Cultural Fund

The Cultural Fund is the philanthropic arm of the Copyright Agency.

In light of the severe challenges of COVID-19 we have made some changes to our grants for 2020 and we’re offering some new grants and opportunities for writers, publishers, visual artists, and our key stakeholders.

More information is included in the New Grants COVID-19 tab above.

• We’re offering an additional $500,000 in new grants
• We made some changes to our existing Cultural Fund grants for individuals and organisations

Please refer to closing date changes of our existing grants in the table below.

*An additional $60,000 of Emergency Action Funding will support significant creative organisations that have been impacted by COVID-19. This funding will be for organisations applying to the Cultural Fund’s Round Two, closing on 12 June, and will be assessed by the Copyright Agency in July.

Background on the Cultural Fund

The Cultural Fund is the philanthropic arm of the Copyright Agency.

Our members commit 1.5% of revenue every year towards vital grants to enhance the profile of Australian writers and visual artists and to support our dynamic writing, publishing and visual arts sectors.

With an annual budget of approximately $2m, we support our members, writers, visual artists, publishers and key industry stakeholders to create, award, present, publish, and promote work by Australian writers and visual artists that connects with audiences.

We champion industry-led research and encourage new partnerships with the education and cultural sectors.

The Cultural Fund provides invaluable Publishing Industry Career Development Grants to Australian publishers and literary agents and offers Create Grants to individual writers and visual artists to create new work. We also offer career-sustaining Fellowships for mid-career and established authors, visual artists and English and literacy teachers.

Each year we offer two rounds of funding to significant organisations to support Australian writers, journalists, editors, English and literacy teachers and visual artists. We are also keen to support industry collaborations to benefit writers and visual artists and which raise the profile of reading, writing, publishing or the visual arts in general.

Our priority is to ensure that writers and visual artists are better supported and are paid appropriately for their creative endeavours. We also offer grants to leading organisations to help build literacy skills for children and young adults.

As our funding priorities and grant programs change regularly, intending applicants are encouraged to visit our website and discuss their project with the Cultural Fund before applying.

For more information on activities supported, please see Activities Supported – Organisations and Activities Supported – Individuals. 

Through the Copyright Agency’s initiative, Reading Australia, the Cultural Fund advocates for the study and enjoyment of Australian literature for students. Reading Australia provides curriculum-linked resources to help teachers introduce students of all ages to Australian books.

If you or your organisation would like to receive a hard copy of our Cultural Fund brochure please contact culturalfund@copyright.com.au