Who can apply 

Only organisations may apply to this category. 

Organisations must: 

• identify as an Australian First Nations organisation with at least 51% First Nations board representation
• demonstrate a history of working and supporting Australian artists and/or arts workers who identify as Australian First Nations
• be based in Australia
• only submit one application to this grant initiative
• adhere to First Nations Cultural Protocols and include any relevant documentation in the application.

Who can’t apply 

You can’t apply for a grant if: 

• you have an overdue grant report
• you owe money to Creative Australia
• you are an individual or group
• you receive multi-year investment in the years 2025 to 2028 through other Creative Australia multi-year programs.

What can be applied for 

We will fund a range of activities which help support and build capacity in the small to medium arts sector, for example:  

1. staffing costs including wages and fees for artists or arts workers 
2. administration and other operational running costs 
3. development of strategic plans or business plans
4. costs associated with program and artistic delivery including creative development, creation of new work, presentation and touring 
5. professional skills development for artists and/or arts workers 
6. sector development or capacity building 
7. promotion and marketing 
8. market development activity.

Activities can take place nationally, internationally, online, or a combination of in-person and online (hybrid activities). 

If your program involves a partnership or collaboration with organisations in the National Performing Arts Partnership Framework you must discuss your application with us before applying.  

Access costs are legitimate expenses and may be included in your application. We encourage applicants to ensure that their work is accessible to everyone. Therefore, budgets may also 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 an applicant with a disability, or are working with 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 the First Nations Arts & Culture Team or a Multi Year Investment Manager to discuss your specific needs.  

What can’t be applied for 

1. programs or activities that do not involve or benefit the arts sector
2. programs or activities that do not have a clearly defined arts component 
3. programs that have already taken place 
4. activities engaging with First Nations content, artists and communities that do not adhere to the Creative Australia First Nations Cultural & Intellectual Property 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.  

Your application will be reviewed by Industry Advisors and Creative Australia staff.   

Assessment Criteria 

You must address three assessment criteria in this category.  

Under each criterion are bullet points indicating what Industry Advisors may consider when assessing your application. You do not need to respond to every bullet point listed. 

First criterion 

You can address one of the following two options: 

Quality of artistic or cultural activities or Quality of Services to the Arts 

Industry Advisors will assess the quality of the artistic and cultural activities at the centre of your proposal. For quality of artistic or cultural activities they may consider: 

• vision, ideas and rationale for the capacity building proposal
• benefit and impact on careers, artistic or cultural practice
• level of innovation, ambition, experimentation or risk-taking
• rigour and clear articulation of creative, engagement or development processes
• significance of the work within area of practice and communities
• contribution to diverse cultural expression
• timeliness and relevance of work
• quality of previous work
• responses to previous work from artistic or cultural peers, or the public. 

or 

For quality of services they may consider: 

• Rationale for capacity building proposal
• quality of the services provided
• impact of services for artists, arts professionals, participants, or audiences
• diversity and breadth of those benefitting from the services
• capacity-building potential, including a contribution to sustainable arts practice
• skills and professional development opportunities for artists and arts professionals
• breadth and quality of community engagement, partnerships, and collaborations
• responsiveness to identified need or demand
• innovation and improvement of operating models and frameworks. 

Second criterion 

Viability 

Industry advisors will assess the viability of your proposal. 

They may consider: 

• capacity to deliver the proposed activities or services
• relevance and timeliness of proposed activity
• skills and ability of artists, arts professionals, collaborators, or participants involved, and relevance to activity
• realistic and achievable planning and resource use, including, where relevant, contingency and safety plans for activities involving public presentation, national or international travel
• meaningful evaluation
• appropriate payments to participating artists, arts professionals, collaborators, participants, or cultural consultants
• the safety and wellbeing of people involved in the program
• governance arrangements
• role of partners or collaborators, including confirmation of involvement
• diversity and scale of income and co-funding, including earned income, grants, sponsorship and in-kind contributions
• evidence of appropriate consultation and engagement with participants, audiences or communities
• where relevant to the program, evidence that the Protocols for First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts have been adhered to
• where relevant, evidence that you have considered and addressed any access issues associated with your program
• where relevant, evidence of an environmental impact plan which may include cost-benefits. 

Third criterion 

Impact 

Industry advisors will assess the potential impact of funding on your creative activity and how likely you are to achieve this. The impacts may relate to you and your creative practice, other people such as your collaborators or partners, your participants or audiences, your communities, or your sector. 

The impacts they may consider include: 

• supporting First Nations self-determination and cultural practice
• development of new skills and capacity
• opportunities for career development
• researching and testing new ideas, processes and practices
• opportunities for more people to experience and engage with arts and culture in different ways
• opportunities that increase inclusion, equity, access or wellbeing
• developing and sustaining new and existing markets for your work
• development of more sustainable practice and operations
• development of the arts practice or sector in which you work. 

Please complete the application form in our Application Management System.  

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

• a brief summary of your organisation, including an outline of your core activity and the role you play in the arts sector as well as key achievements over last 3 years (approx. 750 words) 
• your organisation’s vision and how you intend to build capacity (approx. 450 words).

You must provide the following support material:  

• a list of key staff in your organisation, with information on their roles 
• the members of your Board or governing committee (to whom the head of your organisation reports), with information on their length of service and the structure and composition of the Board 
• supporting material as relevant to your activity, including examples of your work, bios of additional artists or artworkers/consultants, and letters of support or permission from participants, communities, First Nations organisations, and Elders.
• please attach a simple plan that describes how you will build capacity to enable you to write a Strategic Plan in preparation for a two-year investment application
• the latest audited financial accounts, or equivalent financial data.