Deadline: 28-Feb-23
The Government of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT Govt.) is now seeking applications for the Art Activity Funding.
Funding Aims
- Arts Activities Funding provides support for Canberra artists, groups and organisations to undertake arts activities including creating new work, professional or skills development, mentoring, residencies, and community arts and cultural development and engagement.
- Activities can be across a range of artforms including dance, digital, literature, music, new media, screen, theatre, visual arts, and arts-based festivals.
- Funded activities must strongly meet one or more of the following three strategies:
- Create amazing art and culture – everywhere, at any time and for everyone
- Develop arts, cultural and creative industry, practice, and facilities – supporting creation and culture at all levels, via any path
- Promote the arts and culture – to attract artists and creators, arts workers, visitors and investment.
Funding Categories
Arts Activities Funding is available through two categories:
- Up to $5k Funding: open all year round.
- $5-50k Funding: two rounds per year (see details below)
For 2022-23, there is budget of approximately $900,000 available for Arts Activities across the two categories. Some $180,000 will be available for the Up to $5k category over the year, and some $720,000 will be available for the two $5-50k rounds. These amounts may vary depending on demand and the number of successful applications.
- Up to $5k for smaller projects, available all year round.
- Requests can be from $500 to $5,000. Given high demand for limited funds, requests for $5,000 need to be thorough applications with significant benefits to the applicant.
- Applications can be made at any time but must be submitted at least six weeks before the activity start date.
- Applications are assessed by artsACT staff. External peers may be consulted if required.
- Applicants can only receive funding in this category once each calendar year, except in exceptional circumstances.
- Applicants may also apply to the $5-50k category, for a different activity or another stage of the Up to $5k activity.
- $5-50k for larger projects, available twice a year.
- Requests can be from over $5,000 to $50,000.
- There will be two rounds each financial year with set opening, closing and announcement dates.
- Round One opens annually on 1 June and closes 31 July with announcements made by 31 October for activities to commence from 1 December.
- Round Two opens annually on 1 December and closes 28 February with announcements made by 30 May for activities to commence from 1 July.
- Applications are peer assessed.
- Applicants can only receive funding in this category once each calendar year.
- Applicants may also apply for the Up to $5k category for a different activity or another stage of the $5k to $50k activity.
- Applications close at 5.00pm. Where the closing date falls on a weekend or public holiday, it will close on the next business day.
Eligible Artforms
Disciplines may include (but are not limited to):
- Visual arts and crafts;
- Performing arts including circus, comedy, dance, music, theatre;
- Literature including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, illustrated narrative, graphic novels;
- Interdisciplinary including multi-media, arts-based podcasts, digital arts, animation and projection art; and
- Screen, film, video, television and digital games.
Eligible Activities
- Arts Activities Funding must have arts outcomes as the fundamental priority. While other outcomes can be achieved through the activity including social, health or wellbeing outcomes, these cannot not be the primary focus of the proposed activity. Activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Creation of new artworks;
- Production or public presentation of new artworks;
- Artistic or professional skills development;
- Residency or mentoring opportunities;
- Community arts and cultural development;
- Initiatives to enable increased accessibility and inclusivity in the arts; and
- Marketing and promotion of arts activities.
- Arts Activities Funding has a focus on the creation of new work. While funding may be sought for the revival or reinterpretation of existing work, the application must show how this is progressing the artform, developing the career pathway of artists and meets one of the strategies outlined under Funding Strategies.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants who reside in Canberra.
- Individual Canberra residents holding Australian citizenship, permanent resident status, New Zealand Special Category visa or on a temporary Australian visa which expires no less than two years from the date of application.
- Groups based in Canberra (including unincorporated bodies, partnerships and individuals informally collaborating on an activity). The majority of the members of a group must reside in Canberra.
- Organisations registered under law (e.g. incorporated association, company limited by guarantee) and registered in Canberra.
- Groups or unincorporated organisations
- Groups or unincorporated organisations must nominate one person to take legal and financial responsibility for any funding or be auspiced by an incorporated organisation. To find out more about auspicing arrangements see Auspicing arrangements.
- Applicants not residing in Canberra
- For applicants who do not reside in Canberra, an exception can be made where the applicant’s practice is clearly based in Canberra. Applicants must specifically and strongly demonstrate that their practice is primarily based in Canberra and that you consistently promote yourself as a Canberra artist in all your promotional material, website, and CV. Generally, this exception is only available to people living in the immediate Canberra region.
- You must provide a statement addressing all of the six points on demonstrating a Canberra-based practice, with a clear focus on the last two years. The six points are:
- Being recognised as an ACT artist by peers.
- Evidence of consistently promoting yourself as an ACT artist.
- Regularity of making and/or presenting work in the ACT.
- Employment in the ACT arts sector.
- Collaboration and active engagement with the ACT arts sector.
- Formal training or education in the arts in the ACT.
For more information, visit ACT Government.
