Deadline: 16-Sep-2025
Applications are now open for the Asia Pacific Arts Awards, which aim to recognise and celebrate Australian artists, collectives, and organisations engaging meaningfully across the Asia Pacific region. These awards highlight impactful international cultural connections and support the Australian Government’s “Revive” National Cultural Policy to promote engagement with the Asia Pacific.
The awards aim to increase visibility for artists and organisations practicing in the region, celebrate reciprocal partnerships, and encourage ongoing intercultural collaboration and exchange. Through this, they aim to foster deeper artistic relationships and promote Australia’s cultural presence in the Asia Pacific.
There are six award categories. The Impact award honours a body of work spanning 5–10 years that has had a significant influence on communities or audiences in Asia and/or the Pacific. The Innovation award recognises unique methods, practices, or intercultural engagement for a significant project completed in the last 18 months. Inspire awards are given to individuals, groups, collectives, or organisations for artistic projects co-produced or co-presented in Asia or the Pacific over the past 18 months.
The Connect award acknowledges intersectional programs delivered by Australian-based organisations to diverse audiences in the past 18 months. The Legacy award celebrates long-term leadership and intercultural work, recognising those who have expanded opportunities or nurtured the next generation of artists over a period of 10 years or more. Each award category comes with a $25,000 prize.
Nominations for the 2026 awards are accepted through an open nomination process. Nominations must be made by someone who is not a family member or close friend/collaborator of the nominee. Self-nominations are not accepted. Each submission must include one supporter separate from the nominator.
Nominees may be individuals, groups, collectives, or organisations. Individuals must be Australian citizens or permanent residents and actively working in the arts. Group and organisational nominees must be based in Australia or led by someone who holds Australian citizenship or permanent residency.
Nominees cannot have received a Creative Australia Award in the past two years, and shortlisted candidates from past Asia Pacific Arts Awards cannot be nominated again for the same project. Nominations can be submitted across multiple categories, provided each nomination is for a different project or activity.
Supported art forms include community arts, dance, experimental and emerging arts, First Nations arts and culture, literature, multi-artform, music, theatre, and visual arts. Eligible activities must focus on arts and culture; technology start-ups, scientific research, and screen projects such as feature films and documentaries are not eligible.
Eligible projects must engage with countries in the Asia Pacific region, in alignment with Creative Australia’s International Engagement Strategy.
Nominations will be evaluated based on two criteria: Quality and Impact. Under quality, assessors will consider artistic vision, experience of the artists involved, public or peer response to previous work, and the level of creativity or risk-taking. Under impact, assessors will evaluate the relevance of the project, its benefit to the artist or community, evidence of meaningful engagement, and potential for market development, accessibility, and sustainability.
For more information, visit Creative Australia.
