Deadline: 16-Sep-2025
Creative Australia invites nominations for the 2026 Youth Award for Achievement in the Arts. This award recognises the achievements of one Australian First Nations artist or arts worker aged between 18 and 35. Eligible art forms include community arts and cultural development, dance, literature, experimental arts, multi-arts, music, theatre, and visual arts.
This award is part of Creative Australia’s First Nations First industry development programs. These programs were created following extensive consultation with First Nations communities to respond to the priorities identified under Pillar 1 of the Australian Government’s “Revive” cultural policy. The goal is to strengthen and expand investment in First Nations arts, building on a 50-year legacy of leadership and support.
The Youth Award is one of several major recognitions available. Others include the Red Ochre Award for Lifetime Achievement in Artistic Excellence and the Red Ochre Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cultural Advocacy and Leadership, each offering two $60,000 prizes. The Established Artist of the Year Award, Youth Award, and First Nations Arts and Culture Business Innovation Award each offer $25,000 to one recipient.
To be eligible for the Youth Award, nominees must be between 18 and 35 years old, identify as Australian First Nations, be based in Australia, and be actively engaged in one or more eligible art forms. Self-nominations are not accepted.
Nominations will be assessed based on two key criteria: merit and impact. Merit includes artistic achievement, quality and depth of work, and contribution to cultural expression. Impact involves the nominee’s influence on the development of First Nations arts, their leadership, and their adherence to cultural protocols, including community engagement and respect for cultural intellectual property.
Applications must include the nominee’s CV or an extended bio (about two A4 pages or a link to an online profile), examples of their work (up to two pages of images or five minutes of video/audio), and up to four letters or statements of support (similar length or format).
Support material should preferably be submitted via accessible URLs. These links should not require login, sign-up, or payment. If files are private, passwords must be provided in the nomination form. If URLs are not an option, files can also be uploaded in formats such as MP4, MP3, QuickTime, JPEG, PowerPoint, Word, or PDF.
For more information, visit Creative Australia.