Emerging Artist Grant

Important Dates

Applications

Open: Tuesday 5 May 2026

Close: Tuesday 23 June 2026, 5:00pm AEST

For Travel/projects after: 18 September 2026

Grants announced: Mid September 2026

Overview

The Emerging Artist Grants program offers grants of up to $15,000 to assist talented emerging and early-career artists in taking up professional development opportunities, usually overseas.

Professional development opportunities allow emerging artists to gain experience, develop networks and learn skills from the world’s best. We believe these experiences are invaluable for individual artists and the ongoing development of Australia’s vibrant arts sector.

The Trust’s Emerging Artist Grants program funds nationally and supports individual artists practising across the spectrum of the arts, from visual arts to community radio, design to literature, conservation of cultural heritage to circus arts.

The Trust primarily supports structured professional development and networking opportunities such as residencies, internships, mentorships, workshops, and conferences.

Who can apply

To be eligible for funding, applicants must:

• Be a minimum of 18 years old by the project start date.
• Be an Australian citizen or Permanent Resident of Australia.
• Make a reasonable personal financial contribution to their project.
• Demonstrate exceptional talent, initiative, and passion for their work.
• Classify as an emerging or early-career artist*.

*As a general guide, the Trust considers emerging and early-career artists to be within 10 years of attaining their first formal arts qualification in their area of practice (such as an undergraduate degree or equivalent).

This does not mean applicants need to have attained formal qualifications in their area of practice to be considered for a grant. Where an applicant does not have formal training, the beginning of their practice is commonly marked by a significant recognition of the artist’s work and the artist’s vocational commitment to ongoing practice.

Visit our FAQs for further clarification.

Who can’t apply

• Individuals who have received or acquitted a grant from the Trust within the last two years.
• Artistic groups such as a string quartet or comedy duo cannot submit a single application on behalf of multiple individuals. For artists seeking funding for a collaborative development project, each artist must submit an individual online application.

What you can apply for

The Trust primarily supports projects with structured professional development and networking opportunities in an international context.

• Residencies
• Mentorships
• Study tours that have a clear skills development focus
• Masterclasses and private lessons
• Internships
• Conferences and workshops
• Postgraduate study with a focus on professional development and artistic practice where no equivalent exists in Australia.

Professional development programs combining multiple opportunities can be applied for as a single project. For example, a series of residencies or a workshop followed by private lessons.

Projects in Australia

The Trust primarily funds projects undertaken overseas. Development projects in Australia will only be considered for funding in exceptional circumstances. This includes distinguished or extraordinary opportunities that will offer exceptional benefits to an individual’s creative practice.

Musical instruments

The Trust may also consider supporting the purchase of non-standard musical instruments or equipment in particular circumstances.

What you can’t apply for

Opportunities and projects that fall into the following categories are ineligible.

• Projects for which the sole purpose is an exhibition, performance, or making a work (such as a recording or publication). This includes performances at festivals.
• Undergraduate degree courses.
• Postgraduate study being undertaken through an Australian institution.
• Projects that are already underway or will commence before the date indicated in our funding rounds; the Trust does not fund retrospectively.
• Applications that the Trust has previously declined. Applicants may re-apply if seeking funding for a different project.

How applications are assessed

Applications are reviewed for eligibility, assessed by external practice area experts and then considered by the Board of Trustees.

Our external experts and Trustees are looking for well-researched projects that demonstrate thorough planning and offer the time and scope to gain maximum benefit from the development experience.

Assessment Criteria

We support applicants who can demonstrate initiative, exceptional talent, and the ability to realise their ambitions.

Applications will be assessed on the following criteria:

• Applicant’s talent and demonstrated commitment to their practice.
• Relevance and benefits of the development experience to the applicant’s career development.
• Viability of the proposed project.
• Alignment of the proposed project with the Trust’s funding principles.

Due to the high volume of applications, the Trust is unable to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Application process

Instructions for preparing an application

Step 1:  Review all the information on this page.

Step 2: Identify which Funding Round you wish to apply in, and note the key dates (application open and close and earliest commencement date for eligible projects).

Step 3: Utilise the Application Guide drafting documents.

Step 4: Click the Apply Now link at the bottom of this page. This link will only appear when a funding round is open. You can preview the application form.

Step 5: Create an account in our grant management system, GivingData (or log in if you have applied for a grant previously).

Step 6: Complete our eligibility quiz; this must be successfully completed before you can continue with an application.

Step 7: Complete the online application form questions.

Step 8: Upload all the required documents and provide links to your support material. This includes your CV, project budget, project itinerary, references, confirmation of your professional development opportunity and examples of work.

Step 9: Submit your application before the funding round close date. You will be unable to access the application form after 5 pm AED/ST on the closing date.

Applying while overseas? We recommend submitting your application a day early.

If you are in a different time zone, please note that the application form within GivingData may incorrectly list the due date and time. Always refer to the date and time listed on our website for the funding round you are applying within. The application portal will always close at 5 pm AED/ST.

What next? 

Applications are reviewed by external experts and then considered by the Board of Trustees.

The funding round you applied within lists a general date for the announcement of grants awarded. You will be advised of the outcome of your application by email.

Successful Applicants

If successful, you will be asked to confirm your grant and submit your banking details for payment by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). Notification of your application’s success will include the Standard Grant Conditions, which you must read carefully.

If you do not wish to proceed with the grant or if there have been any changes to the project you proposed in your application, please contact the Trust as soon as possible and prior to providing your banking details.

After completing your project and travel, you must acquit your grant by submitting a report in accordance with our Standard Grant Conditions. Further information for grantees can be viewed here.

Prepare to apply

After reviewing all the information on this page, we encourage applicants to:

• Visit our FAQs to further understand the Emerging Artist Grants program funding criteria and application process.
• Read our Grantee Stories and Annual Reports for examples of what and whom we fund.
• See our Application Guide for tips on preparing your application, supporting documents and material.
• Utilise the application drafting documents in the Application Guide (i.e. sample application form, sample budget, budget template, sample itinerary and itinerary template). Please note that applications must be completed via the application portal below (this link will only be live during an open funding round).
• Seek funding from other sources to ensure the best chance of your project’s success. These might include other trusts and foundations, scholarships and awards, service clubs, family, or businesses.
• Contact us if you have any further questions about your eligibility, project, application or support materials.