Australia: Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support Program

Deadline: 19-Feb-21

The Australian Government, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications is seeking applications for its Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support program to help fund the operations of around 80 Indigenous-owned art centres, and a number of art fairs, regional hubs and industry service organisations that are at the heart of Australia’s world-famous Indigenous visual art movement.

The Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS) program supports a professional, viable and ethical Indigenous visual arts industry with strong participation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Some of Australia’s most dynamic visual art is produced in Indigenous art centres, which enable artists to create new art, earn income, develop professional skills and connect to the art market.

Funding is delivered to four primary types of organisation including:

Art centres, mostly in remote and very remote locations;
Industry service organisations;
Art fairs;
Arts hubs, mostly in regional or urban locations.

Funding Information

The Australian Government will provide up to $21.7 million through the IVAIS grant opportunity in 2021-22.
Funding of approximately $20 million per annum is allocated directly to organisations through a restricted non-competitive process.
Approximately $300,000 per annum is available through an annual open competitive grant round.

Eligibility Criteria

Who is eligible to apply for a grant?
- 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 organisation established through specific Commonwealth or State or Territory legislation;
  - a company incorporated in Australia;
  - a company limited by guarantee;
  - an incorporated association;
  - a not-for-profit organisation;
  - a publicly funded research organisation;
  - an Australian local government body;
  - State or Territory Government.
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN);
- be registered for the Goods and Services Tax, if required by the Tax Office;
- have no overdue acquittals or serious breaches relating to Australian Government funding.
What qualifications, skills or checks are required?
- The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse highlighted the need for organisations to adopt child safe practices including appropriate screening of staff, mandatory reporting and adoption of the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. The Australian Government committed to a new Commonwealth-wide framework to protect children and young people it is responsible for – the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework (CCSF).
- The Australian Government is considering appropriate ways to apply the requirements of the CCSF to grant recipients. A child safety clause is likely to be included in a grant agreement where the Commonwealth considers the grant is for:
  - services directly to children; or
  - activities that involve contact with children that is a usual part of, and more than incidental to, the grant activity.
- A child safety clause may also be included in the grant agreement if the Commonwealth considers the grant activity involves children more broadly.
- The successful applicant will be required to comply with all child safety obligations included in the grant agreement published with this grant opportunity or notified to the successful applicant prior to execution of the grant agreement.