CINARS 2022 Biennale

The Australia Council will support a delegation to attend this event. We also welcome any Australian artists and companies attending on a self-funded basis to join the delegation and any related networking activities.

Photo: Blood on the Dance Floor by Jacob Boehme. Credit: Dorine Blaise.

Fellowships

Australia Council Fellowships of $80,000 support outstanding, established artists’ or arts workers’ creative activity and professional development for a period of up to two years.

Image: Maree Clarke at Melbourne Now.

Space to Create

Space to Create is an intensive music residential program. The delivery of the program will be flexible to adapt to each of the participants’ requirements. The aim of the program is to create a dedicated space to take the time to enable participants to sustain and grow creative ideas, and to provide professional development for the future.

^{Photo: Yil Lull studio technician and leader Will Kepa. Credit: ANU Media..}

UKARIA Residency

The Australia Council and UKARIA invite applications for a residency at UKARIA in 2022.

The successful applicant/s will be in residence at UKARIA for a maximum of ten days for the purpose of developing new creative projects led by musicians and composers.

Arts and Wellbeing Forum

Watch the recording of the Arts and Wellbeing Forum where we discussed the positive effects of arts and creativity for mental health and wellbeing, and the potential for the arts to help address a major policy challenge.

We know that arts and creativity are among our most powerful assets, playing essential roles in our health and wellbeing.

Arts Projects for Individuals and Groups

This program funds a range of activities that deliver benefits to the arts sector and wider public, including national and international audiences.

^{Image: We Live in Explosive Times 2020, promotional image for performance of the same title, image courtesy of the artists Emily Parsons-Lord & Sara Morawetz under collaborations name {the empty set}, produced by Tulleah Pearce.}

Timothy Cook

Recipient of the 2021 Australia Council National Arts and Disability Award for Established Artist.

Coming up through the Ngawa Mantawi (Our Friends) disability support program established at Jilamara Arts and Crafts in the 1990s, Timothy has fulfilled the ambitions of the original program in establishing a significant contemporary art career through working at the centre.

Georgia Scott

Recipient of the 2021 Australia Council National Arts and Disability Award for Young Artist

Georgia Scott is one of the most outstanding composers of her generation as attested to by numerous high-profile commissions and performances here and internationally.

A new vision: how a critical tech lab is pushing the limits of VR

At the time, Australian new media artist and academic Josh Harle had just returned from a residency in Austria, and decided to head along to the local VR and augmented reality (AR) meet-ups in Sydney. But for Harle, although the meeting was well attended, something felt a bit off.

Image credit: Nic Cassey and Josh Harle / Tactical Space Lab.

Leadership programs

The Australia Council Leadership Program is dedicated to transforming the cultural and creative industry’s knowledge, skills and capabilities by investing in emerging, mid-career and established leaders. Our program recognises the diverse nature of leadership and builds on the rich knowledge and experience across the industry.

Applications are now open.

Caption: Mandingalbay Yindinji Deadly Dinner, 2017 Arts Leaders Program. Credit: Australia Council.

Annual reports

In a year of unprecedented challenges for Australian arts and creativity, the Australia Council has been resolutely focused on delivering against the objectives set out in our corporate plan.

Emily Crockford

Recipient of the 2020 Australia Council National Arts and Disability Award for an Emerging Artist

Emily Crockford’s broad creative practice encompasses painting, textiles and soft sculpture. Her work can be seen in large scale across Sydney and in high profile institutions.

Don’t forget to watch this year’s awards!

COVID-19 Audience Outlook Monitor 2022

An additional ‘pulse check’ short questionnaire was delivered between the fifth (July 2021) and sixth (November 2021) phases of the survey, designed to ‘take the temperature’ of audiences in light of rapid changes to outbreak conditions and planned lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in some states/territories.     

Between 28 September and 1 October 2021, over 2,000 audience members responded to the ‘pulse check’ (2,146), from all over Australia. Results for the three outbreak-affected states (NSW, ACT and VIC) were reported separately to the rest of the country. 

International Curators Program: Asia Pacific Triennial x TarraWarra Biennial

Curators, creative and cultural producers who identify as First Nations and/or of the Asia Pacific diaspora based in Australia are invited to apply for funding support to participate in a series of online and in-person exchanges in partnership with the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial (APT10) in Brisbane in 2021-22 and TarraWarra Biennial in Healesville in 2023.

Image: Gordon Hookey, Waanyi people, Australia b. 1961, MURRILAND! (detail) 2017, oil on canvas, 200 x 1000cm. Click on the link to see full image caption.

Sector response to COVID-19

Stay up to date with the latest COVID-19 sector and government updates.  New guide to Government COVID-19 Assistance for the Arts 2021 is available now.

Private: Digital Business Model Innovation Lab – discontinued

An opportunity for arts organisations to transform and innovate digital business models in partnership with Tata Consulting Services.

Image credit: Soft Centre Festival 2018. Artist: Meagan Streader. Photo: Charl Anfield.

Australia Pavilion Invigilation Program participants – Venice Biennale 2022

For the Venice Biennale 2022, the Australia Council is inviting applications for invigilators of the exhibition in the Australian Pavilion. Marco Fusinato is the artist commissioned for Australia’s national representation at the Venice Biennale 2022. The exhibition is curated by Alexie Glass-Kantor.

Sync Australia Online Leadership Program

Sync Australia – Online is a new online leadership and coaching program exploring d/Deaf and disabled leadership in arts, culture, heritage and media. Founded over 10 years ago by Sarah Pickthall and Jo Verrent, two disabled leaders in the UK, this disability-led program combines leadership theory with one-on-one coaching and support for participants to reflect and progress their leadership potential. Sync Leadership programs have been successfully rolled out globally, including Australia in 2014 and 2015 and now in a new modular format, as an online program is 2021.