks after the closing date.

International Touring and Presentation Fund

$5,000 to $50,000 to support international touring, showcasing and presentation opportunities.

Stephanie Lake Company, Colossus, 2022. Taipei International Festival, Taiwan. Image courtesy of the artist

Online information session

Watch our information session about the new programs here.

About the program

This fund supports international touring, showcasing and presentation opportunities for Australian artists and creative workers.

Tours, showcases and presentations can take place in-person, online, or in a combination of in-person and online (hybrid).

Individuals, groups and organisations (including small businesses) may apply to this category. International organisations that are presenting Australian artists or creative workers are also eligible to apply.

Applicants can propose a single event, presentation or showcase or a program of activity in multiple locations.

The activities you are applying for through this fund must be fully confirmed.

Only one application can be made to this category per closing date.

Funding amounts are available between $5,000 to $50,000.

Applications must meet at least one of our International Engagement Strategy 2021–2025 priorities:

rethink and expand the concept of mobility through testing dynamic engagement models that include digital, hybrid and in-person connection
leverage technologies and digital platforms for creation, distribution, networking, and increasing discoverability of Australian work
activate borderless thinking to build reciprocal and multilateral partnerships across regions and industries, and leverage co-investment
strengthen First Nations exchange that is First Nations-led and self-determined
amplify Asia Pacific engagement, and the perspectives of the Asia Pacific diaspora in Australia
diversify income and revenue streams to foster sustainable careers and business models by increasing access to markets, information and networks and showcase Australian work to global audiences and influencers
foster creative risk-taking, experimentation and innovation in creation, distribution, connection and profile-building
centre equity and access and reflect Australia’s diversity
embed sustainability through research and investment in best-practice models and frameworks to minimise the sector’s carbon footprint.

Supported activities must last no longer than two years from the proposed start date.

Your project must consider the latest government travel advice regarding COVID-19.

Please read through the following grant guidelines.

If you need advice about applying, contact an Artists Services Officer.

Who can apply

You can only submit one application to each closing date for the International Touring and Presentation Fund.
You cannot have applied to the Tuesday 5 September 2023 closing date for the Arts Projects grant categories for the same activity.
Individuals, groups and organisations (including small businesses) may apply to this category.
International organisations can apply for projects that benefit practicing Australian artists or creative workers, their work or Australian audiences.
International publishers seeking support to translate Australian works by living authors of creative writing, and Australian publishers seeking support to translate non-English works into English by Australian translators must apply to the Translation Fund for Literature.

Who can’t apply

You can’t apply for a grant if:

you have already applied to this closing date for the International Touring and Presentation Fund
you have already applied to the Tuesday 5 September 2023 closing date for the Arts Projects grant categories for the same activity
you have an overdue grant report
you owe money to Creative Australia
your organisation receives investment through the National Performing Arts Partnership Framework
your organisation receives a combined total of more than $520,000 annually (per calendar year) through the Four Year Funding program, and/or the Visual Arts and Crafts Strategy funding from 2021 to 2024
you are an international publisher seeking support to translate Australian works by living authors of creative writing, or an Australian publisher seeking support to translate non-English works into English by Australian translators. You must apply to the Translation Fund for Literature.

What can be applied for

You may apply for costs associated with confirmed international tours, showcases or presentation.

Activities may take place in-person, online, or a combination of in-person and online (hybrid activities).

Eligible costs include but are not limited to:

fees for artists and creative workers for showcasing opportunities
a reasonable contribution towards artist and creative worker fees relating to remount or pre-production costs, for tours or presentations
flights, accommodation, per diems, ground transport costs
travel insurance
visas, COVID-19-related tests or documentation
freight or baggage costs
production expenses, including for remounting existing works
project management costs
childcare, carer and access costs
costs associated with reducing the environmental impact of your activity.

Access costs are legitimate expenses and may be included in your application. We encourage applicants to ensure that their work is accessible to everyone. Budgets may include costs associated with making activities accessible to a wide range of people (e.g. performances using Auslan, translation to other languages, captioning, audio description, temporary building adjustments, and materials in other formats).

If you are a d/Deaf applicant, an applicant with disability, or are working with d/Deaf artists or artists with disability, you may apply for access costs associated with the use of an interpreter, translation services, specific technical equipment, carer or support worker assistance. Please contact Artists Services to discuss your specific needs.

What can’t be applied for

You can’t apply for:

unconfirmed international tours, showcases or presentations
touring or presentation activities where there is no reasonable contribution to fees for artists or creative workers from the presenting partner/s
activities that are not international tours, showcases or presentations (apply for the International Engagement Fund instead)
outbound international market development activities (apply for the International Travel Fund instead)
international tours, presentations or showcases that do not involve or benefit Australian practicing artists or creative workers
international tours, presentations or showcases that do not have a clearly-defined arts component
international tours, presentations or showcases that have already taken place
activities engaging with First Nations content, artists and communities that do not adhere to the our First Nations Cultural & Intellectual Property Protocols.
support to translate Australian works by living authors of creative writing, or an Australian publisher seeking support to translate non-English works into English by Australian translators. You must apply to the Translation Fund for Literature.

Your application must comply with the following Protocols. We may contact you to request further information during the assessment process, or if successful, as a condition of your funding.

Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts

All applications involving First Nations artists, communities or subject matter must adhere to these Protocols, provide evidence of this in their application and support material. More information on the First Nations Protocols is available here.

Commonwealth Child Safe Framework

All successful applicants are required to comply with all Australian law relating to employing or engaging people who work or volunteer with children, including working with children checks and mandatory reporting. Successful organisations who provide services directly to children, or whose funded activities involve contact with children, will additionally be required to implement the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

Industry Advisors will assess your application against the published assessment criteria. Our staff will moderate the assessment.

You must respond to all three selection criteria: viability, impact and strategic focus.

Listed under each criterion are points the assessors may consider when reviewing your application.

Viability

Assessors will consider whether your activity is feasible. Some ways to consider viability are listed below. You do not need to respond to every bullet point.

The relevance and timeliness of the proposed project.
The skills and abilities of those involved, and their relevance to the project.
Realistic and achievable planning and resource use, including contingency and COVID-safe plans for projects that involve public presentations, domestic or international travel.
Well-researched and rationalised activity, particularly if this is your first engagement with an international market.
Extent of sustainable practices, multiple engagements and/or slow touring or concept touring, where the idea, process, or work travels but the artist does not.
Appropriate payments to participating artists, creative professionals, collaborators, participants, or cultural consultants.
Measures being applied to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people involved in the project
Measures being applied to ensure the proposed activity is accessible.
Where relevant to the project, evidence that the protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts have been adhered to, or the relevant cultural protocols for the international jurisdiction in which you are working.
Evidence of appropriate consultation with participants, audiences or communities.
The role of partners or collaborators, including confirmation of any income and co-funding, including earned income, grants, sponsorship and in-kind contributions.

Impact

Assessors will consider the impact of your activity. Some ways to consider impact are listed below. You do not need to respond to every bullet point.

The extent to which this activity develops an international market or relationship for, or enhances international networks, audiences, and profile.
The contribution of the activity towards re-imagining the future for international engagement in the cultural and creative industries.
The extent to which the activity contributes to a sector that is accessible, inclusive and equitable.

Strategic focus

Assessors will consider how your activity meets one or more of the strategic priorities identified in our International Engagement Strategy 2021–2025.

You must respond to one or more of the bullet points listed below.

Rethink and expand the concept of mobility through testing dynamic engagement models that include digital, hybrid and in-person connection.
Leverage technologies and digital platforms for creation, distribution, networking, and increase discoverability of Australian work.
Activate borderless thinking to build reciprocal and multilateral partnerships across regions and industries, and leverage co-investment.
Strengthen First Nations exchange that is First Nations-led and self-determined.
Amplify Asia Pacific engagement, and the perspectives of the Asia Pacific diaspora in Australia.
Diversify income and revenue streams to foster sustainable careers and business models by increasing access to markets, information and networks and showcase Australian work to global audiences and influencers.
Foster risk-taking, experimentation and innovation in creation, distribution, connection and profile-building.
Centre equity and access and reflect Australia’s diversity.
Embed sustainability through research and investment in best-practice models and frameworks to minimise the sector’s carbon footprint.

The types of questions we ask in the application form include:

a title for your project
a summary of your project
a brief description of the organisation applying
an outline of your project and what you want to do
a timetable or itinerary for your project
a description of the outcome your project delivers
a projected budget which details the expenses, income, and in-kind support of the project
supporting material as relevant to your project, including examples of your work, bios of additional artists, and letters of support or permission from participants, communities, First Nations organisation, and Elders.

You should submit support material with your application. The peer assessors may review this support material to help them gain a better sense of your project.

We do not accept application-related support material submitted via post. Application-related material received by post will not be assessed and will be returned to the sender. If you think you will have difficulty submitting your support material online, or need advice on what type of material to submit, please contact Artists Services.

There are four types of support material you may submit:

1. Artistic support material

This should include relevant, recent examples of your artistic or cultural work, or the services you provide.

Types of support material we accept

Our preferred method of receiving support material is via URLs (weblinks).

You can provide up to three URLs (weblinks) that link to content that is relevant to your proposal. This may include video, audio, images, or written material.

These URLs can include a total of:

10 minutes of video and/or audio recording
10 images
10 pages of written material (for example, excerpts of literary writing).

Please note: Our peer assessors will not access any URLs that require them to log in or sign up to a platform. Please do not provide links to Spotify or other applications that require users to log in or pay for access.

If you are linking to media files that are private or password protected like Vimeo, please provide the password in the password field on the application form.

Other accepted file formats:

If you cannot supply support material via URLs, you may upload support material to your application in the following formats:

video (MP4, QuickTime, and Windows Media)
audio (MP3 and Windows Media)
images (JPEG and PowerPoint)
written material (Word and PDF).

2. Biographies and CVs

You can include a brief bio or curriculum vitae (CV) for key artists, personnel or other collaborators involved in your project.

Brief bios or CV information should be presented as a single document no longer than two A4 pages in total.

3. Letters of confirmation

You must provide letters of confirmation from all presenting partners, such as festivals and venues. Each letter must include confirmation of:

any invitations, partner fees or contributions to the activity, whether cash or in-kind.

Please provide a single link to all letters or scan the letters into one PDF file.

4. Letters of support

Individuals, groups or organisations can write letters in support of your project. A support letter should explain how the project or activity will benefit you, other artists or arts professionals, participants or the broader community. It can also detail the support or involvement of key project partners, or evidence of consultation.

If relevant to your activity, letters of support must provide evidence of appropriate permissions and support from First Nations organisations, communities, and Elders. Please refer to the First Nations Protocols for more information.

You can include up to five letters of support, with each letter not exceeding one A4 page.

5. Travel risk management

Your project must consider the latest government advice regarding COVID-19.

If your application is successful, you will be responsible for your own COVID-19 safety planning and risk management.

If your project involves international travel, you must consider the costs and impact of quarantine and/or any additional travel and accommodation costs for all project participants. For the Australian Government’s latest travel advice, go to Smartraveller.

You are strongly encouraged to submit a one-page risk management and/or COVID-safe plan (in any format) with your application if it involves travel. If you require a template, you can download one here.

More International programs

International Engagement Fund

International Travel Fund

International

Key dates

The next round’s dates are:

Applications open: Tuesday 27 February 2024, for projects starting after Monday 1 July 2024

Applications close: Tuesday 9 April 2024 at 3pm AEDT.

For more information, click here.

Please note: To apply to the Tuesday 19 September closing date you must be registered in our application management system by 4pm AEST on Monday 18 September.

If you have a question, or need help with your application, please call or email us.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application approximately 12 weeks after the closing date.

International Travel Fund

$5,000 to $20,000 to support travel costs associated with attending key market development and cultural exchange platforms and gatherings.

Asia Topa 2020 Showcase The Seen & Unseen by Kamila Andini, Ida Ayu Wayan, Arya Satyani, Adena Jacobs, Eugyeene Teh, Jenny Hector. Image: Ifa Isfansyah

Online information session

Watch our information session about the new programs here.

About the program

This fund supports Australian artists and creative workers to travel to attend international market development or cultural exchange platforms or key gatherings overseas, for example:

North America: CINARS, International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA) Congress, International Market of Contemporary Circus (MICC), Mundial Montreal, MUTEK Festival, TYA/USA National Festival & Conference, Western Arts Alliance (WAA) Annual Conference, Winter Jazzfest;
North Asia: Art Basel Hong Kong, Asia Discovers Asia Meeting (ADAM), China Shanghai Performing Arts Fair (SPAF), Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX), Yokohama Performing Arts Meeting (YPAM);
South and Southeast Asia: Art Jogja, Bangkok International Performing Arts Meeting (BIPAM), Dhaka Art Summit, Indonesian Dance Festival (IDF);
Europe and the UK: Ice Hot Nordic Dance Platform, IETM Plenary Meetings, Frieze London, Gamescom, The Great Escape;
The Pacific: Going Global Music Summit New Zealand, Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ) Arts Market;
Global: ASSITEJ gatherings, NY:LON Connect.

We will run a separate callout in due course for delegates who would like to attend the Performing Arts Market Seoul (PAMS) in 2024, Tanzmesse 2024, and the New York Publishers Program in 2023 and 2024.

Australian literary agents, rights managers and publishers seeking support to attend international market platforms such as book fairs must apply to the International Rights Fund for Literature.

Australian authors and illustrators seeking support to attend events and activities associated with publication and promotion of their work in international markets, must apply to the International Travel Fund for Authors and Illustrators.

Eligible applicants include Australian artists, producers, curators, music industry representatives, and presenters.

Applicants can propose attendance at a single market development or cultural exchange platform or key gathering, or a program of events across multiple locations.

Only one application can be made to this category per closing date.

Funding amounts are available between $5,000 to $20,000, and multiple travellers may be included within the same application.

Applications must meet at least one of our International Engagement Strategy 2021–2025 priorities:

rethink and expand the concept of mobility through testing dynamic engagement models that include digital, hybrid and in-person connection
leverage technologies and digital platforms for creation, distribution, networking, and increasing discoverability of Australian work
activate borderless thinking to build reciprocal and multilateral partnerships across regions and industries, and leverage co-investment
strengthen First Nations exchange that is First Nations-led and self-determined
amplify Asia Pacific engagement, and the perspectives of the Asia Pacific diaspora in Australia
diversify income and revenue streams to foster sustainable careers and business models by increasing access to markets, information and networks and showcase Australian work to global audiences and influencers
foster creative risk-taking, experimentation and innovation in creation, distribution, connection and profile-building
centre equity and access and reflect Australia’s diversity
embed sustainability through research and investment in best-practice models and frameworks to minimise the sector’s carbon footprint.

Supported activities must last no longer than two years from the proposed start date.

Your project must consider the latest government travel advice regarding COVID-19.

Please read through the following grant guidelines.

If you need advice about applying, contact an Artists Services Officer at enquiries@creative.gov.au.

Who can apply

Australian artists, curators, producers, music industry representatives, and presenters may apply to this category.
You must be an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident to apply.
You can only submit one application to each closing date for the International Travel Fund.
You cannot have applied to the Tuesday 5 September 2023 closing date for the Arts Projects grant categories for the same activity.
International publishers seeking support to translate Australian works by living authors of creative writing, and Australian publishers seeking support to translate non-English works into English by Australian translators must apply to the Translation Fund for Literature.

Who can’t apply

You can’t apply for a grant if:

you have already applied to this closing date for the International Travel Fund.
you have already applied to the Tuesday 5 September 2023 closing date for the Arts Projects grant categories for the same activity
you have an overdue grant report
you owe money to Creative Australia
your organisation receives investment through the National Performing Arts Partnership Framework
your organisation receives a combined total of more than $520,000 annually (per calendar year) through the Four Year Funding program, and/or the Visual Arts and Crafts Strategy funding from 2021 to 2024
you are an Australian literary agent, rights manager or publisher seeking support to attend international market platforms such as book fairs. You must apply to the International Rights Fund for Literature
you are an Australian author and/or illustrator seeking support to attend events and activities associated with publication and promotion of your work in international markets. You must apply to the International Travel Fund for Authors and Illustrators.

What can be applied for

You may apply for any and all costs associated with travel and attendance at confirmed international market development and cultural exchange platforms or key gatherings.

Eligible costs include but are not limited to:

- flights, accommodation, per diems, ground transport costs
- travel insurance
- visas, COVID-19-related tests or documentation
- freight or baggage costs
- production expenses, including for remounting existing works
- marketing, promotion and project management costs
- childcare, carer and access costs
- tickets and/or registration costs to attend events
- costs associated with reducing the environmental impact of your activity.
Access costs are legitimate expenses and may be included in your application. We encourage applicants to ensure that their work is accessible to everyone. Budgets may include costs associated with making activities accessible to a wide range of people (e.g. performances using Auslan, translation to other languages, captioning, audio description, temporary building adjustments, and materials in other formats).

If you are a d/Deaf applicant, an applicant with disability, or are working with d/Deaf artists or artists with disability, you may apply for access costs associated with the use of an interpreter, translation services, specific technical equipment, carer or support worker assistance. Please contact Artists Services to discuss your specific needs.

What can’t be applied for

You can’t apply for:
- travel costs for international tours, showcases or presentations (apply for the International Touring and Presentation Fund instead)
- travel costs to participate in international exchange activities such as residencies, labs, and peer exchange models (apply for the International Engagement Fund instead)
- travel costs for international market development activities within Australia
- travel that does not involve or benefit Australian practicing artists or creative workers
- travel to events or activities that do not have a clearly-defined arts component
- travel for events and activities that have already taken place
- activities engaging with First Nations content, artists and communities that do not adhere to the Australia Council First Nations Cultural & Intellectual Property Protocols.
- travel costs to attend international book fairs. You must apply to the International Rights Fund for Literature
- travel costs to attend events and activities associated with publication and promotion of literary works in international markets. You must apply to the International Travel Fund for Authors and Illustrators.

Your application must comply with the following Protocols. We may contact you to request further information during the assessment process, or if successful, as a condition of your funding.

Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts

Commonwealth Child Safe Framework

Industry advisors will assess your application against the published assessment criteria. Our will moderate the assessment.

You must respond to all three selection criteria: viability, impact and strategic focus.

Listed under each criterion are points the assessors may consider when reviewing your application.

Viability

Assessors will consider whether your activity is feasible. Some ways to consider viability are listed below. You do not need to respond to every bullet point.

The relevance and timeliness of the proposed project.
The skills and abilities of those involved, and their relevance to the project.
Realistic and achievable planning and resource use, including contingency and COVID-safe plans for projects that involve public presentations, domestic or international travel.
Well-researched and rationalised activity, particularly if this is your first engagement with an international market.
Extent of sustainable practices, multiple engagements and/or slow touring or concept touring, where the idea, process, or work travels but the artist does not.
Appropriate payments to participating artists, creative professionals, collaborators, participants, or cultural consultants.
Measures being applied to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people involved in the project
Measures being applied to ensure the proposed activity is accessible.
Where relevant to the project, evidence that the protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts have been adhered to, or the relevant cultural protocols for the international jurisdiction in which you are working.
Evidence of appropriate consultation with participants, audiences or communities.
The role of partners or collaborators, including confirmation of any income and co-funding, including earned income, grants, sponsorship and in-kind contributions.

Impact

Assessors will consider the impact of your activity. Some ways to consider impact are listed below. You do not need to respond to every bullet point.

The extent to which this activity develops an international market or relationship for, or enhances international networks, audiences, and profile.
The contribution of the activity towards re-imagining the future for international engagement in the cultural and creative industries.
The extent to which the activity contributes to a sector that is accessible, inclusive and equitable.

Strategic focus

Assessors will consider how your activity meets one or more of the strategic priorities identified in our International Engagement Strategy 2021–2025.

You must respond to one or more of the bullet points listed below.

Rethink and expand the concept of mobility through testing dynamic engagement models that include digital, hybrid and in-person connection.
Leverage technologies and digital platforms for creation, distribution, networking, and increase discoverability of Australian work.
Activate borderless thinking to build reciprocal and multilateral partnerships across regions and industries, and leverage co-investment.
Strengthen First Nations exchange that is First Nations-led and self-determined.
Amplify Asia Pacific engagement, and the perspectives of the Asia Pacific diaspora in Australia.
Diversify income and revenue streams to foster sustainable careers and business models by increasing access to markets, information and networks and showcase Australian work to global audiences and influencers.
Foster risk-taking, experimentation and innovation in creation, distribution, connection and profile-building.
Centre equity and access and reflect Australia’s diversity.
Embed sustainability through research and investment in best-practice models and frameworks to minimise the sector’s carbon footprint.

The types of questions we ask in the application form include:

a title for your project
a summary of your project
a brief description of the organisation applying
an outline of your project and what you want to do
a timetable or itinerary for your project
a description of the outcome your project delivers
a projected budget which details the expenses, income, and in-kind support of the project
evidence of confirmation of the presentation/tour, such as letters of agreement or confirmation, contracts, evidence of reasonable fees being paid by the presenter
supporting material as relevant to your project, including examples of your work, bios of additional artists, and letters of support or permission from participants, communities, First Nations organisation, and Elders.

You should submit support material with your application. The peer assessors may review this support material to help them gain a better sense of your project.

There are four types of support material you may submit:

1. Artistic support material

This should include relevant, recent examples of your artistic or cultural work, or the services you provide.

Types of support material we accept

Our preferred method of receiving support material is via URLs (weblinks).

You can provide up to three URLs (weblinks) that link to content that is relevant to your proposal. This may include video, audio, images, or written material.

These URLs can include a total of:

10 minutes of video and/or audio recording
10 images
10 pages of written material (for example, excerpts of literary writing).

If you are linking to media files that are private or password protected like Vimeo, please provide the password in the password field on the application form.

Other accepted file formats

If you cannot supply support material via URLs, you may upload support material to your application in the following formats:

video (MP4, QuickTime, and Windows Media)
audio (MP3 and Windows Media)
images (JPEG and PowerPoint)
written material (Word and PDF).

2. Biographies and CVs

You can include a brief bio or curriculum vitae (CV) for key artists, personnel or other collaborators involved in your project.

Brief bios or CV information should be presented as a single document no longer than two A4 pages in total.

3. Letters of support

You can include up to five letters of support, with each letter not exceeding one A4 page.

4. Travel risk management

Your project must consider the latest government advice regarding COVID-19.

If your application is successful, you will be responsible for your own COVID-19 safety planning and risk management.

More International programs

International Engagement Fund

International Touring and Presentation Fund

International

Key dates

The next round’s dates are:

Applications open: Tuesday 27 February 2024, for projects starting after Monday 1 July 2024

Applications close: Tuesday 9 April 2024 at 3pm AEDT.

For more information, click here.

Please note: To apply to the Tuesday 19 September closing date you must be registered in our application management system by 4pm AEST on Monday 18 September.

If you have a question, or need help with your application, please call or email us.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application approximately 12 weeks after the closing date.

International Engagement Fund

$5,000 to $30,000 for creative collaboration and development, cultural exchange and reciprocal activities.

Rainbow Chan, The Bridal Lament, 2022, Image courtesy of the artist.

Online information session

Watch our information session about the new programs here.

About the program

This fund supports Australian artists and creative workers to undertake creative collaboration and development; cultural exchange and knowledge sharing; research, experimentation, scoping and prototyping activities; and reciprocal relationship-building activities such as residency exchanges, labs and peer exchange models.

Activities can take place in-person, online, or in a combination of in-person and online (hybrid).

International organisations working with Australian artists or creative workers are eligible to apply.

Only one application can be made to this category per closing date.

Funding amounts are available between $5,000 to $30,000.

Applications must meet at least one of our International Engagement Strategy 2021–2025 priorities:

rethink and expand the concept of mobility through testing dynamic engagement models that include digital, hybrid and in-person connection
leverage technologies and digital platforms for creation, distribution, networking, and increasing discoverability of Australian work
activate borderless thinking to build reciprocal and multilateral partnerships across regions and industries, and leverage co-investment
strengthen First Nations exchange that is First Nations-led and self-determined
amplify Asia Pacific engagement, and the perspectives of the Asia Pacific diaspora in Australia
diversify income and revenue streams to foster sustainable careers and business models by increasing access to markets, information and networks and showcase Australian work to global audiences and influencers
foster creative risk-taking, experimentation and innovation in creation, distribution, connection and profile-building
centre equity and access and reflect Australia’s diversity
embed sustainability through research and investment in best-practice models and frameworks to minimise the sector’s carbon footprint.

Supported activities must last no longer than two years from the proposed start date.

Your project must consider the latest government travel advice regarding COVID-19.

Please read through the following grant guidelines.

If you need advice about applying, contact an Artists Services Officer.

Who can apply

You can only submit one application to each closing date for the International Engagement Fund.
You cannot have applied to the Tuesday 5 September 2023 closing date for the Arts Projects grant categories for the same activity.
Individuals, groups and organisations (including small businesses) may apply to this category.
International organisations can apply for projects that benefit practicing Australian artists or creative workers, their work or Australian audiences.
International publishers seeking support to translate Australian works by living authors of creative writing, and Australian publishers seeking support to translate non-English works into English by Australian translators must apply to the Translation Fund for Literature.

Who can’t apply

You can’t apply for a grant if:

you have already applied to this closing date for the International Engagement Fund
you have already applied to the Tuesday 5 September 2023 closing date for the Arts Projects grant categories for the same activity
you have an overdue grant report
you owe money to Creative Australia
your organisation receives investment through the National Performing Arts Partnership Framework
your organisation receives a combined total of more than $520,000 annually (per calendar year) through the Four Year Funding program, and/or the Visual Arts and Crafts Strategy funding from 2021 to 2024
you are an international publisher seeking support to translate Australian works by living authors of creative writing, or an Australian publisher seeking support to translate non-English works into English by Australian translators. You must apply to the Translation Fund for Literature.

What can be applied for

You may apply for costs associated with creative collaboration and development; cultural exchange and knowledge sharing; research, experimentation, scoping and prototyping activities; and reciprocal relationship-building activities such as residency exchanges, labs and peer exchange models.

Activities may take place in-person, online, or a combination of in-person and online (hybrid activities).

Eligible costs include but are not limited to:

artist and creative worker fees
flights, accommodation, per diems, ground transport costs
travel insurance
visas, COVID-19-related tests or documentation
freight or baggage costs
production expenses
marketing, promotion and project management costs
childcare, carer and access costs
costs associated with reducing the environmental impact of your activity.

If you are a d/Deaf applicant, an applicant with disability, or are working with d/Deaf artists or artists with disability, you may apply for access costs associated with the use of an interpreter, translation services, specific technical equipment, carer or support worker assistance. Please contact Artists Services to discuss your specific needs.

What can’t be applied for

You can’t apply for:

international presentations or tours (apply for the International Touring & Presentation Fund instead)
outbound international market development activities (apply for the International Travel Fund instead)
international activities that do not involve or benefit Australian practicing artists or creative workers
international activities that do not have a clearly-defined arts component
international activities that have already taken place
activities engaging with First Nations content, artists and communities that do not adhere to our First Nations Cultural & Intellectual Property Protocols.
support to translate Australian works by living authors of creative writing, or an Australian publisher seeking support to translate non-English works into English by Australian translators. You must apply to the Translation Fund for Literature.

Your application must comply with the following Protocols. We may contact you to request further information during the assessment process, or if successful, as a condition of your funding.

Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts

Commonwealth Child Safe Framework

Industry Advisors will assess your application against the published assessment criteria. Our staff will moderate the assessment.

You must respond to all three selection criteria: viability, impact and strategic focus.

Listed under each criterion are points the assessors may consider when reviewing your application.

Viability

Assessors will consider whether your activity is feasible. Some ways to consider viability are listed below. You do not need to respond to every bullet point.

The relevance and timeliness of the proposed project.
The skills and abilities of those involved, and their relevance to the project.
Realistic and achievable planning and resource use, including contingency and COVID-safe plans for projects that involve public presentations, domestic or international travel.
Well-researched and rationalised activity, particularly if this is your first engagement with an international market.
Extent of sustainable practices, multiple engagements and/or slow touring or concept touring, where the idea, process, or work travels but the artist does not.
Appropriate payments to participating artists, creative professionals, collaborators, participants, or cultural consultants.
Measures being applied to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people involved in the project
Measures being applied to ensure the proposed activity is accessible.
Where relevant to the project, evidence that the protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts have been adhered to, or the relevant cultural protocols for the international jurisdiction in which you are working.
Evidence of appropriate consultation with participants, audiences or communities.
The role of partners or collaborators, including confirmation of any income and co-funding, including earned income, grants, sponsorship and in-kind contributions.

Impact

Assessors will consider the impact of your activity. Some ways to consider impact are listed below. You do not need to respond to every bullet point.

The extent to which this activity develops an international market or relationship for, or enhances international networks, audiences, and profile.
The contribution of the activity towards re-imagining the future for international engagement in the cultural and creative industries.
The extent to which the activity contributes to a sector that is accessible, inclusive and equitable.

Strategic focus

Assessors will consider how your activity meets one or more of the strategic priorities identified in our International Engagement Strategy 2021–2025.

You must respond to one or more of the bullet points listed below.

Rethink and expand the concept of mobility through testing dynamic engagement models that include digital, hybrid and in-person connection.
Leverage technologies and digital platforms for creation, distribution, networking, and increase discoverability of Australian work.
Activate borderless thinking to build reciprocal and multilateral partnerships across regions and industries, and leverage co-investment.
Strengthen First Nations exchange that is First Nations-led and self-determined.
Amplify Asia Pacific engagement, and the perspectives of the Asia Pacific diaspora in Australia.
Diversify income and revenue streams to foster sustainable careers and business models by increasing access to markets, information and networks and showcase Australian work to global audiences and influencers.
Foster risk-taking, experimentation and innovation in creation, distribution, connection and profile-building.
Centre equity and access and reflect Australia’s diversity.
Embed sustainability through research and investment in best-practice models and frameworks to minimise the sector’s carbon footprint.

The types of questions we ask in the application form include:

a title for your project
a summary of your project
a brief description of the organisation applying
an outline of your project and what you want to do
a timetable or itinerary for your project
a description of the outcome your project delivers
a projected budget which details the expenses, income, and in-kind support of the project
evidence of confirmation of the presentation/tour, such as letters of agreement or confirmation, contracts, evidence of reasonable fees being paid by the presenter
supporting material as relevant to your project, including examples of your work, bios of additional artists, and letters of support or permission from participants, communities, First Nations organisation, and Elders.

You should submit support material with your application. The Industry Advisors may review this support material to help them gain a better sense of your project.

There are four types of support material you may submit:

1. Artistic support material

This should include relevant, recent examples of your artistic or cultural work, or the services you provide.

Types of support material we accept

Our preferred method of receiving support material is via URLs (weblinks).

You can provide up to three URLs (weblinks) that link to content that is relevant to your proposal. This may include video, audio, images, or written material.

These URLs can include a total of:

10 minutes of video and/or audio recording
10 images
10 pages of written material (for example, excerpts of literary writing).

If you are linking to media files that are private or password protected like Vimeo, please provide the password in the password field on the application form.

Other accepted file formats

If you cannot supply support material via URLs, you may upload support material to your application in the following formats:

video (MP4, QuickTime, and Windows Media)
audio (MP3 and Windows Media)
images (JPEG and PowerPoint)
written material (Word and PDF).

2. Biographies and CVs

You can include a brief bio or curriculum vitae (CV) for key artists, personnel or other collaborators involved in your project.

Brief bios or CV information should be presented as a single document no longer than two A4 pages in total.

3. Letters of support

You can include up to five letters of support, with each letter not exceeding one A4 page.

4. Travel risk management

Your project must consider the latest government advice regarding COVID-19.

If your application is successful, you will be responsible for your own COVID-19 safety planning and risk management.

More International programs

International Travel Fund

International Touring and Presentation Fund

International

Key dates

The next round’s dates are:

Applications closed

For more information, click here.

Please note: To apply you must be registered in our application management system a minimum of two business days prior to the closing date.

If you have a question, or need help with your application, please call or email us.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application approximately 12 weeks after the closing date.

Plus1

Up to $50,000 in matched funding for small to medium not-for-profit organisations to develop fundraising campaigns, and secure new supporters.

Key dates

Applications open: Tuesday 4 July 2023, 3.00 pm (AEST)

Applications close: Tuesday 8 August 2023, 3:00pm (AEST)

Amount: $30,000 to $50,000

MATCH Lab

Up to $10,000 in matched funding for independent artists and collectives to run a fundraising campaign, and build fundraising and business skills.

Key dates

Applications open: Tuesday 4 July, 3pm (AEST)
Applications close: Tuesday 1 August, 3pm (AEST)

Prime Minister’s Literary Awards

Entries across six literary categories are now open for works published in the 2022 calendar year. For questions, or more information, please visit arts.gov.au

About the awards

The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards celebrate outstanding literary talent in Australia and the valuable contribution Australian writing makes to the nation’s cultural and intellectual life.

Each year, we call for entries for books of high literary merit, and in the case of the Prize for Australian History, scholarly accomplishment.

Awards are presented in six categories:

fiction
non-fiction
young adult literature
children’s literature
poetry
Australian history.

Up to $100,000 is awarded in each category: $80,000 for each winner and $5,000 each for shortlisted entries. All prizes are tax-free.

See the judges and previous winners here.

Who can enter

Entries are sought each year for books published in the previous calendar year, with high literary merit, and in the case of the prize for Australian history, scholarly accomplishment.
You must be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia to enter the Awards.
Non-book entries to the Australian history prize must be made by a registered Australian company.
A book must be professionally edited and digital books will be accepted only if they are also available in printed (bound) form.

Download the 2023 entry guidelines below.

Download the 2023 entry guidelines (PDF)

Download the 2023 entry guidelines (docx)

Literary

Key dates

Applications are now closed

Createch: Digital Enterprise Program

We’re funding expert coaching in digital disruption for creative enterprises and cultural organisations, in partnership with industry leaders REMIX.

Image by Tim Cheeseman

About the program

We are collaborating with REMIX Summits to fund 20 hours of consultancy support for a cohort of creative enterprises and cultural organisations. The program will help scale an innovation project or creative business. The project must be fully-digital or hybrid.

We are seeking creative businesses and organisations with an existing track record who would benefit from consulting and support from experienced creative entrepreneurs and industry specialists.

The goal of this program is to provide access to REMIX’s consulting to give you the highest likelihood of success. Outcomes will be tailored to your needs, but may include:

introductions to potential investors
introductions to potential partners and collaborators who can help your idea grow more quickly
expert advice and strategic reviews to identify challenges and opportunities
planning for investment
planning your technical or product roadmap
global trend analysis and insights to assist your project development
coaching and strategic advice around the development of your project presentation

In addition to 20-hours of bespoke consulting, participants will become part of a unique peer community made up of Australia’s leading creative innovators. You will also attend REMIX Summit Perth on 14-15 September 2023 to network and exchange with peers.

You will receive digital REMIX resources, and your innovation project will be promoted globally in the special REMIX Digital Showcase, where you will be invited to give a 10-15 minute presentation introducing your work. The showcase will be cross-promoted by REMIX to help grow the audience for your innovation project.

REMIX has worked with some of the world’s greatest cultural institutions, technologists, funding bodies and creative businesses to apply its global market intelligence. It helps clients respond to disruptive new trends – redefining services, rethinking business models and creative experiences to find innovative ways to unlock additional revenue streams and engage new audiences. Clients have included Tate, the National Gallery (UK), State Library Victoria, ACMI, Melbourne Arts Precinct, Saatchi Gallery, and the Houses of Parliament (UK).

For further information and case studies please see www.remixsummits.com/agency/.

This opportunity is open to arts-aligned/creative industries organisations, groups and individuals.

We are seeking creative businesses, organisations and individuals based in Australia that have:

A proven track record with further potential for growth and/or impact

Your project or organisation is getting traction: you can point to its positive reception and early growth or your expertise in a particular area. Now you are ready to grow it to the next level, for example through investment, introductions, strategic planning or advanced tech support.

A digital or hybrid innovation that reimagines how the arts are experienced or supported

You are a disrupter with an ability to imagine new opportunities for the arts sector, whether fully digital or hybrid. Innovations may come from the use of technology, for example immersive experiences using projection or free-roam VR; or innovations offering new or improved digital access to culture (e.g., new aggregation models, new creative platforms, gamification, creator economy, hybrid online/offline experiences, new digital content, or new distribution channels). We’re also open to digital innovations that directly support the arts but don’t have a creative end product, for example, new models for creative retail, funding or networks.

Applications will be reviewed by staff and industry advisors. Your application will be based on merit, response to the selection criteria below, and in line with our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Your application will be assessed on the:

viability of the proposed project;
timeliness and relevance of the consulting opportunity to scale your project;
potential impact your project will have on the creative sector.

Learn more about how we assess your application.

To apply, you will need to answer the following questions:

Project title.
Project description.
How your project is getting traction. Describe how you have had a positive reception and early growth and why this opportunity is timely in terms of supporting the scaling of your project.
Describe how you have been a disrupter with an ability to imagine new opportunities for the arts sector, whether fully digital or hybrid.
Describe the potential impact of your project on the creative sector.

A ‘project’ in this context can be a standalone creative enterprise or a program/business unit within a cultural organisation. It can be either for-profit or non-profit but must be digital or hybrid. It should be innovative in driving new audiences and/or revenues, and already be (or have the longer-term potential to become) financially sustainable. If it operates within a cultural organisation, at least one staff member should be assigned to the project as a component of their job function (so we have a clear lead to work with on the program).

A ‘disrupter’ is free from traditional assumptions about how creative and cultural experiences and content should look. They are the first to ask, ‘Why does it have to be done this way?’ and instead champion innovative new models and approaches. Disrupters forge their own paths, inventing bold new ways of engaging the general public with cultural content and experiences.

Some examples of potential ‘impacts’ are:

To set new standards for what digital and hybrid experiences look like in the creative sector
To create strategies, tools or platforms that other organisations could also benefit from
To redefine how audiences regard or engage with the creative and cultural sectors; rethinking audience demand, consumption and involvement.

“CreaTech is where creativity meets technology. It brings together creative skills and emerging technologies to create new ways of engaging audiences and to inspire business growth and investment.” – Creative Industries Council UK

The consultancy will be delivered online.

Participants will:

Receive 20-hours of bespoke consulting delivered by REMIX co-founders Peter Tullin & Simon Cronshaw.
Attend two online cohort workshops with other participants featuring presentations from digital innovators and disruptors

1) Orientation Workshop: 14 August 2023

2) Mid-Point Workshop: 28 September 2023

Have access to digital REMIX resources including talks and courses
Attend Perth REMIX on 14-15 September 2023 for a series of talks, workshops and opportunities for peer-to-peer networking
Receive coaching and support to develop a Digital Showcase for their project
Benefit from global promotion of their project via a special REMIX Digital Showcase
Become part of a unique peer community made up of Australia’s leading creative innovators

Please email digital@creative.gov.au if you would like more information.

Arts leadership

Key dates

Applications open: Tuesday 16 May, 2023.

Closing date: Tuesday 4 July 2023, 3pm AEST.

Please note:

To apply you must be registered in our application management system a minimum of two business days prior to the closing date.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application approximately four weeks after the closing date.

Arts and Disability Initiative 2022-24

This program is for d/Deaf artists or arts workers, or artists or arts workers with disability, seeking to undertake a project or activity to advance their practice, skills or career.

About this initiative

The Australia Council for the Arts is offering six grants of $30,000.

If you are a d/Deaf artist or arts worker, or an artist or arts worker with disability, these grants can provide support for significant projects to extend your arts practice, networks, skills, and ambition.

Your project should be ambitious, bold, and innovative. It should enhance your career and work, and strengthen your networks. It must include a clear plan with the steps you will take to achieve your goals. It must also outline the structure and support you will put in place for your development to take your career or practice to the next level.

Supported activities must last no longer than two years from the proposed start date.

This initiative has been developed in response to Australia Council research involving artists and arts workers with disability, our Towards Equity: A research overview of diversity in Australia’s arts and cultural sector report and a review of the Council’s arts and disability initiatives 2019-2021. This research has informed the Australia Council’s three-year strategic investment in artists with disability 2022-2024.

Meet the 2022 recipients below.

Need help with your application?

Click here to contact Artists Services:

with any questions about this initiative
to submit an application in a different format, or in a language other than English
to arrange a conference call, or to use an Auslan interpreter service
if you have any other access or support needs.

Easy English

Click here to read in English how to apply.

Download the accessible RTF guidelines

Additional resources

Australia Council guide to mentoring

Only individuals may apply to this initiative. If you are part of a group, you may apply on behalf of the group.
You must identify as a d/Deaf artist or artsworker, or as an artist or arts worker with disability.
You must be an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident.
You may only apply once to this initiative at the 4 July 2023 closing date.

You can’t apply for a grant if:

- you received a grant from the Australia Council in the past and that grant has not been satisfactorily acquitted
- you owe money to the Australia Council
- you are an organisation.

You can apply for:

skills development
mentoring
residencies
creation of new work
creative development
experimentation
practice-based research
presentation and promotion
collaboration

Access costs are legitimate expenses and may be included in your application. We encourage applicants to ensure that their work is accessible to everyone. Therefore, budgets may also include costs associated with making activities accessible to a wide range of people (e.g. performances using Auslan, translation to other languages, captioning, audio description, temporary building adjustments, and materials in other formats).

You may apply for access costs associated with the use of an interpreter, translation services, specific technical equipment, carer, or support worker assistance. Please contact Artists Services to discuss your needs.

You can’t apply for projects or activities that:

do not involve or benefit practicing artists or arts workers
do not have a clearly defined arts component
have already taken place.

Applications to this initiative will be assessed by peers from the arts sector. Most of the assessors will identify as d/Deaf or disabled.

For more information see: How we assess applications.

All applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application within 12 weeks of the closing date.

You must address three assessment criteria in this initiative.

Under each criterion are bullet points indicating what the peer assessors may consider when reviewing your application. You do not need to respond to every bullet point.

Peers will assess the quality of your proposal. They may consider:

the quality of the proposed activity
the quality of your previous work
public or peer responses to your work
the quality of your collaborators or partners
how your proposed activity is ambitious, bold, innovative and career-enhancing.

Peers will assess the viability of your proposal. They may consider:

realistic and achievable planning and resource use, with a clear plan and steps to achieve your goals
evidence of structure and support in place for your development
the relevance and timeliness of the proposed activity
the skills and roles of partners or collaborators, including confirmation of involvement
where relevant to your proposal, evidence that the Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts have been adhered to
appropriate payments to participating artists, arts workers, collaborators, participants, or cultural consultants
evidence of appropriate consultation with participants, audiences, or communities
the safety and wellbeing of people involved in the project, and public safety in relation to presentations or travel
how you have addressed access in the proposed activity
where relevant, evidence that you have addressed the environmental impact of your project.

Peers will assess the impact that your proposal will have on your practice and career. They may consider:

how your activity will extend your arts practice, networks, skills, and ambition
how your activity will extend the arts practice, networks, skills, and ambition of other artists and arts workers involved.

Instructions and a link to the online application form are available here.

The application form will ask you to provide:

a title for your activity
a summary of your activity
a brief bio of the artist or arts worker applying
a detailed description of your activity
a timetable or itinerary for your activity
an outline of how your activity will extend arts practice, networks, skills, and ambition
details of the expenses, income and in-kind support for your activity, including any access and support costs
supporting material relevant to your activity. This may include examples of your previous work, bios of additional people involved, and letters of support from participants or communities.

All Australia Council grants information including guidelines and application forms are available in accessible formats upon request.

These formats include word documents, audio CD, Braille, Easy English, Auslan and large print. Please note that requests for translated materials will need to allow for a six-week turnaround.

We accept applications for all our programs in accessible formats.

Formats include Auslan, audio, video, printed, dictated, electronic and handwritten formats. Contact Artists Services to discuss your requirements.

You should submit support material with your application. The peer assessors may review this support material to help them gain a better sense of your project.

What you should provide

We do not accept application-related support material submitted via post unless you have contacted us in advance to discuss your access needs. If you think you will have difficulty submitting your support material online, or need advice on what type of material to submit, please contact Artists Services.

There are three types of support material you may submit:

1. Artistic support material

This should include relevant, recent examples of your artistic or cultural work.

2. Biographies and CVs

You can include a brief bio or curriculum vitae (CV) for key artists, personnel or other collaborators involved in your project.

Brief bios or CV information should be presented as a single document no longer than two A4 pages in total.

3. Letters of support

Individuals, groups, or organisations can write letters in support of your project. A support letter should explain how the project or activity will benefit you, other artists or arts professionals, participants, or the broader community. It can also detail the support or involvement of key project partners, or evidence of consultation.

You can include up to five letters of support, with each letter not exceeding one A4 page.

Types of support material we accept

Our preferred method of receiving support material is via URLs (weblinks).

You can provide up to three URLs (weblinks) that link to content that is relevant to your proposal. This may include video, audio, images, or written material.

These URLs can include a total of:

10 minutes of video and/or audio recording
10 images
10 pages of written material (for example, excerpts of literary writing).

If you are linking to media files that are private or password protected like Vimeo, please provide the password in the password field on the application form.

Other accepted file formats

If you cannot supply support material via URLs, you may upload support material to your application in the following formats:

video (MP4, Windows Media)
audio (MP3 and Windows Media)
images (JPEG and PowerPoint)
written material (Word and PDF).

Details of the grant recipients will be published on the Australia Council website. These details will include the name of each recipient, their resident state or territory, the amount awarded, the panel which assessed the application (Arts & Disability panel) and the name of the round (the Arts and Disability Initiative).

Please contact Artists Services if you do not wish to have your name published.

Cara-Ann Simpson is an artist, curator, cultural heritage expert and consultant, with a background as an executive director, property manager, conservation manager, and educator. She is a multidisciplinary artist with a focus on sensory engagement, digital technologies, space and the participant. Cara-Ann is engaged with cultural heritage, landscape, sensoria and how people interact with their environment.

In 2017, Cara-Ann became extremely ill, spending close to a year in hospital with an extreme brain infection, eventually being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and Neurosarcoidosis. She spent a number of months in rehabilitation learning how to walk again and become stronger. During this period picking flowers and going for short walks outside became a lifeline to regaining optimism for the future and finding her way back to creating art. She currently lives with her partner Michael, and their two dogs – Sebastian and Eddie – on the lands of the Jarowair people of the Wakka Wakka nation on a farm in Queensland.

My multi-disciplinary art practice explores Critical Disability Aesthetics. As a woman with dwarfism, I work collaboratively to experiment with the representation of my embodied difference. The focus of my art to date, has been upon features and dynamics of interactions and relations within physical and social environments that define the dwarf person as an Other. By experimenting with the power of the gaze and changing point of view, I emphasise the politics of visible difference. Employing the mediums of performance, video, VR, photography, and sculpture, my oeuvre has evolved to culminate in cross art-form works. I explore the capacities of each medium to communicate a different and dynamic perspective of lived experience.

My approach to Critical Disability Aesthetics experiments with shifting point of view to engage with and immerse participants and audiences into my world. I constantly challenge traditional stereotypes about those who look different, and to date, the subject of my work in this endeavour is my lived experience. As my art practice evolves, I aim to move beyond the perspective of the individual. My current works explore the experiences of those who share my body type from the four corners of the world, different gender identities, ages, strata of society and those at intersections of disadvantage. Experimenting further with cross art-forms – visual and auditory – I aim to produce work that invites audiences to engage with these different perspectives and points of view to gain new insight and understanding of what it is like to be “a different kind of different”.

As an artist and academic my experimental approach to Critical Disability Aesthetics has been exhibited in both National and State galleries and festivals, published in chapters, discussed in interviews, presented at conferences and workshops.

I am a lecturer at Western Sydney University in Humanitarian and Development Studies, and my first PhD was in Psychology on the subject of Dehumanization. Currently studying for my second PhD in Visual Arts at Art & Design UNSW, my research focuses upon developing a Critical Disability Aesthetic through the representation of the female dwarf.

My practice is primarily focused on projects that involve story-telling at their core and reveal unique perspectives. First beginning in the screen industry, I am quite organically moving into theatre and performance-making. In 2020 Back to Back Theatre invited me to work as an associate producer for five months in the lead up to their first feature film Shadow. The film was created in collaboration with an ensemble of actors with perceived intellectual disabilities. Intertwined with the making of the film was an ambitious internship program, which I helped set up and run. The program supported 30 artists identifying as having a disability to work as paid interns across all departments. Back to Back have since employed me as a Guest Artist and Research Consultant, and have asked me to represent the company and film in Athens, New York City and Norway.

This project will develop a new work, INFLUENCE, exploring the effects of social media and publicity on our daily life and interactions with others. I will develop the new work alongside my professional skills in three phases:
1: Month-long Professional Development Residency with Back to Back Theatre;
2: Artistic Research Residency with Mammalian Diving Reflex;
3: Final writing phase, with mentorship by Rhian Hinkley.

I am a 35 year old comedian, writer and aspiring screenwriter living with cerebral palsy. I made my comedy debut in 2020 and from there have seen my career go from strength to strength taking out joint first place in the National Final of the Raw Comedy Competition at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2022. Later that year I was invited to take part in a writers room for Wil Anderson’s ABC panel show Question Everything (produced by CJZ). I have had an incredible 2023 so far being invited to give a TEDX talk (2022) as part of their TEDX Byron Bay Women programme where I shared my experience of owning my sexuality as a woman living with disability.

This funding will support a live show & creative screenwriting development, promotion and accessibility project.

Dr Bon Mott is a transdisciplinary artist, curator, and educator based in Naarm (Melbourne). Their artistic practice revolves around site-specific process-driven sculpture installations incorporating performance art, drawing inspiration from Indigenous and Western European science of lightning.

The project supports R&D into the science of lightning to create and document process-driven installations and activations. This is a one-year transdisciplinary research-based project with an outcome of mixed-media ceiling installations and activations. Through the intersection of art and personal experience, the project focus is the science of lightning informed by my nonbinary identity and neurological disability. The project involves research and development in the studio, on the ancient lands of Australia and building upon existing relationships of trust and collaboration with artists and arts workers, fostering a fast response and creating a diverse network of collaborators through mentorship from First Nations creatives and lightning and cosmic ray scientists in and Turtle Island (USA) to expand my networks while creating innovative artworks that explore themes of identity, science, and social change.

A killer Music Director, MC, Composer, Sound Designer, DJ, Music Dramaturg and Performance Maker, Kim ‘Busty Beatz’ Bowers has been making fearless art to activate, pollinate and liberate for over 30 years. Of Xhosa heritage and living on Yuggera country, she creates sonic experiences intersecting disciplines, politics and soundlines with a focus on giving voice to stories which are unseen and unheard.

This project supports Bowers to research and develop ‘Confessions of the Brutally Blessed – A Survival Handbook’ giving voice to the untold story of Legacy, Medicine, and Revolution. By developing a series of electrifying performances, theatrical captures and sonic collaborations, this new work is a journey of love, loss, death and joy as Busty Beatz confronts her past, present, and future after being diagnosed with Breast Cancer, undertaking chemotherapy and a left breast mastectomy. With themes of body sovereignty, historical pathologising of Black Female Body throughout medical history and finding joy, ‘Confessions of the Brutally Blessed’ is an honest and unflinching exploration of what it means to be an artist living in the space known as the in-between.

Luke is a director, movement, and multi-disciplinary artist. Luke is also an artist living with Down Syndrome and he is not happy about it. He longs to be seen and critiqued as an artist – not as an artist living with a disability. In III he is putting his art to the test through anonymity, abstraction and distance.

III is a trilogy of cross art form investigations directed by Luke John Campbell. In the winter of 2025 The CHAIN [2021], The BRIDGE [2022] and the BOND [2023-24] will be presented in a fully immersive experience at Plimsoll Gallery at the University of Tasmania School of the Arts Hobart Campus. Through the use of performance, installation, motion capture, audio and video manipulations, III confronts reality, space, time and the ties between place and people. The work explores the conceptual space between who we think we see and our expectations of them; Where we think we are and where we belong. Viewers are invited to question what and who they are seeing and consider whether they judge a book by its cover.

I’m a Deaf multi-disciplinary artist living and working in Victoria. I work with performance art, dance performance, sculpture, textile, poetry and Auslan poetry, drawing and painting. I recently completed my Masters of Contemporary Art at VCA at Melbourne Uni. I moved towards multi-disciplinary practices in 2019, delving into my Deaf history and experiences to realise there was a lot of unresolved issues with the Deaf community around oppression, audism, and displacement and my personal experiences as a Deaf person.

This project involves developing a large scale works on paper through a printmaking residency informing my perspectives. My project will focus on informing my personal perspectives and experiences using my drawing, painting and printmaking practice, including textile elements on a large-scale watercolour paper around 3-4 m long and 1 m high. I will be exploring and unpacking my identity and issues with housing using houses and buildings as stories on paper. I will be in residency using the printmaking facilities at Baldessin Press in St Andrews, Melbourne to develop further my printmaking skills under the mentor support of Silvi Glattauer and to create the new work at Baldessin in July 2024.

I am a disabled artist practicing opera in Sydney. As a part of my performance practice, I have recently finished a Bachelor’s Degree on full scholarship and with first class honours at the Sydney Conservatorium. I have also recently completed a Diploma of Language Studies at the University of Sydney. I have several performances lined up, including Mrs Grose in Britten’s ‘The Turn of the Screw’, and Donna Elvira in Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’. I am also undertaking private study with teachers from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in the interim between my bachelor’s and master’s degree.

I am planning to undertake a Masters of Arts (Vocal Performance) commencing in September this year at the Royal Academy of Music, London, with a partial scholarship. I will be working with some of the most esteemed pedagogues and professionals from the international opera community in order to continue to further foster my development as a young opera singer. I will be working closely with international mezzo-soprano Catherine Wyn-Rogers as my teacher, as well as a number of other professionals including Yvonne Kenny AM for the study of Mozart and Handel arias and Kate Paterson as the head of vocal studies. The program will run for two years, and will lead me to further opera study or work.

My artistic journey spans over a decade and includes significant international recognition in contemporary dance. I’ve had the privilege of working with renowned dance creators including Akram Khan, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Russell Maliphant, Hans van den Broeck, Damien Jalet, and Hofesh Shechter. My drive is to create and present surprisingly real dance works to diverse audiences, with a “local focus, global outlook” ethos. I run a project-based dance company – the only disability and First Nations-led arts organisation in the country, from our home base in regional SA.

This project is a 12-month mentorship with acclaimed artistic director and choreographer, Russell Maliphant OBE. It involves a comprehensive development of artistic skills, leadership capabilities, and capacity building for international arts leaders. Activities include structured professional development sessions, individual project creation, and guidance in operating a 21st-century dance company. The mentorship includes a blend of physical and virtual interaction, with periods spent in the UK and Australia. The outcome is a new choreographed work, international repertoire of a global standard performed by Australian artists with a disability with performance outcomes, and refined operational strategies for my dance company, contributing to the global dance arts landscape.

Key dates

Applications close: Tuesday 4 July 2023, 3.00 pm (AEST)

Amount: $30,000

Notifications: Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application approximately 12 weeks after the closing date.

Are you registering to apply for the first time? Make sure you register well before the closing date. It can take up to two business days to process your application.

Frequently Asked Questions

The initiative is designed to support a wide variety of arts project or career development activities, including the creation of new work, career development, mentoring, residencies, research and development presentation and promotion.

Supported activities must last no longer than two years from the proposed start date.

The Australia Council expects that all artists and arts workers employed or engaged on Australia Council-funded activities will be remunerated for their work. Peers assessing applications for the Arts and Disability Initiative will consider remuneration when they look at the viability of your activity. You should make provision in your budget for appropriate payment of artists and arts workers. For more information, refer to the Australia Council policy on the payment of artists.

Artists and arts workers with disability face barriers in formal arts education and training. They have very diverse professional and career development parthways which need to be tailored to individual requirements and circumstances. Show how your project will have a positive effect on your practice and career, externing your arts practice, networks, skills and ambition of you and your collaborators. You can consider mentoring as an option (see below), or any of the following activities:

formal or informal training
feedback, critical reflection or peer review from your collaborators
work placements, internships or learning and development activities with an industry or organisational partner
structured learning and development activities with your collaborators, including peer-to-peer learning
workshops or time spent with Elders, senior artists or community leaders
documentation of your learning and development.

Mentoring is any supportive relationship that encourages the sharing of knowledge, skills and experience. Mentoring can be structured or informal and can include peer-to-peer mentoring. Peer-to-peer mentoring assumes an even playing field and exchange of knowledge in the relationship, where everyone involved contributes and learns from different perspectives and experience. For the purposes of this initiative, mentoring is interpreted very broadly and is informed by the needs and priorities of the applicant. The Australia Council for the Arts Guide to Mentoring is a useful reference.

Australia Council staff are available to assist you in understanding the purpose of the grant, application requirements, and submitting your application. Staff can assist over email, phone, Teams, Zoom, and, where possible, in person.

We do not review draft applications. However, we can discuss any specific questions or issues you have about your application.

If you need help writing your application, we encourage you to contact one of the arts and disability peak bodies. A list of those peak bodies, along with further accessibility resources, is here.

Yes. We encourage you to submit your application using our online system. You can submit your application in any way that is accessible to you. Other formats include Auslan, audio, video, printed, dictated, electronic and handwritten format.

Contact the Artists Services team to discuss your needs well in advance of the closing date.

Applications to the Arts and Disability Initiative will be assessed by artists and arts worker across art forms and across states and territories. Most of the assessors will identify as d/Deaf or disabled.

No. You will be asked whether or not you identify as d/Deaf or a person with disability.

The information you choose to share about yourself in your application is entirely up to you. When outlining your project and your professional development activity, some applicants may choose to share information about their lived experience and how this informs their practice, access requirements, or needs and plans for professional development. There is no obligation to disclose anything other than information you feel comfortable sharing to enable the panel to assess your application.

If you are successful in receiving this funding, you will have the option of not publishing your name as a recipient of the Arts and Disability Initiative. Please advise Artists Services if you do not want to be publicly identified.

The initiative is not designed to provide indirect funding to organisations. Applications are only open to individuals and groups. Contact Artists Services if you are unsure.

Yes, but note that the initiative is not designed to provide indirect funding to organisations. Your proposal must demonstrate that the artist or arts worker with disability will have creative control of the project. Contact Artists Services to discuss your application if you are unsure.

If you are unable to complete the application form, a support worker or other person helping you with the application can sign on your behalf.

Investment & development

Advocacy & research

First Nations arts & culture

News and media

Creative Australia

Advocacy

Research

Investment

Development

First Nations First

News

Events

About us

Sir Robert William Askin Operatic Scholarship

About the Scholarship

Eligibility

What you can apply for

Assessment

Application form

Support material

Key dates

Related Links

APIEF Fundraising Residential 2023

About the opportunity

Eligibility

Assessment criteria

Contact

Key dates

Visiting International Publishers (VIPs) Program – Committee Members 23-26

About the program

About the role

Eligibility

Who can apply

Who can’t apply

Assessment

Assessment criteria

Protocols

Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts

Commonwealth Child Safe Framework

Risk management

Support material

Contact

Key dates

Related Links

International Touring and Presentation Fund

Stephanie Lake Company, Colossus, 2022. Taipei International Festival, Taiwan. Image courtesy of the artist

Online information session

About the program

Eligibility

Who can apply

Who can’t apply

What can be applied for

What can’t be applied for

Protocols

Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts

Commonwealth Child Safe Framework

Assessment

Assessment Criteria

Viability

Impact

Strategic focus

Application form

Support material

1. Artistic support material

2. Biographies and CVs

3. Letters of confirmation

4. Letters of support

5. Travel risk management

More International programs

Key dates

Related Links

International Travel Fund

Asia Topa 2020 Showcase The Seen & Unseen by Kamila Andini, Ida Ayu Wayan, Arya Satyani, Adena Jacobs, Eugyeene Teh, Jenny Hector. Image: Ifa Isfansyah

Online information session

About the program

Eligibility

Who can apply

Who can’t apply

What can be applied for

What can’t be applied for

Investment
& development

Advocacy
& research

First Nations
arts & culture