Grants for Organisations

ABOUT THE GRANTS

The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund supports leading Australian creative organisations and key industry stakeholders with grants to create and deliver exceptional opportunities for Australian writers, journalists, editors, publishers, English and literacy teachers, and visual artists, and especially for those from First Nations and diverse backgrounds.

The Cultural Fund’s priorities have been updated for 2024/25.

Our priorities are:

• Support commissions and paid opportunities for writers and visual artists through audience development projects
• Support targeted sector development projects for the writing, publishing and visual arts sectors.

Projects for professional development programs (including mentorships, masterclasses, and workshops) are no longer eligible for support.

To complement the Copyright Agency’s Reading Australia initiative, we are interested in supporting targeted writers-in-schools programs for Australian writers whose work is featured on Reading Australia.

The Cultural Fund will consider applications for the following projects:

Audience Development

• Audience and reader development projects
• Payments to creative writers published in literary magazines and journals
• Reviews of new Australian books in national publications
• Projects connecting teachers with Australian Literature
• Writers/artists-in-residence/schools/universities
• Literacy-based projects for children involving professional writers
• Significant national writers’ awards for payments to writers (excluding prizes offered by publishers and literary journals)
• Publishing commissions to write new work by First Nations and culturally diverse authors
• Writers’ festivals are not eligible to apply through the general funding for organisations grant program
• Nine writers’ festivals will be supported over two years through an invitation-only process. Given the large number of writers’ festivals in Australia, five national writers’ festivals (capital city or major regional writers’ festival who have been previously funded) will be invited to submit a proposal for funding for 2025.
• Commissions for visual artists to create new work and whose work will be exhibited in galleries or institutions in Australia

Sector Development

• Sector development initiatives for the publishing industry, including opportunities for First Nations and diverse editors and publishers (excluding visual arts publishing, mentorships and professional development)
• Targeted sector development for the visual arts sector, including leadership and policy development, and opportunities for First Nations and diverse curators (excluding visual arts publishing, mentorships and professional development)

Projects not supported

• Please refer to Projects not supported for a detailed list of what the Cultural Fund does not support. Please note this list has been extensively updated for 2024/25 to reflect the Cultural Fund’s priorities.

Publishers and visual arts organisations may apply for the following activities:

Support for Australian publishers   Support for visual arts organisations

YOUR APPLICATION

The Cultural Fund’s grants for organisations are for a single project for up to a year. We strongly encourage all applicants to pay industry rates to writers and visual artists. This is a crucial component of your application.

Amount of grant

• Minimum: $10,000
• Maximum: $30,000

Before applying, visit our activities supported page for a full list of what the Cultural Fund will and won’t support. Please read specific information for organisations, as this differs to the criteria and projects supported for individuals.

WHO CAN APPLY  

HOW TO APPLY

• Applications must be submitted by the closing date and time via the SmartyGrants online system
• Applicants may submit only one application per round
• Late applications will not be accepted
• Incomplete applications will not be assessed

YOUR APPLICATION
More information and contact

For further information, see our Frequently Asked Questions.

Please contact us if you have any questions about the grants via email: culturalfund@copyright.com.au