Please note: Some of the content on this page was published prior to the launch of Creative Australia and references the Australia Council. Read more.

Uplift: Digital Skills Program

Supporting First Nations led digital capability and training initiatives.

Patrina Munuŋgurr, The Mulka Project, Warwuyun Gurra Wäŋawu (Sorrow For Home), 2020

 

About the program

Uplift provides grants of up to $50,000 to support professional development, training and mentoring to build digital capability for First Nations artists and creative workers. 

This opportunity is open to First Nations led organisations and businesses to deliver activities within local communities. Funding can support a range of digital development opportunities identified as priority areas for building capacity. 

Applicants will need to provide a detailed proposal outlining planned activities, timeline and intended outcomes. Activities must take place between July 1 2024 – June 30 2025. 

  • e-commerce training and development to support First Nations businesses in the digital economy  
  • formal training and hands on experience in the use of digital platforms for video, sound or game engines, e.g. Final Cut Pro, Touch Designer, Blendr, Pro Tools, Abelton Live, Unity, Unreal Engine, Premiere Pro (for VR) 
  • purchase of specialist equipment and accompanying workshops to support training, e.g. filming and post-production on 360 degree video 
  • mentorships between emerging and established digital artists  
  • workshops with First Nations digital entrepreneurs to support business development and viability for digital enterprises  
  • LAB models supporting practical experimentation and skills exchange in VR, AR, Immersive or interactive video  
  • placements, secondments or attachments to support emerging digital practitioners  
  • networking and delegation opportunities to attend technology and digital conferences 
  • training and mentoring for artists in game development   
  • on-the-job training for staff within an organisation to digitally upskill 
  • digital marketing and audience engagement coaching and strategy development.

This opportunity is only open to: 

  • First Nations organisations and businesses 

You cannot apply if: 

  • you are not a First Nations organisation or business
  • you are an individual or a group
  • you received a grant from Creative Australia in the past and that grant has not been satisfactorily acquitted
  • you owe money to Creative Australia. 

You can only submit one application. 

Information sessions  

Question and answer sessions 

We will host a question and answer session where you can anonymously submit questions about the fund, and we will answer them live. 

This session will be Auslan interpreted and live captioned. A recording of the session will be posted here after the event.  

Applications will be reviewed by Creative Australia staff and industry advisors. Your application will be assessed based on how well it addresses the selection criteria.  

The selection criteria are:  

Quality: The quality of the proposed activities to support the proposed area of digital skills development     

Viability: The viability of the proposed activities; planning; access; protocols; evaluation; budget  

Impact: The expected impact or outcome of the proposed activities for the targeted participants/audience.  

In the application form we ask you some questions to help you respond to these criteria.  

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 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. 

Click on the ‘Apply Now’ button at the top of this page to go to Fluxx, our system for managing applications.  

You will need an account to use Fluxx. It can take up to 2 business days for a new account to be approved. If you have an account already you can log in.  

Select ‘Apply for a Grant’ from the left panel menu. From the list of opportunities select “Uplift”. 

The application form will require you to fill in some details about your organisation, select from some options, respond to questions and submit support material. 

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

  • title for your project 
  • biography of your organisation or business 
  • description and detailed outline of the planned activity and how it will address an area need in digital skills development 
  • project start and end dates 
  • a projected budget which details the expenses, income and in-kind support of the project 
  • support material/letters of support. 

Support material required:  

1. Letters of Support 

You must include one (1) and no more than three (3)  letters of support for your project, with each letter no longer than one A4 page. Where possible, combine your letters into a single document or link. 

Individuals, groups or organisations can write letters of support for your activity. These letters should explain: 

  • how the activity will benefit digital skills development for the intended participants 
  • how appropriate cultural protocols will be observed and relevant permissions obtained. 

 2. Evidence of your organisations experience in delivering professional development activities  

Provide recent examples of your work that is relevant to the activity. This could include, but is not limited to: 

  • a link to examples  of your work that may include video, audio, images or written material 
  • a link to examples of your proposed activity  that may include video, audio, images, written material or  links to websites and related social media sites. 

Our preferred way of receiving support material is via URLs (web links). You can submit up to three URLs, which may include your website, or links to video, audio, images, scanned documents and written material. 

If you cannot provide URLs, you  can  attach up to two documents to your application in either PDF or Word. 

We strongly recommend you link to existing, accessible examples of your work – there is no need to create new content for this application. 

We do not accept support material submitted via post. 

Please contact Georgia Mokak, Manager First Nations Development Programs via digital@creative.gov.au if:  

  • you would like these guidelines in another format. 
  • you want to submit your application in a language other than English. You can also read more on our Languages Other Than English page.  
  • you want to submit your application in a different format including video, audio, Auslan or other form. You can also read more about accessible application formats on our Accessibility page. 

We will not assess the quality of your chosen format, just what you tell us.  

We are available to assist you in understanding the program, application requirements and submitting your application. We do not review application drafts.  

If you need help to speak or listen use the National Relay Service.

Digital

Key dates

Applications closed

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


Contact

Please direct your enquiries to:
digital@creative.gov.au

Related Links

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This opportunity is for First Nations organisations and businesses who are committed to supporting digital development for First Nations artists and creative workers. Applicants will need to demonstrate impact of proposed activities in meeting specific skills need for the intended participants. 

Yes, provided the funding from Creative Australia is supporting activities to scale or increase access. This would need to be addressed specifically in your application. 

Yes, providing the business is First Nations led and activities are supporting First Nations artists and creative workers. 

Once you submit your application, we will send you an email acknowledging that we have received your application. 

You will be notified about the outcome of your application by email in late June 2024.