AusArt Day is a nationwide, sector-wide fundraising initiative designed to mobilise artists and arts organisations to raise funds for their work and creative ambitions on a single, powerful day. This unified call to action aims to amplify the visibility of arts philanthropy and inspire greater generosity across the country.   

This inaugural event is more than a fundraiser—it's a national public movement that celebrates and elevates the role of the arts in Australian life.  

It will take place for the first time on Thursday 23 October 2025.  

This program recognises the vital role that the arts play in our communities  and champions artists and organisations dedicated to creative expression.  

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 sharing and recognising the incredible work of artists, educators, performers, and creators who enrich our world every day.  

Open to all Australian artists and organisations, the program follows an open-access model, encouraging participation from artists and arts organisations regardless of size or scale. Whether you're an independent artist or part of a large institution, you're invited to be part of this shared moment of national solidarity and fundraising. (See ‘How can I or my arts organisation or collective participate in AusArt Day?’  for more information on how to participate).  

Read our  opinion piece  about annual giving days for more context to this new initiative, including why now in 2025.  

A giving day is defined as a 12 to 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 fundraisers to showcase their work to reach brand new donors through means like social and peer-to-peer fundraising, which are becoming steadfast methods to attract new supporters. 

The official AusArt Day is on Thursday 23 October 2025, however, 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. 

AusArt Day is an initiative of Creative Australia.  

Creative Australia’s role is to champion and invest in Australian arts and creativity to benefit all Australians. This includes funding a wide range of arts activities, supporting, promoting and developing creative arts practice, and advocating for the value of arts and creativity. Creative Australia also plays a role in building audiences and markets for Australian creative work, both domestically and internationally. 

On AusArt Day, our role is to promote the event, provide resources to registered participants, and support them in maximising their fundraising campaigns. We’ll spread the word through our networks, media outlets, and social media channels to drive awareness and engagement. 

In 2025 Creative Australia has provided more than 100 artists and arts organisations with microgrants to assist in the creation of digital content to support their AusArt Day fundraising campaign.  

Creative Australia is also facilitating a series of free workshops and coaching sessions to help participants maximise their campaign delivery.  

A suite of branded assets is also being resourced through Creative Australia to complement participating campaigns.   

AusArt Day is dedicated to recognising the vital role that the arts play in our communities – including the need for charitable contributions to support their sustainability – and ensuring that artists and organisations dedicated to creative expression continue to thrive. 

The Australian Cultural Fund (ACF) is a free digital fundraising platform for Australian artists and arts organisations, enabling tax deductable fundraising online, with 100% of donations going directly towards a creative project. 

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 campaign. Find out more at this link.