MATCH Lab is for individual artists and artist groups. If you are unsure, please contact our Private Investment Capability team.   

 We can’t support:   

• arts organisations
• school groups or tertiary training institutions
• applicants that have outstanding funding or acquittals with us
• applicants that have previously participated in MATCH Lab.    

To be eligible, applicants must:    

• be a practicing artist, or group of artists
• be an Australian Citizen/s or permanent resident/s
• be aged 18 years or over
• have an ABN and be prepared to receive project funds; OR have an agreement in place with an auspicing body
• be available to participate in the Raising Money for Your Art clinic taking place on 28 and 29 October 2025 in Melbourne
• be prepared to run a fundraising campaign beginning after Fundraising Plan approval and concluding before 31 May 2026.  

Applicants that have previously received funding from Creative Australia must have met all existing acquittal and reporting requirements, including the Australian Cultural Fund, to be eligible for MATCH Lab.  

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. More information regarding First Nations Protocols can be found here. 

National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 

Please note that all successful applicants will need to meet the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020. More information regarding the framework can be found here.     

We strongly encourage those interested in applying to contact the Private Investment Capability team or your Creative Australia State Manager Development and Partnerships here to discuss your MATCH Lab application prior to applying. In-person or online appointments can be arranged.  

Additional support can be discussed where needed. Where the additional support required is beyond the scope of what our team can provide, we may recommend speaking to an appropriate organisation for further assistance. 

Your application can be saved and edited at any time until the application deadline. Once submitted, you cannot make further edits or amendments.    

 The information you’ll need to provide in your application includes:   

• a brief outline of your art practice
• three of your artistic achievements or career highlights
• a brief description of the project you’re seeking to fundraise to support
• the initial fundraising idea for the MATCH Lab campaign, how do you plan to raise the funds
• information about your auspicing body (if applicable)
• a project budget
• your experience with fundraising
• the skills you hope to gain from participating in MATCH Lab.  

Assessment: Wednesday 6 August – Friday 19 September 2025   

Applications will be assessed by Creative Australia and through industry advice comprising people with expertise in arts fundraising and development.    

Final decisions will be made by Creative Australia. Consideration is also given to ensuring that successful applicants reflect a geographical spread across all states and territories, as well as a spread across art forms.   

For more information on how we assess applications please visit our  Assessment page.  

The assessment process will consider:   

Viability  

Industry Advisors will assess the viability of the proposed fundraising activities, planning and budget. They may consider:  

• a demonstrated track record of your arts practice
• evidence of any previous experience in fundraising or your willingness to learn new skills
• evidence of your capacity to fundraise and deliver a fundraising plan that builds private sector support (individual donations, crowdfunding, philanthropy, trusts or foundations, and business sponsorship)
• evidence the budget is realistic and well-planned.   

Impact  

Industry Advisors will assess the expected impact or outcome of the opportunity on the applicant and their future capability to secure support through fundraising. They may consider:  

• evidence that your proposed plan will build skills in fundraising and increase your knowledge of philanthropy and business partnerships, to create sustainable sources of revenue into the future
• evidence that your proposed plan will assist in the ongoing financial sustainability of your arts practice.  

Raising Money for Your Art clinic: Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 October 2025 in Melbourne.   

We offer 25 places to participate in MATCH Lab. Participants will be fully supported to attend the Raising Money for Your Art clinic, including cost of attendance, return domestic airfares and accommodation.   

Only one representative of a successful group will be able to attend the Melbourne clinic. At this clinic you will connect with experts and your peers to refine a fundraising strategy for supporting your arts practice and next artistic project.  

Armed with the fundraising plan developed at the clinic, your next step is to implement your own tailored fundraising campaign after fundraising campaign approval through to 31 May 2026.    

We’ll provide matched funding for fundraising activities up to $10,000 per applicant.   

 This program will match funds sourced from:   

• individual donors (including through crowdfunding platforms) 
• fundraising events. 

This program will not match:   

• bequests  
• in-kind support  
• loans  
• local, state or federal government funding 
• pre-existing fundraising commitments made prior to commencement of the fundraising window.

Funded projects can start from the conclusion of fundraising campaigns and must be completed by 30 June 2027.   

Recipients are expected to liaise regularly with the Private Investment and Capability team and communicate any project changes or challenges. Any changes to the funded project/activity must be approved by us in advance.   

Recipients are required to report on the progress and results of their campaign and project. Templates are provided to the recipient prior to the report due date via Fluxx.   

 Acquittal 1: Fundraising campaign report due at the end of the fundraising campaign or no later than 12 June 2026.   

• value of funds raised and the number and type of campaign contributors
• evaluation of their campaign strategy
• assessment of unexpected problems and challenges and opportunities encountered through the campaign.   

Acquittal 2: Project and updated fundraising report due by 30 June 2027.   

• how private sector funding and MATCH Lab matched funds were spent
• additional information as requested, including testimonials, media, promotional material and details of ongoing donor relationships. 

Successful participants will come together for the Raising Money for Your Art clinic, a two-day intensive fundraising and professional development opportunity.

This clinic will help attendees workshop their fundraising aspirations and develop their careers as creative entrepreneurs. Attendees will benefit from a wealth of information on raising money for projects, planning projects for different types of fundraising activities, strategies for fundraising success and nurturing relationships with donors and sponsors.

Armed with that planning, the next step is to develop and implement your own tailored fundraising campaign. We’ll match whatever you raise, up to $10,000 – a great incentive to get people on board with your project and practice.

As part of MATCH Lab we’ll fund your attendance at the Raising Money For Your Art clinic if it takes place in person, including your return airfares, two-nights’ accommodation and selected meals. We’ll match dollar-for-dollar money raised through your fundraising campaign up to $10,000 per participant.

Glad you asked! We are focused on helping artists learn how to fund their art in sustainable ways, so they can build a career. Our research shows that matched funding is an especially powerful tool in leveraging support from the private sector and maximising an investment in you as an artist.

It’s a great incentive that encourages more value for donations, higher levels of engagement from donors, and helps artists build relationships that can continue long after a particular project has been and gone.

MATCH Lab isn’t for everyone. This isn’t a traditional arts or grants program – it’s designed as an intensive, hands-on professional and business development opportunity.

We’re looking for people who have lots of ideas and passion for their art and want to arm themselves with knowledge of how they can make a sustainable path for their work.

When assessing applications, we’re looking for independent artists or small group of artists who can show:

• a demonstrated track record of arts practice
• your professional experience, direction and goals
• your capacity to fundraise and build private sector support (individual donations, crowdfunding, philanthropy, trusts or foundations, and business sponsorship) for your work.

The type of project you want to fundraise for is up to you! We will support costs associated with development of new works, touring costs, paying artists, venue hire, recording, purchasing equipment – whatever your next creative endeavour is.

No. If you have been a recipient of MATCH Lab in the past you cannot apply.

We’re able to fund up to 25 participants to attend the two-day fundraising and professional development clinic and receive up to $10,000 in matched funding from us for their fundraising campaign.

Yes! However, an important part of MATCH Lab is the development, with our help, of the fundraising strategy that’s right for you, your practice and your project.

Yes! We strongly recommend that you give us a call or  email us to discuss your application before submitting it. We’re here to help and answer any questions you may have.

No. We will only consider one application from each applicant in each round.

We can’t read over your application, but we can guide you through the process and talk through your ideas.

If you’d like to talk to someone, please call our Private Investment Capability team (03 9616 0321), or book an appointment with one of our State Managers Development & Partnerships.

No. You don’t need to upload or attach any support material to your application. Any additional information (letters of support etc.) that is uploaded or attached to the application won’t be included in the assessment.

Read the guidelines and application forms thoroughly before you apply, and well before the closing date!

Before applying, we encourage you to chat to our Private Investment Capability team (03 9616 0321), or book an appointment with one of our State Managers Development & Partnerships.

The budget in the application is for your PROJECT that you are raising the funds for. It should also include your fundraising costs.

In your budget you must also:

• include your private sector fundraising target AND the Plus1/MATCH Lab funding amount you are requesting in your income
• include all income sources for your project/activity. e.g. other government sources (federal/state/local council), ticket income etc.
• include CONFIRMED (C) or NOT CONFIRMED (NC) next to all income sources
• balance your budget for the application to be eligible for assessment (total income = total expenditure)

See below example for how to complete the budget in your application.

Leveraging is just another way of explaining how you will use the dollar-for-dollar matched funding to attract donors and partners and reach your fundraising target. This is not your typical grant or funding opportunity – the harder you work it, the better the result!

No. You only need to upload a budget quote or invoice for large expenses to qualify a large amount of money.