How applications are assessed

The Australia Council offers a range of investment opportunities each year.

Eligible applications are assessed by one of the following methods:

• Peer assessment – where approved peer assessors are selected for relevant assessment panels by artform. Peers review and score applications against the assessment criteria and agree a final ranking. Council staff apply the budget available to this ranking.
• Industry advice – where advisors assess relevant opportunities based on their practice expertise and advise Council on the most competitive applications. Council staff, and in some case the Board of the Australia Council, First Nations Strategy Panel or a co-investment partner, determine which applications to fund.
• Staff assessment – where Council staff assess targeted or quick response applications and determine which applications to fund.

Peers and advisors assessing your application will primarily refer to the information supplied in your application and support material. They may also consider their own engagement with the work and relevant professional experience. Staff may additionally refer to previous grant acquittal reports, communication with other teams in Council, or communication with state and territory arts agencies.

Assessors base their decisions on:

• How well applications meet the published assessment criteria
• Reasoned arguments put forward by other assessors
• Adherence to relevant protocols.

The guidelines for each investment opportunity will explain how your application is assessed, and against what criteria.

While your application may meet the assessment criteria, you are not guaranteed a grant. The Australia Council receives many more applications than it can support.

We aim to notify you of the outcome of your application no later than 12 weeks after the published closing date for the applicable grant round.