The Visual Arts Craft Strategy (VACS) will be replaced by the Visual Art, Craft and Design Framework (VACDF) from 1 July 2025.

VACS has been a valuable partnership between governments since 2003 and has been highly successful in meeting its original aim of providing stability to Australia’s visual arts and craft sector. It has delivered a nationally coordinated package of investment and support for the Australian contemporary visual arts sector

Investment delivered through VACS, which has become an integral and essential component of visual arts and craft investment across all jurisdictions, has provided the sector with increased resilience, allowing it to take a strategic, long-term approach to addressing issues and pressures.

Find out more about the Visual Art, Craft and Design Framework (VACDF).

Objectives

The following objectives apply to all investment under VACS:

• Deepen audience engagement through critical discussion about individual artists and works; new approaches to audience engagement and market development, including the use of digital and online platforms; enhanced international engagement; and high-quality touring exhibitions and events.
• Expand markets and enhance international connections through market exposure and opportunities to leverage private sector support, including a particular focus on strengthening the profile of Australian arts and craft practitioners in international markets through activities such as residencies, exhibitions and fellowships.
• Ensure opportunities for Australian contemporary visual artists through funding to create new work and support innovation and a diversity of practice; provide professional development opportunities; and support for artist run initiatives.
• Provide professional support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists through funding to Indigenous visual arts industry service organisations and other visual arts organisations as needed to address service delivery gaps, enhance creative practice and provide professional opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and arts workers.
• Build stronger, more resilient visual arts and craft organisations through business stability that drives stronger governance, innovation and art-form development, and major events and exhibitions.

Investment framework

Investment for VACS was a commitment of all governments in Australia, as first agreed through the Meeting of Cultural Ministers (MCM). The Australian Government committed 50% of overall investment with states and territories, as a whole, matching the Australian Government contribution* on the basis of a formula agreed to by Cultural Ministers in 2003.

Investment was delivered via two streams:

• National priorities – the national stream delivered on Australian Government priorities and supported organisations and individuals that demonstrated their contribution to meeting the objectives of VACS at a national level, while also demonstrating the value they added to states and territories.
• State and territory priorities – the state and territory stream supported organisations and individuals that demonstrated their contribution to VACS at a state and territory level, while also demonstrating the value they added nationally.

Organisations could receive investment from both streams and to the extent it was possible, streamlined administrative arrangements were applied.

Creative Australia VACS investment for individuals and groups

The VACS Major Commissioning Projects (now renamed VACDF Major Commissioning Projects) funded new visual arts and craft commissions to be created for presentation nationally and internationally.

Creative Australia VACS investment for organisations

National priority investment delivered on Australian Government priorities and supported organisations and individuals that demonstrated their contribution to meeting the objectives of VACS at a national level, while also demonstrating the value they added to states and territories.

This was an invitation only category for Australian visual art and craft organisations. State and Territory governments nominated organisations that delivered national leadership for consideration by Creative Australia in a competitive grant process. The invited organisations and the amount of investment awarded were determined by Creative Australia in consultation with the relevant state and territory investment agencies.

Invitations to apply for VACDF organisational investment in 2025-2028 were issued in September 2022. Information on how and when to apply were included in the guidelines that accompanied the invitation to apply.

For more information contact: MYI@creative.gov.au