AusArt Day Micro Grants
Key Dates
Applications open: Thursday 2 April 2026 at 9am (AEDT)
Applications close: Tuesday 2 June 2026, 3pm AEST (2.30pm ACST, 1.30pm AWST)
Notification date: Mid-August 2026
AusArt Day: Thursday 22 October 2026
Amount
Individual Artist (and collectives): $2,500
Small-medium organisation: $5,000
Applicants who opt in to matched funding may have their micro-grant amount matched, doubling the grants available.
Contacts
If you need advice about eligibility and the program, contact AusArt Day team.
If you need advice on how to register in our system, contact an Artists Services Officer.
Find out more
Find out more about AusArt Day and see 2025 participants here.
About the program
AusArt Day is a national initiative designed to support and enable a collective action by artists and arts organisations to fundraise on one national day – increasing the visibility of arts philanthropy and encouraging greater generosity in support of the arts.
It aims to elevate the public value of the arts in the consciousness of everyday Australians and increase donor engagement in support of Australian creativity.
For 2026, AusArt Day will take place on Thursday 22 October 2026, building on the momentum of its inaugural year. The micro-grant program offers two grant amounts:
· $2,500 for artists and collectives
· $5,000 for organisations (of less than $5 million operating budget)
Grants are provided to support the creation of digital content for fundraising campaigns across a 12-hour public campaign.
An optional matched funding component is available to micro-grant applicants this year. If selected, the micro-grant amount may be matched, doubling the total funding available to the applicant. Applicants who opt in are required to demonstrate how matched funding will be applied strategically to strengthen their campaign and maximise donor engagement.
Flowchart of the 2026 participation process
Overview of AusArt Day
AusArt Day leverages our critical mass to deliver a national sector-led time-sensitive campaign, inclusive of many independent yet clearly defined cases for support, to show our collective appreciation for those who bring creativity into our lives. The day is proposed as a nationwide fundraising opportunity – a collective movement - designed to mobilise artists and arts organisations to raise funds on a single, powerful day. The continuance of this initiative will support the sector to fully leverage this opportunity, now a known entity, to increase fundraising capability, and to engage new audiences and donor communities in innovative and entrepreneurial ways.
The inaugural AusArt Day, held on Thursday 23 October 2025, brought together 323 participants from across the country in a collective celebration of Australian creativity, please see the Impact report of 2025 here.
For 2026’s round, it will take place on Thursday, 22 October 2026. For more information about the day please see FAQs here.
To stay updated on 2026’s AusArt Day, please subscribe to the Creative Australia's newsletter here .
Additional Provisions for participants
Professional Development
Creative Australia will facilitate the following free professional development opportunities dedicated to supporting participants of AusArt Day:
- Dedicated workshops to inform giving day methodology (April – September)
- Coaching and advice sessions (ongoing)
- Peer-led discussions (April to September)
Register for workshops via the AusArt Day page and access coaching and advice sessions via the Fundraising Support page. Links coming soon.
Digital Branded Assets
A suite of digital branded assets will be made available to support the national initiative and help build momentum on the day. These assets are designed to create a unified online identity while supporting artists and arts organisations to communicate their fundraising needs and highlight the public value and social impact of cultural philanthropy. Digital assets will be made available from August 2026.
Open-Access Participation
Artists and arts organisations who are not awarded a micro-grant are welcome to participate in AusArt Day, including accessing the professional development program at no cost, and digital assets to support their fundraising activity on Thursday 22 October.
Artists and organisations awarded a micro-grant must also complete the open-access registration to be publicly listed on the general AusArt Day participation page.
Eligibility
Eligibility
Who can apply
Applicants to the micro-grant opportunity must meet the following criteria:
- Be a practicing Australian artist or a small to medium-sized arts organisation, active in fundraising for an arts and cultural project, cause or activity, with an annual operating budget under $5 million
- Are a legally constituted entity (with an ABN)
- Be 18 years or older
- Are based in Australia and are carrying out the majority of their arts activity or practice within Australia
- Work within one or more of the following artforms: First Nations Arts, Music, Visual Arts, Literature, Dance, Theatre, Emerging and Experimental Arts (EEA), Community Arts and Cultural Development (CACD), and Multi-Arts
- Demonstrate capacity to deliver a fundraising activity
- Example of a minimum delivery of one fundraising campaign in the last 3 years (2023/4 – 2025/6)
- At least one public social media account that has been actively used for a minimum of 12 months, with at least 12 posts per annum.
Who can’t apply
You are not eligible to apply if:
- You have an overdue grant report
- You owe money to Creative Australia
- You have already submitted an application for this program (only one application per round is allowed)
- you have not included the required support material in your application
- You represent a large-scale organisation with an annual operating budget exceeding $5 million
- Your organisation does not work in the arts and culture sector/ provide a service to the arts
What you can apply for
The grant will support the following activities for the creation of content:
- Digital content production, (this may include: graphic design and video editing, videography, photography, graphic design and video and photography editing)
- Influencer or Partner Collaborations
- Purchase of technology, platform and software creation.
- Paid Social Media Advertising
- Service fees and hiring contractors for content creation of digital assets
What can’t be applied for
The program does not support:
- Projects or activities that do not involve or benefit Australian practicing artists or arts organisations
- Projects without a clearly defined public fundraising engagement component.
- Fundraising activities that have already taken place
- Activities already funded by Creative Australia (e.g., through other grant programs)
- Activities engaging with First Nations content, artists and communities that do not adhere to our First Nations Cultural &
- Intellectual Property Protocols.
- General operational costs or business-as-usual activities that are not directly related to the fundraising
- Costs without confirmation or invitation from suppliers
- Support for non-Australian artists or organisations
Protocols
Protocols
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.
Assessment
Assessment
Submissions will be assessed against three (3) criteria. Under each criterion are bullet points indicating what Creative Australia may consider when assessing your application. You do not need to respond to every bullet point listed.
1. Quality
Creative Australia will assess the quality of the fundraising activity proposed. They may consider:
- A clearly articulated summary of your arts practice and AusArt Day fundraising intent
- A fundraising plan that demonstrates a strong likelihood of success and a well-communicated ‘Case for Support’. Include any engagementt strategies to leverage digital tools to engage audiences online in the lead up to and during the 12-hour public campaign
- If opting in to matched funding, a clear strategy for leveraging matched funding to increase donor engagement and fundraising outcomes.
2. Viability
Creative Australia will assess the feasibility and planning of the proposed fundraising activities, considering budget, capacity, capability and execution. They may consider:
- Outline who you are and the key personnel who will deliver the fundraising activity and any recent fundraising or private sector achievements.
- An achievable fundraising target and evidence the budget is realistic and well-planned
3. Impact
Creative Australia 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:
- Outline your proposed fundraising activity, including what you want to do and why.
- Consider how your activity will build skills internally, how you intend to attract new donors, and how participation in AusArt Day will support the sustainability of the organisation.
Applications
Applications
Applications for this program are submitted via Creative Australia’s Application Management System. If you are using the system for the first time you will need to register your details to access the application form.
We do not accept entries submitted via post. Any material received by post will not be assessed and will be returned to the sender. If you think you will have difficulty submitting your submission online, please contact Artists Services.
The type of questions we ask in the application form include:
- A title for your project
- A summary of your project
- A brief description of the applicant (individual, collective or organisation)
- Information about you/your organisation’s practice, artistic experience, and previous fundraising activities
- An outline of your proposed fundraising activity, including what you want to do and why
- you can choose to opt in to matched funding. If yes, you will be asked to outline how you plan to leverage the matched funding opportunity, including your campaign strategy, key activities, approach to engaging new supporters, and the expected benefit to your organisation or practice.
- A timetable or itinerary for your fundraising activities (including in the lead up to and during the 12-hour public campaign).
- Supporting material: relevant to your financial standing (previous financial year audited statements as evidence of less than $5 million operating budget).
Support material
Support material
Additional material be submitted to support your application.
Our preferred method of receiving support material is via URLs (weblinks) that link to content that is targeted and relevant to your submission.
Creative Australia will not view any URLs that require log in or to sign up to a platform.
Please do not provide links to applications or documents that require users to log in or pay for access. If you are linking to sites or files that are private or password protected, please provide the password in the password field on the application form.
Your support material should include:
- If applicable, audited accounts for last full year of operations (demonstrating an annual operating budget under $5 million). Examples should be presented as a single document.
- Provide a link or handle to your primary social media account (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, LinkedIn). Your account must be public and show consistent activity — at least one post per month over the last 12 months. Accounts that are private, inactive, or less than 12 months old will not meet this eligibility requirement.
- Relevant / recent examples of your fundraising activity, including evidence of a minimum delivery of one fundraising campaign in the last 3 years (2023/4 – 2025/6). Examples should be presented as a single document no longer than 4 A4 pages in total.
You can provide up to three (3) URLs and three (3) file uploads.
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).
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)
To attach your support material, provide URL links or use the [+] button below to upload files.
Acquittal report
Acquittal report
Recipients of the micro-grant are required to report on the results of their AusArt Day fundraising campaign activity and project.
The acquittal report is due 13 weeks after the proposed campaign activity date. Recipients who fail to submit a report within 20 weeks of the proposed campaign activity date may be required to return the grant to Creative Australia. Templates are provided to the recipient prior to the report due date via Fluxx.
Acquittal report requirements will include:
- How grant funding was spent
- Amount of funds raised including if target was achieved (by percentage)
- The number and type of campaign contributors, including reporting on the number of new donors
- Evaluation of their campaign strategy, including assessment of unexpected problems, challenges and opportunities encountered through the campaign
- Additional information as desired, including testimonials, media, promotional material and details of ongoing donor relationships
Frequently Asked Questions
What is fundraising?
Fundraising refers to the process of securing financial support for a cause, project, or organisation from private sector sources. This can include both philanthropy and business partnerships. Philanthropic sources can be both from individual donations and trust and foundations.
AusArt Day aims to promote fundraising in the arts sector by helping artists and small to medium sized arts organisations generate financial support from private sector sources for their creative projects.
What is a giving day?
A giving day is defined as a 12 or 24-hour fundraising event aimed at bringing communities together to raise awareness for a specific cause, increase engagement, and drive donations.
Giving days are unique, in that they allow nonprofits to reach brand new donors (and keep them engaged) through means like social and Peer-to-Peer Fundraising, which are becoming steadfast methods that nonprofits rely on to attract new supporters.
What is AusArt Dat?
AusArt Day is a program designed to support artists and small to medium arts organisations to fundraise on one national collective day of action.
This program will be dedicated to recognising the vital role that the arts play in our communities and ensuring that artists and organisations dedicated to creative expression continue to thrive.
This new program is an invitation for everyone to give back in a way that directly impacts the future of arts and creativity. It’s not just about financial contributions — it’s also about recognising the incredible work of artists, educators, performers, and creators who enrich our world every day.
The national day is scheduled to take place on Thursday 22 October 2026.
How can I participate in the AusArt Day?
Participants can:
- Apply for a micro-grant to create digital AusArt Day fundraising content.
- Launch/ host a digital AusArt Day fundraising campaign (you are welcome to fundraise on any digital infrastructure you choose – the Australian Cultural Fund is a fee free online fundraising platform).
- Register to be included on the official AusArt Day participation page
- Access the Creative Australia digital branded assets to promote an AusArt Day campaign
- Participate in the free fundraising professional development workshops, peer-led discussions and coaching and advice services on offer at Creative Australia.
- Encourage public engagement by promoting the day, and/or sharing online the fundraising stories of an artist or arts organisations you support.
- Donate to the arts on this day
Can I participate again as a participant from AusArt Day 2025?
Yes, all participants from AusArt Day 2025 are encouraged to participate in 2026 to utilise the resources and this unified day to fundraise for your own programs and projects.
What is open-access registration?
Open-access registration is a free, self-sign-up process that allows any Australian-based artist or arts organisation to participate in AusArt Day. The registration form collects key information about the fundraising campaign, including:
- Your contact details and organisation name
- A short description of your campaign
- A link or file upload of your campaign materials
- Consent for your campaign to appear on Creative Australia’s AusArt Day page
Why do I need to complete open-access registration?
Open-access registration lets Creative Australia create an AusArt Day participant gallery page on Creative Australia website showcasing all participating campaigns. This includes campaigns from all participants, giving your project public visibility even if you don’t receive funding.
Do micro-grant recipients need to complete the open-access registration separately?
Yes. Micro-grant recipients are still required to complete the open-access registration, as the systems are separate. Open-access registration allows Creative Australia to create a participant gallery page displaying all participating campaigns, whether or not participants have received a micro-grant.
What is the Australian Cultural Fund (ACF)?
The Australian Cultural Fund (ACF) is a free fundraising platform for Australian artists and arts organisations enabling to fundraise online. The ACF is operated by Creative Australia and was established by the Australian Government in 2003 to encourage donations to the arts.
Through the ACF, artists upload their project, start their fundraising campaign and invite art lovers and supporters to donate. Donations over $2 are tax deductible, and supporters get the chance to make a real difference to the work of Australian artists.
If you do not already have an online crowdfunding platform, the ACF is a great tool to consider using in your AusArt Day. Find out more at this link.
Do you accept applications in language other than English?
Yes, we do. More information is available on our website: Languages other than English.
When does my activity/project have to take place to be eligible?
Applications for the project open on Thursday 2 April 2026 and close on Tuesday 2 June 2026, 3pm AEST (2.30 PM ACST; 1.30 PM ACST; 12.00 PM AWST). Recipients will be notified, and funds will be dispersed in August 2026.
Your fundraising activity or project must include a dedicated public digital fundraising campaign on the national AusArt Day, taking place on Thursday, 22 October.
What does public activity versus quiet phase/non public activity mean?
"Public activity" refers to the visible and active components of a fundraising campaign, such as the 12 or 24-hour period where the campaign is publicly promoted and fundraising efforts are actively highlighted. On the other hand, "quiet phase" or "non-public activity" refers to the behind-the-scenes work that happens before the public launch of the campaign. This includes activities such as securing pledges, organising matching gift opportunities, and engaging donors in advance.
A successful giving day campaign typically involves a quiet fundraising phase that lasts six weeks or longer, helping to build momentum and lay the groundwork for a successful public campaign.
What types of grants are available?
Two types of micro-grants and optional matched funding will be offered:
- artists and collectives – $2,500
- Arts Organisations – $5,000.
- Applicants who choose to opt in to matched funding may have their micro-grant amount matched, doubling the grants available for their campaign.
Grants are provided to create digital content for participation in AusArt Day 2026.
What is matched funding?
Matched funding is an optional opportunity for micro-grant recipients to have their grant amount matched, effectively doubling the funds available for their campaign.
How do I apply for matched funding?
During the application, you can choose to opt in to matched funding. If yes, you will be asked to outline how you plan to leverage the matched funding opportunity, including your campaign strategy, key activities, approach to engaging new supporters, and the expected benefit to your organisation or practice.
How will matched funding be assessed?
If you opt in, Creative Australia will assess how effectively matched funding is integrated into your campaign strategy and how it is likely to improve donor engagement and fundraising outcomes.
What is matched funding?
Matched funding is an optional opportunity for micro-grant recipients to have their grant amount matched, effectively doubling the funds available for their campaign.
How do I apply for matched funding?
During the application, you can choose to opt in to matched funding. If yes, you will be asked to outline how you plan to leverage the matched funding opportunity, including your campaign strategy, key activities, approach to engaging new supporters, and the expected benefit to your organisation or practice.
How will matched funding be assessed?
If you opt in, Creative Australia will assess how effectively matched funding is integrated into your campaign strategy and how it is likely to improve donor engagement and fundraising outcomes.
Who can apply for a micro-grant
Applicants to the micro-grant opportunity must meet the following criteria:
- Be a practicing Australian artist or a small to medium-sized arts organisation, active in fundraising for an arts and cultural project, cause or activity, with an annual operating budget under $5 million.
- Are a legally constituted entity (with an ABN).
- Be 18 years or older.
- Are based in Australia and are carrying out the majority of their arts activity or practice within Australia.
- Work within one or more of the following artforms: First Nations Arts, Music, Visual Arts, Literature, Dance, Theatre, Emerging and Experimental Arts (EEA), Community Arts and Cultural Development (CACD), and Multi-Arts.
- Demonstrate capacity to deliver a fundraising campaign.
- Demonstrate fundraising capability, including a minimum delivery of one fundraising campaign in the last 3 years (2023/4 – 2025/6).
- Active social media accounts (minimum activity for at least 12 months).
How can I get assistance with my application?
Creative Australia staff are available to assist you in understanding the purpose of the grant, application requirements and submitting your application. Creative Australia staff can assist over email, phone and video calls. We cannot review application drafts.
Additional support can be discussed where needed. Where the additional support is beyond the scope of what staff can provide, we may recommend speaking to an appropriate organisation for further assistance.
Do I need an ABN to apply for a grant?
All applicants based in Australia must have an active Australian Business Number (ABN).
The name of the applicant must match the name of the ABN and the name of the bank account we pay the grant into. If you cannot provide an ABN and bank account that are in the same name as the applicant, you will need to nominate an administrator for your grant.
The administrator must be another individual or a legally constituted entity with an Australian Business Number (ABN). If your application is approved the grant will be paid directly into the administrator's bank account.
Should I include GST in my budget?
If you are GST-registered when you receive a grant, we will pay the grant amount plus GST. The budget provided in your application should be excluded of GST.
Can I include artist fees in my budget?
Yes. We expect that artists professionally employed or engaged in the digital content creation of your fundraising campaign or activities will be paid for their work, in line with industry standards. Payment of artist fees should be reflected in your application budget.
For more information, see our Payment of Artists page.
Can I include administration costs?
Yes, if applicable. Administrative costs should be reasonable and directly related to project delivery. They should generally not exceed 10% of the total budget. If those costs are higher, your application may be less competitive.
What professional development and support are available?
Creative Australia will facilitate the following free professional development opportunities dedicated to supporting participants of the AusArt Day:
- Workshops and training (April – August)
- Coaching and advice sessions, delivered by the State Manager Development and Partnerships (ongoing)
- Peer-led discussions (April to August)
Find workshops via the AusArt Day page and access coaching and advice sessions via the Fundraising Support page. Links coming soon.
What are the digital branded assets available?
Working with external branding consultant, Marlin Communications, a suite of digital branded assets will be made available to share in support of the national initiative and to encourage momentum on the day. These digital assets will assist to create a unified online identity that builds artists’ and arts organisations’ fundraising needs while highlighting key public value and social impact messages in support of cultural philanthropy.
Digital branded assets will be made available in August 2026.
Can artists or organisations who are not eligible for the Micro Grants participate AusArt Day?
Yes, artists and arts organisations not awarded a micro-grant can still run an independent fundraising campaigns on the AusArt Day, 22 October 2026, and can access Creative Australia’s AusArt Day digital branded assets and fundraising support services by registering via the Open-Access registration.
How will the Giving Day to Arts be promoted?
An advertorial and editorial campaign will be implemented to support momentum for the AusArt Day, including:
- media marketing to raise awareness
- support for participants to amplify their fundraising campaigns
When is the acquittal report due?
Recipients must submit their acquittal report within 13 weeks of the proposed campaign activity date. Recipients who fail to submit a report may be required to return the grant.
What are some examples of successful arts giving day campaigns?
Several Australian arts organisations have successfully implemented giving days, including:
- Green Music $21,034 raised during 2025 AusArts Day - Green Music Giving Day - AusArt Day
- Arts OutWest - raised $10,353.00 for its Arts OutWest Cultural Fund during 2025 AusArt Day - AusArt Day 2025 - Arts OutWest
- CircusWA (2024) – Raised $17,136 for a new training centre - Artist Project: Big Top for Freo
- Queensland Ballet (2019) - Raised $1.03 million through a quadruple matched-giving campaign - The Show Must Go On
- Belvoir St Theatre (2023) – Raised $1.5 million through a matched-giving campaign - Quadruple your donation to Belvoir St Theatre
- Flipside Circus (2022) – Raised $49,000 from 277 donors in a 12-hour event - Flipside Circus 2022 Giving Day
- Adelaide Fringe (2025) – Raised $160,000 for artists and communities experiencing disadvantage (a jump from $40,000 raised in 2024) - Giving Day | Adelaide Fringe - 21 February - 23 March 2025
- Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) (2023) – Raised $382,000 for youth and family programs - QAGOMA Giving Day — Support the Asia Pacific Triennial
Where can I get help or advice?
If you need advice about applying, please contact the Business Development and Partnerships team:
Phone: 02 9215 9000
Toll-free: 1800 226 912
NRS: 1800 555 677 | Visit the NRS
Email: mailto:ausartday@creative.gov.auAusArtDay@creative.gov.au
