Arts Grants in Australia (All States) — 2026

The Australian Government International Exhibitions Insurance (AGIEI) program is a funding program designed to offset insurance costs for touring major exhibitions of cultural material. Generally, these exhibitions include works from international collections. The program aims to assist cultural institutions to provide access to significant cultural material the Australian public would not otherwise have an opportunity to access. By providing assistance with insurance costs, the Australian Government is able to encourage and support the staging of major exhibitions drawn from some of the world’s most historically significant and culturally rich collections. Eligibility: Organisations eligible to apply for funding include Commonwealth, state and territory government collecting institutions; incorporated not-for-profit public collecting institutions; incorporated not-for-profit bodies specialising in touring significant art and cultural collections; or Moorilla Estate Pty Ltd, trading as

The Linkage Projects scheme supports projects which initiate or develop long term strategic research alliances to apply advanced knowledge to problems, acquire new knowledge and as a basis for securing commercial and other benefits of research. There will be one assessment round for Linkage Projects for funding applied for in 2026. Please refer to the Important Dates document for detailed information about the assessment round dates. The Linkage Projects scheme objectives are to: support internationally competitive research projects and teams on challenges or opportunities of relevance to research end-users; foster the establishment and strengthening of research alliances between higher education organisations and research end-users; enhance the scale and focus of research, including in Australian Government priority areas. The intended outcomes of the Linkage Projects scheme are: new or strengthened collaborations and research alliances between universities and research end-users; new

The objectives of the National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach Program are to: increase overall levels of touring by National Collecting Institutions with particular emphasis on multiple venue tours; promote broad access to Australian cultural material through touring works from the collections of the National Collecting Institutions, with particular emphasis on providing access for audiences in regional areas; promote international awareness of Australia’s cultural heritage through touring Australian cultural material from National Collecting Institutions overseas; expand Australian appreciation of international cultural material through enabling National Collecting Institutions to bring works from international collections for exhibition or touring within Australia; and encourage partnerships and collaboration between the National Collecting Institutions and with other institutions (archives, galleries, libraries, and museums) across the collections sector, particularly

Festivals Australia provides funding to support individual art projects in regional or remote locations. Eligible projects take place at festivals, or significant one-off community events such as a town celebration or opening of a new community resource. Festivals Australia will: provide access to a diverse range of engaging, innovative arts projects that grow audiences at festivals across regional and remote Australia, support partnerships and collaboration across the arts sector, and encourage community participation in arts projects at regional and remote festivals. The program delivers two funding rounds each year usually opening in February and September. The Minister for the Arts (or their delegate) approves funding under the Program Guidelines. To check if your project is taking place in an eligible location, visit the Festivals Australia Eligibility Map. Enter the full address where your project will be delivered into the search box, or click on the location on the map. The rem

The DECRA grant opportunity provides focused research support for early career researchers in both teaching and research, and research-only positions. The DECRA scheme objectives are to: support outstanding early-career researchers with demonstrated capacity for high-quality research and emerging capability for leadership and supervision; foster collaboration, with national or international researchers; support excellent and innovative research that addresses a significant problem or gap in knowledge and represents value for money; create new or advanced knowledge resulting from the outcomes of the research with economic, commercial, environmental, social and/or cultural benefits for Australia; and advance promising early career researchers and promote enhanced opportunities for diverse career pathways in high-quality and supportive environments. The intended outcome of the Discovery Program is to contribute to the growth of Australia’s research and innovation capacity. Increasing Aust

The ILA Program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to express, conserve and maintain their cultures through Indigenous languages and arts activities. Grant funding allocated through the ILA Program supports activities that: Conserve, revitalise and sustain Indigenous languages and Create, promote and celebrate Indigenous community-based arts activities. Eligibility: To be eligible for an ILA program grant, your organisation must: have an Australian Business Number (ABN) be registered for the purposes of GST - if your business has a gross annual income minus GST of $75,000 (or $150,000 for non-profit organisations) have an account with an Australian financial institution be one of the following entity types: an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 and are compliant with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC) requirements regarding director ID n

The Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) scheme provides funding for research infrastructure, equipment and facilities to Eligible Organisations. It enables researchers to participate in cooperative initiatives so that expensive research infrastructure, equipment and facilities can be shared between higher education organisations and also with industry. The scheme also fosters collaboration through its support of the cooperative use of international or national research facilities. LIEF grant applications are accepted once a year. The minimum level of funding provided by the ARC is $150,000 per year. The LIEF scheme objectives are to: support excellent pure basic, strategic basic and applied research and research training, across all disciplines excluding clinical and other medical research, through the acquisition (purchase, upgrade, construction, transportation, installation, and/or maintenance) of research equipment and infrastructure and access to national and in

This program provides funding to NSW live music venues to deliver all-ages contemporary music events. It aims to build new live music audiences, increase the number and diversity of all-ages events, create performance opportunities for emerging and established artists, and strengthen venue capacity to deliver safe, accessible, and compliant events.

This program provides funding to Aboriginal community organisations across NSW to celebrate Aboriginal culture and hold key cultural events and activities. Funding can support projects such as women's or men's gatherings on Country, culture and wellbeing camps for Aboriginal youth, digital installations showing Aboriginal history, statewide music or cultural festivals, and online workshops.

This program supports Aboriginal people to share their culture, stories and heritage through traditional and non-traditional arts and cultural activities. Funding may be used for creative development, presenting work, residencies, and professional development activities.

The Visions of Australia Program provides funding to support the development and touring of quality exhibitions around Australia by Australian arts and cultural organisations. The objectives of the Visions of Australia Program are to: increase access for Australian audiences to exhibitions of quality Australian arts and cultural material, with a particular focus on touring to regional and remote Australia encourage partnerships between organisations such as museums and galleries, particularly collaboration across the collections sector, to form curatorial partnerships and where appropriate, access to mentoring and skills transfer opportunities. Program funding is delivered through two streams: Development: for the costs of planning and producing an exhibition to tour. This includes research and design Touring: for the costs to produce the exhibition and the costs to transport, install and dismantle the exhibition as well as deliver public programs. The Program delivers two funding roun

The ILA Program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to express, conserve and maintain their cultures through Indigenous languages and arts activities. Funding supports conservation and revitalisation of Indigenous languages, language learning pathways, digital recording of languages, and creation and promotion of Indigenous community-based arts activities including traditional and contemporary art forms.

This program provides funding to Tasmanian artists and art groups to support travel costs for arts or cultural heritage opportunities. It supports travel locally, nationally or internationally, as well as bringing professionals to Tasmania for arts activities, professional development, or workshops.

Festivals Australia provides funding to support high quality arts or cultural heritage projects in regional Australia that participants and audiences can engage with. Eligible activities include parades, performances, workshops, installations, and exhibitions. The program supports the presentation of arts and cultural activities that enable people living in regional or remote Australia to participate in or attend arts-driven experiences at festivals or major community celebrations.

Creative Australia is offering fully funded scholarships for artists and arts workers to participate in transformative leadership programs ranging from 5 days to 10 months. Programs focus on systems thinking, ethical decision-making, and adaptive leadership practice, with support for travel expenses and access needs available on a limited basis.

This grant supports First Nations filmmakers and creatives to present their work at international film festivals and events. It provides funding to help offset costs associated with festival participation, including travel, accommodation, and submission fees.

Arts SA funding is available for artists, organisations and the community to support initiatives that demonstrate bold exploration, innovation, and lead to a vibrant ecology of new relationships and networks. Grants are available in 3 program streams: development, projects, and major projects.

A prestigious research fellowship scheme supporting world-class researchers to conduct innovative and ground-breaking research in Australia. Provides funding for fellow salary, postdoctoral research associates, postgraduate researchers, and project costs up to $300,000 per year.

A named Australian Laureate Fellowship available to highly ranked female candidates from the humanities, arts and social science disciplines. Recipients undertake an ambassadorial role to promote women in research and mentor early career researchers.

This program provides funding for Canberra artists, groups and organisations to undertake arts activities including creating new work, professional development, mentoring, residencies, and community arts engagement. Activities can span multiple artforms including dance, digital games, literature, music, theatre, visual arts, and arts-based festivals.

This fund supports Australian film festivals to develop their audiences and increase engagement with Australian screen content. It provides financial assistance to festivals for activities that promote and showcase Australian films and television programs.

Creative Australia offers targeted training and professional development programs to build the skills and capabilities of artists and arts organisations. Programs support workforce development, adaptation and innovation in leadership, governance, fundraising, business and entrepreneurial skills, and digital arts through coaching, mentoring, workshops, networking activities and formal training opportunities.

A significant multi-year investment program for arts and cultural organisations. This program supports creative arts organisations, groups and individuals who work across First Nations arts, visual arts, dance, theatre, music, literature, community arts and cultural development, and emerging and experimental arts.

This program provides one-off grants to support the development and presentation of new creative performing arts work by Queensland-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, arts companies, groups and organisations. Funding is available through two streams: performing arts (up to $70,000) and visual arts market development (up to $30,000), with additional funding of up to $10,000 available to support costs for increasing access for artists and/or audiences with disability.

Funding to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and arts workers create, develop and present new works across all art forms. Eligible projects include creative development, exhibitions, touring, performance opportunities, and research projects.

A targeted program by Creative Australia to support d/Deaf and disabled artists and creative workers in the arts, digital games and cultural sectors. The initiative provides recognition, professional development, and expanded investment opportunities for disabled creatives.

The ILA Program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to express, conserve and maintain their cultures through Indigenous languages and arts activities. Participation in the Closed Non-Competitive Grant Opportunity, including the Strategic Grant Opportunity is by invitation only and will support the Indigenous languages and arts sector to: strengthen and grow the Indigenous languages sector by directly contributing to the Australian Government’s priorities for Indigenous languages strengthen and revitalise Australian Indigenous languages provide funding stability for Indigenous language centre (ILC) operations provide funding stability for language activities delivered to support the broader languages sector support secure and sustainable employment and skills development for the Indigenous language sector fund strategic activities addressing identified Indigenous language and arts priorities Eligibility: Participation in the Closed Non-Competitive Grant Opportunit

Funding will be provided to organisations for activities that best contribute to delivery of the following Program outcomes: a professional, viable and ethical Indigenous visual arts industry that features strong participation by, and provides economic opportunities for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the continued production, exhibition, critique, purchase and collection of Indigenous visual art. Eligibility: To be eligible for an IVAIS grant, your organisation must be one of the following entity types: an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 an entity established through specific Commonwealth or State or Territory legislation a company incorporated in Australia a company limited by guarantee an incorporated association a publicly funded research organisation state, territory or local government body and have an Australian Business Number (ABN) be registered for the Goods a

Funding will be provided to organisations for activities that best contribute to delivery of the following Program outcomes: a professional, viable and ethical Indigenous visual arts industry that features strong participation by, and provides economic opportunities for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the continued production, exhibition, critique, purchase and collection of Indigenous visual art. Eligibility: To be eligible for a Closed Non-Competitive IVAIS grant, your organisation must, at a minimum be: an existing multi-year funded organisation with at least 2 prior consecutive IVAIS funding agreements that include core operational funding, or an organisation invited to deliver program-specific activities and hold a grant agreement where funding is due to end in 2025-26 financial year and have an Australian Business Number (ABN) be registered for the Goods and Services Tax, if required by the Australian Taxation Office have an account with an Australian financial inst