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.

 

About the program

The International Engagement Fund supports Australian artists and creative workers to undertake reciprocal exchange projects with confirmed international partners. This includes creative collaboration and development; cultural exchange and knowledge sharing; labs and practice-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 Creative Australia’s 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.

Please read through the following grant guidelines.

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

Community arts and cultural development, dance, emerging and experimental arts, First Nations arts and culture, literature, multi-artform, visual arts, theatre, and music.

This excludes contemporary music, defined by the Music Australia Council as:

“Any genre or subgenre of music currently composed, written, produced by Australians and licensed, recorded, presented, and distributed through commercial and non-commercial activity. For the purposes of Music Australia’s initial investments, the focus will be on musical works that are new, original and relevant to contemporary Australia.”

Music Australia has established an Export Music Development Fund for those artists working in contemporary music. Details to those three funding categories can be found here:

  1. Performance and Touring Activity
  2. Professional and Artistic Development
  3. Market and Audience Development
  • Eligible applicants include Australian artists, and creative workers who do not work in contemporary music (as defined above).
  • You can only submit one application to each closing date for the International Engagement Fund.
  • 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.

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 3 September 2024 closing date for the Arts Projects grant categories for the same activity
  • you have an overdue grant report
  • you owe money to Creative Australia
  • you receive, or are working with an organisation that receives, investment through the National Performing Arts Partnership Framework
  • you work in contemporary music (as defined above). You must apply to the Export Development Fund from Music Australia.

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. You may refer to industry benchmarks set by the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA), and the Australian Society of Authors (ASA), etc
  • flights, accommodation, per diems, ground transport costs
  • travel insurance
  • visas
  • 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.

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.

You can’t apply for:

  • costs that duplicate from the same activity across other current applications to Creative Australia
  • international activities that do not involve or benefit Australian practicing artists or creative workers
  • international activities without international partners
  • 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 Creative Australia First Nations Cultural & Intellectual Property Protocols
  • travel to attend contemporary music activities. You must apply to the Export Development Fund from Music Australia

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. Creative Australia 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.

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 plans.   
  • Evidence of other sources of income or co-funding, such as earned income, grants, sponsorship and/or in-kind contributions.
  • 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.   
  • Confirmation of the role of partners or collaborators, including any income and co-funding, such as earned income, grants, sponsorship and in-kind contributions.    

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.

Assessors will consider how your activity aligns with 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 individual/group/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 Industry Advisors 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 three 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 industry advisors 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 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

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.

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

  • Competitive applications articulated the outcomes, and/or the longevity of a proposed international partnership, exchange or engagement.
  • Proposals that demonstrated community engagement and deeper connection beyond a one-off activity were more compelling.
  • The strongest applications demonstrated deeper thinking around international engagement as well as finding new ways of working, including innovative uses of technology.
  • Residencies where there was no reciprocity (i.e. an international artist coming to Australia as well as an Australian artist travelling overseas) were not as competitive as proposals that centred longer-term intercultural exchange and development.
  • The strongest proposals provided evidence of confirmed activities and project partnerships.
International

Key dates

The next closing date will be in the first half of 2025 with the exact date announced on this page soon.


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.

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