Am I eligible to apply?
Legally constituted organisations and incorporated associations may apply for Cultural Fund grants for organisations. Individuals and sole traders are not eligible to apply for these grants and should instead look to our website for Grants for Individuals and Fellowships for funding opportunities.
Applicants may submit one application per funding round provided they have acquitted any overdue or outstanding Cultural Fund grants.
My organisation is based overseas, can I still apply?
- Yes, overseas applicants can apply for a Cultural Fund grant.
- Overseas applicants are not required to have an ABN (Australian Business Number) so please disregard this part of the application.
Do you accept applications from organisations which are not legally constituted?
- No. The Cultural Fund grants are intended for legally constituted organisations.
I am organising a local writers’ festival – am I eligible to apply for funding?
- Given the large number of small writers’ festivals in Australia, the Cultural Fund cannot support them all, and instead supports a small number of major writers’ festivals through an invitation-only process. These include Adelaide Writers’ Week, Brisbane Writers’ Festival, Byron Writers’ Festival, Canberra Writers’ Festival, NT Writers’ Festival, Perth Literature and Ideas Weekend, and Sydney Writers’ Festival.
- This support is specifically earmarked for writers’ fees for a small number of sessions and festivals must pay ASA rates to participating writers.
My organisation is interested in applying for ongoing support for a triennial project. Are we eligible for a Cultural Fund grant?
- In most cases, the Cultural Fund’s grants for organisations are for a single project for up to a year; however, in some instances funding for three years may be approved. First time applicants should apply for support for one year only.
- Our priority is to ensure writers and creators are paid appropriately and we encourage all applicants to pay industry rates to writers and visual artists. This is a crucial component of your application.
- As our funding priorities and grants change regularly please contact the Cultural Fund to discuss a potential proposal before submitting your application.
What support material is required with my application?
- You may submit up one PDF of support material with your application via the online SmartyGrants system. This might include information on your organisation and key staff, a draft program of proposed activities or letters of support.
- Please note there is a 5MB size limit.
What kind of projects are supported by the Cultural Fund?
- The Cultural Fund provides support to key writing and visual arts organisations and publishers for projects that deliver opportunities for authors, journalists, visual artists and key industry stakeholders in the writing, publishing, education, and visual arts sectors.
- Our aim is to support our members and stakeholders to create, award, present, publish, and promote work by Australian creators that connects with audiences.
- Please see Projects Supported – Organisations for more information.
- This is not a definitive list, so if you are unsure about whether your project is eligible we encourage you to contact the Cultural Fund for clarification.
- Also, please see Projects NOT Supported – Organisations.
Do you support theatre companies to present new work?
- The Cultural Fund supports theatre companies to provide opportunities for playwrights, for example, the payment of a commission fee to the playwright, provided the theatre company agrees to produce and present the work.
- We do not support operational costs.
Does the Cultural Fund support performing arts projects?
- The Cultural Fund supports playwrights and theatre companies with commissions for playwrights.
- The Cultural Fund supports our members, stakeholders and creators (visual artists, publishers and writers). As a member organisation, it is important that we continue to support the creation, presentation and dissemination of our members’ work and that of significant organisations in the writing and visual arts sector.
Does the Cultural Fund support art galleries?
- We do not provide support for exhibition openings or exhibition costs, nor for administration or overhead costs.
- However, our funding may be directed towards artist and residency fees.
Does the Cultural Fund support the international publication of work?
- No. The Cultural Fund supports Australian publishers with commissioning fees for creative writers.
We do not support individuals to self-publish their work in Australia or internationally.
How much money can I apply for?
- Our grants range from $10,000 to $30,000 per project/year.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the Cultural Fund before applying.
Our grants are extremely competitive and we receive a large number of applications from organisations. The current success rate is approx. 20%. To see what kinds of projects we have funded in the past, and how much funding was provided, you can refer to our website.
Please note: The Cultural Fund committee will sometimes part-fund a program, however we prefer to fully fund a project to guarantee success.
When are Cultural Fund grants available?
- Two rounds of grants for organisations are offered each year.
- For funding guidelines and application dates, please refer to our website.
Does the Cultural Fund support travel and accommodation expenses?
- For organisations who are presenting festivals, conferences, seminars or events, for example, you may apply for travel and accommodation costs for participating writers and visual artists.