Creative Australia also has an applications FAQ and some grants and opportunities include their own FAQ, so check individual grants and opportunities for detailed information.
Assessment process
How will my application be assessed?
All eligible applications to our grants and funding programs are assessed by one of three methods: peer assessment, industry advice or staff assessment. The guidelines on our website for each grant or opportunity will specify how your application will be assessed.
Read more detailed information about how applications are assessed by peer assessors and industry advisors in how we assess applications.
What is peer assessment?
Peer assessment is a process where 5–9 peers, who have already been appointed to Creative Australia’s current pool of peer assessors, are selected for relevant assessment panels by art form.
Peer assessors review and score applications against the published assessment criteria, they then discuss the initial group ranking together at a meeting. Following the meeting, adjustments can be made to scores by peers to reflect the meeting discussions. Creative Australia staff then apply the available budget to the peers’ final rankings, and the budget allocation is approved by our executive team.
Read more detailed information about peer assessment in how we assess applications.
What is industry advice?
An industry advice panel comprises 3–7 industry advisors (artists, arts workers and industry professionals involved in the sector) who assess funding opportunities based on their practice expertise and advise Creative Australia on the most competitive applications. Our staff, and in some cases the Australia Council Board, which governs Creative Australia, or a co-investment partner, determine which applications will be funded.
Read more detailed information about industry advice in how we assess applications.
What is staff or internal assessment?
Staff assessment occurs when a panel of Creative Australia staff members who have knowledge and expertise in the relevant art form assess applications or provide advice on competitive applications to the executive, the Australia Council Board, which oversees Creative Australia, or a co-investment partner.
Read more detailed information about staff assessment in how we assess applications.
Assessment panels
What is a peer assessment panel?
A peer assessment panel comprises between 5–9 peers depending on the kind of assessment and representation required. Peer assessors come from our current pool of peer assessors, who are appointed by Creative Australia for a 3-year term.
Peers are invited to participate on an assessment panel based on their experience and knowledge. Creative Australia is committed to forming equitable and balanced panels.
Peer assessment panels are formed for the assessment of the Arts Projects core grant rounds; government programs including Playing Australia and the Contemporary Touring Initiative; and programs such as the Major Commissioning Projects grant or the Arts and Disability Initiatives.
Does Creative Australia still have art form boards?
No. All grant applications to our arts projects rounds are now assessed by peers selected from our current pool of peer assessors.
Each grant round is assessed by a new panel of around 5–9 peers, which is formed for each grant or opportunity from our current pool of peers.
What is an industry advice panel?
An industry advice panel comprises 3–7 industry advisors who have sufficient knowledge and industry experience in a particular art form area, or part of the sector (they might be artists, arts workers, or industry professionals currently working in the relevant sector). Advisors assess applications and then meet as a group with Creative Australia to give advice. Creative Australia staff, and in some cases the Australia Council Board (which oversees Creative Australia), or a co-investment partner, determine which applications will be funded.
Assessors
How do I become a peer assessor?
Peer assessors are appointed to our pool of peers for a 3-year term, our current assessors are the Pool of Peers 2025-2027. Applications to the Pool of Peers 2028-2030 will open in 2027.
Please see become an assessor for more details on this process or to register your interest to be invited to apply when applications open in 2027.
I have been a peer assessor, can I reapply?
Peer assessors can re-nominate themselves to a subsequent pool of peer assessors 3 years after their term has ended.
How do I become an industry advisor?
Contact the Assessment team to register your interest in becoming an industry advisor. Please email assessment@creative.gov.au.
How do you make the process accessible to peers and industry advisors?
We work closely with our peers and industry advisors to understand access needs and create plans as required.
Please refer to our accessibility advice for things we have helped with in the past and our webinar on access.
We are always open to new ways of working with our peers and encourage you to tell us how we can best support you through the assessment process. This can include things like Auslan interpretation, captioning, having a support person and/or carer attend the assessment meeting with you, support finding a suitable space to assess and attend the online assessment meeting for you and/or your support person or carer.
We can also provide support for childcare, cultural practices and internet access.
Please contact us if you would like to discuss the support available. Email the team via assessment@creative.gov.au, if you need help to speak or listen use the National Relay Service.
How are peers and industry advisors paid?
Peer and industry advisor fees are determined based on the number of applications assessed plus the length of the assessment meeting.
We pay superannuation in accordance with the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992.
How do I find a list of peer assessors and industry advisors for awarded grants?
You can review a list of all awarded grants and the panel of peer assessors or industry advisors who assessed each grant opportunity on assessors for awarded grants.
Please read our advice on multi-year investment and assessment for multi-year investment for more information on industry advisors for those programs.
I am a current peer assessor – how do I find information about my role?
The Peer Handbook will hold many of the answers to questions you might have about your role.
We also have resources for assessors, which includes information about conflicts of interest and connections and how to declare them, advice on accessibility and Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts.
Your Assessment Officer will be in contact with you to talk through your role, these resources, and support you through the process.
I am a current assessor – how do I log into the application management system?
Assessment of all grants and opportunities at Creative Australia is done through our application management system. You will need to register to use this system. Please do not reregister if you are already registered.
If you need help to register or access our application management system, please email assessment@creative.gov.au or call (02) 9215 9000.
I have been a peer assessor – how can I stay in touch?
We stay in contact with our growing group of alumni peer assessors by sending an email to you twice a year. If you have been a peer assessor and aren’t already on our alumni mailing list but would like to be, please email assessment@creative.gov.au.
Does being a peer prevent me from applying for any Creative Australia grant programs?
No, however you will not be able to sit on the panel you have submitted an application to.
Conflicts of interest
How does Creative Australia deal with conflicts of interest?
Our Conflicts of Interest and Confidentiality Policy ensures that any conflicts of interest, whether actual or perceived, do not influence discussion about, or decisions on, grant applications.
Assessors are required to acknowledge all connections they may have with applicants and applications. These connections are then managed by Creative Australia staff on a case-by-case basis and decisions made in line with our policy. The nature of each conflict and the action taken is formally recorded.
How does Creative Australia maintain impartiality in assessment?
Peer assessment and arm’s-length funding are guiding principles of Creative Australia’s assessment process. They ensure that funding decisions are based on merit and judged by peers, who bring their expertise, knowledge of the arts and their independence from the Australian Government to their decision-making.
All assessors are obliged to acknowledge all connections they may have with applicants or applications prior to assessing an application. These connections are managed by Creative Australia staff in line with our Conflicts of Interest and Confidentiality Policy, with determinations made on a case-by-case basis.
The Peer Handbook outlines Creative Australia’s expectations for peer assessors – it clearly details examples of conflicts of interest, the actions we have taken, and how peers should identify these connections or potential conflicts of interest to us prior to and during the assessment process.
Can my application be assessed by someone I know?
We expect peer assessors and applicants to know lots of people in the sector, we manage any connections that may exist between applicants and peer assessors or industry advisors in line with our policies and procedures. This conflicts of interest animation provides more detail.
All assessors are obliged to acknowledge all connections they may have with applicants or applications prior to assessing an application. These connections are managed by Creative Australia staff in line with our Conflicts of Interest and Confidentiality Policy.
Appeals
What is the appeals process?
For more information about the appeals process and how to appeal a grant decision, please see our advice on appeals.
Creative Australia also welcomes your feedback on any aspect of the services we provide.
