Visual Arts

Career Development Grants for Individuals and Groups

If you are an individual artist, arts worker or group of artists, this grant can provide support to further develop your skills or improve your capacity to build an enduring career. Grants are available from $5,000 to $25,000. 

The Australia Council offers three grant rounds each year for this category.

In 2018, the grant rounds will close on:

• Tuesday 6 February for projects starting after 1 May 2018. This grant round has now closed.
  
• Tuesday 5 June for projects starting after 1 September 2018. This grant round has now closed.
  
• Tuesday 2 October for projects starting 1 January 2019. This grant round has now closed.

In 2019, the grant rounds will close on:

• Tuesday 5 February for projects starting after 1 May 2019. 
• Tuesday 4 June for projects starting after 1 September 2019.
• Tuesday 1 October for projects starting after 1 January 2020.

Each round closes at midnight on the closing date. Technical and administrative support will not be available after 5pm on the closing date.

Arts Projects for Individuals and Groups

Our arts projects program funds a range of activities that deliver benefits to the arts sector and wider public, including national and international audiences:

The Australia Council offers three grant rounds each year for this category.

In 2018, the grant rounds will close on:

• Tuesday 6 February for projects starting after 1 May 2018. This grant round has now closed.
• Tuesday 5 June for projects starting after 1 September 2018. This grant round has now closed.
• Tuesday 2 October for projects starting after 1 January 2019. This grant round has now closed.

In 2019, the grant rounds will close on:

• Tuesday 5 February for projects starting after 1 May 2019. 
• Tuesday 4 June for projects starting after 1 September 2019.
• Tuesday 1 October for projects starting after 1 January 2020.

Each round closes at midnight on the closing date. Technical and administrative support will not be available after 5pm on the closing date.

Arts Projects – Organisations

This program funds a range of activities that deliver benefits to the arts sector and wider public, including national and international audiences. Only organisations are eligible to apply. Grants are available from $10,000 to $100,000.

The Australia Council offers three grant rounds each year for this category.

In 2018, the grant rounds will close on:

• Tuesday 6 February for projects starting after 1 May 2018. This grant round has now closed.
• Tuesday 5 June for projects starting after 1 September 2018. This grant round has now closed.
• Tuesday 2 October for projects starting 1 January 2019. This grant round has now closed.

In 2019, the grant rounds will close on:

• Tuesday 5 February for projects starting after 1 May 2019. 
• Tuesday 4 June for projects starting after 1 September 2019.
• Tuesday 1 October for projects starting after 1 January 2020.

Each round closes at midnight on the closing date. Technical and administrative support will not be available after 5pm on the closing date.

Fellowships

The Australia Council offers one grant round each year for Fellowships. The 2018 Fellowships round has now closed.  In 2019, Fellowships will close on Tuesday 4 June 2019.

Each round closes at midnight on the closing date.

Technical and administrative support will not be available after 5pm on the closing date.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application approximately 12 weeks after the closing date.

Australia Council Fellowships support outstanding, established artists’ creative activity for a period of up to two years.

The Harding Miller Foundation Opera Scholarship

The scholarship is awarded to a candidate who identifies as female and demonstrates outstanding ability and promise as an Opera singer. The Harding Miller Foundation was founded by Kim Harding and Irene Miller in 2012. The Foundation funds projects that support women, education, the arts and the environment. Currently, the Foundation primarily invests in projects in Australia that improve the educational opportunities and achievement of girls and women. This investment is designed to elevate the recipients and empower them to take on roles of leadership and excellence in their chosen field. This Harding Miller Operatic Scholarship aligns with the Foundation’s objective of providing educational opportunities for women.

Maddocks Art Prize

Expressions of interest (EOIs) are now open for the 2019 Maddocks Art Prizes: Maddocks NSW/ACT Art Prize & Maddocks VIC Art Prize.

The Prizes give two emerging/early career Australian contemporary visual Artists (one from Victoria and one from New South Wales/ACT) the opportunity to visit the Venice Biennale, regarded as the foremost showcase for contemporary visual arts in the world.

With over 80 national pavilions and satellite exhibitions in venues all over Venice, this is a unique opportunity to experience a wide range of leading contemporary art practice from around the world.

Maddocks is an independent Australian law firm and a long-time supporter of the arts, having proudly been associated with the Australia Council and the artists selected to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale since 2001.

The Marten Bequest

Travelling scholarships from The Marten Bequest offer talented young artists the chance to explore, study and develop their artistic gifts through travelling either overseas or interstate.

John Chisholm Marten (1908 - 1966) was born in Kent, England and moved to Australia at a young age, residing in Sydney for his adult life. John Marten was a theatrical artist and well known for his appreciation and support of the arts community. 

John was actively involved in many different art forms. He was trained in Spanish dancing and served in the merchant navy during the war. John also co-authored The Bali Ballet Murders with Cornelius Conyn which was published in Australia, London and also translated into Dutch and published in the Netherlands. (This novel can be found at the Mitchell Library A823/C768/IAI) 

A strong advocate for the artistic capabilities of young Australians, he understood the costs involved in study and training programs. In light of this, Marten established through a charitable trust, The Marten Bequest.

The scholarships are administered by the Australia Council on behalf of Perpetual as trustee.

Kathleen Mitchell Award

The Kathleen Mitchell Award is presented biennially to the author, aged 30 or under, of an outstanding novel or novella to encourage advancement in their literary career. The novel or novella must have been published or accepted for publication within the 2 years prior to the Award closing date. This can be demonstrated by the providing an ISBN or letter of confirmation from the publisher as part of your entry.

Established in 1996 by the will of the late Kathleen Adele Mitchell, the Award aims to encourage the advancement, improvement and betterment of Australian literature, and to provide emerging writers with funding to further their practice.

Dal Stivens Award

Closing date: Midnight, Thursday 31 January 2019 AEDT

The Dal Stivens Award is presented biennially to an author aged 30 or under, for a short story or essay of the highest literary merit. The story or essay must be:

·  between 3,000 and 10,000 words

·  published or accepted for publication within the 12 months prior to the Award closing date.

Self-published works will be accepted for this Award, but must be edited to a professional standard.

The Dal Stivens Award was established in the will of Juanita Cragen in 2007. Dal Stivens (1911-1997) was an Australian writer and founding President of the Australian Society of Authors in 1963. His written works include eight collections of short stories, from The Tramp and Other Stories (1936) to The Unicorn and Other Tales (1976).

IETM Spring Plenary Meeting, Hull 2019

Expressions of Interest are now open for support to attend the IETM Spring Plenary Meeting in Hull, UK, 28 - 31 March 2019.
Australia Council has worked in partnership with the International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts Network (IETM) since 2009 to develop long term collaborations and co-productions between Australian and European artists. This project has now evolved into a broader engagement with European networks and partners.

Playing Australia: Regional Performing Arts Touring Fund

This program supports performing arts to reach regional and remote communities across Australia. Grants are available to support the net touring costs associated with a national tour. There is no limit on the amount that can be requested. The Australia Council offers three grant rounds each year for Playing Australia.

The Australia Council offers three grant rounds each year for this category.

In 2018, the grant rounds will close on:

• Tuesday 6 February for projects starting after 1 May 2018.This grant round has now closed.
• Tuesday 5 June for projects starting after 1 September 2018. This grant round has now closed.
• Tuesday 2 October for projects starting 1 January 2019

In 2019, the grant rounds will close on:

• Tuesday 5 February for projects starting after 1 May 2019.
• Tuesday 4 June for projects starting after 1 September 2019.
• Tuesday 1 October for projects starting after 1 January 2020.

Each round closes at midnight on the closing date. Technical and administrative support will not be available after 5pm on the closing date.

Contemporary Music Touring Program

The Contemporary Music Touring Program supports national touring activity undertaken by Australian musicians performing original contemporary music. It provides support of up to $15,000 for tours in Australia that include performances in regional and remote areas.  Up to an additional $15,000 can be requested for remote and very remote touring. The Australia Council offers two grant rounds each year for the Contemporary Music Touring Program.

In 2018, the grant rounds will close on:

• Tuesday 6 February for projects starting after 1 May 2018. This grant round has now closed.
  
• Tuesday 2 October for projects starting 1 January 2019.

In 2019, the grant rounds will close on:

• Tuesday 5 February for projects starting after 1 May 2019.
• Tuesday 1 October for projects starting after 1 January 2020.
  

Each round closes at midnight on the closing date. Technical and administrative support will not be available after 5pm on the closing date.

Four Year Funding for Organisations

The Australia Council’s Four Year Funding program provides multi-year funding for arts organisations. The next round of Four Year Funding will support organisations from 1 January 2021 until 31 December 2024.

Please note that there will be a two stage application process for the next round:

• Stage1: Expressions of Interest (EOI) open from mid-February 2019 - closing 2 April 2019.
• Stage 2: Full application process open September 2019 - closing 12 November 2019, for organisations successful at Stage 1.

Contemporary Touring Initiative

Applications for this program will close at midnight on Tuesday 5 February 2019, for projects starting after 1 May 2019.

Technical and administrative support will not be available after 5pm on the closing date. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application approximately 12 weeks after the closing date.

The Contemporary Touring Initiative, as part of the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, supports significant exhibitions of work by living contemporary visual artists and craft practitioners that reach and engage national audiences, and extend into regional communities. The grant provides up to three years of funding for the development and/or national touring of nationally significant contemporary visual arts and craft exhibitions. 

International Residencies

International residencies provide a unique opportunity for artists to immerse themselves in a new arts context, market, community and culture. The experience enables artists to articulate their practice within a global context and build knowledge, networks and partnerships that support future international arts activity.

The suite of International Residencies on offer in 2019-2020 are:

• Acme, London
  
• BR Whiting Studio, Rome
  
• Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris
  
• EMPAC, New York
  
• HIAP, Helsinki
  
• ISCP, New York
  
• Keesing Studio, Paris
  
• Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin
  
• Nashville Songwriters Residency, USA
  

Expressions of interest will close on 15 January 2019 at midnight Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).

MPA Collaborative Arts Projects

Our Collaborative Arts Projects - Organisations program funds new collaborations and partnerships between major performing arts companies (MPA) and the broader sector and community groups. 

The program is intended to support and encourage a range of activities that foster meaningful long term positive outcomes for collaborative partners and focus communities, with particular emphasis on the six priority areas set out in the Australia Council’s Cultural Engagement Framework. Successful applicants will be required to provide an evaluation from the collaborative partner on the project outcomes at the conclusion of the funded activity.

International Arts Strategy Outcomes Fund

The International Arts Strategy Outcomes Fund supports opportunities that directly arise from strategic initiatives delivered by the Australia Council in the target international regions under the International Arts Strategy: Europe, North America, North Asia, South and South East Asia. The fund prioritises outcomes that directly involve and benefit Australian artists, for example tours, presentations, exhibitions and translations of Australian work.

Arts and Disability Mentoring Initiative 2019-21

This initiative seeks to invest in individuals with disability to undertake an artistic collaboration involving mentoring that will lead to a major step forward in their arts practice, and build foundations for an enduring career. The purpose is to support collaborations by artists with disability that fuel ambition, embolden ideas and innovation, build networks and capacity, and strengthen future works.

Applications are encouraged from artists and arts workers with disability seeking to collaborate with a mentor, and from artists and arts workers with disability seeking to be the mentor in a collaboration.

Applications open in February and close on 2 April 2019.

Please contact the Australia Council grants team if you wish to discuss making an application to another grant category.