The Australia Council Leadership Program is dedicated to transforming our sector’s knowledge, skills and capabilities by supporting emerging and established leaders. Our program recognises the diverse nature of leadership and builds on the rich knowledge and experience already within our sector. We partner with respected facilitators to foster personal and professional development through knowledge-sharing and connecting people across Australia and internationally.
Grounded in respect, generosity and listening, we tackle the big issues and opportunities faced by our sector. The program is designed to explore new ways of thinking and enact the potential of creativity for change. We are guided by a commitment to our First Nations people(s) as our cultural Elders and leaders.
As a participant in our programs, you will share experiences, form new connections, develop skills and build confidence in your own capabilities. You will benefit from longer-term outcomes for yourself, your practice, your organisation and your community.
We host a variety of programs to nurture creative development and ongoing sustainability within the arts. These programs are designed to address the needs of our diverse sector, from small to large, emerging to established, from independent to organisations. We invite leaders from various backgrounds, careers levels and geographies to get involved.
Diversity and access: Leadership Program
The Australia Council encourages applications from people who identify as First Nations, from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disability, and people living in regional and remote areas.
We actively work with individuals to support access needs – including childcare, cultural practices, financial and/or learning access needs as required. We encourage applicants to contact us via phone or email to discuss further. Learn more about diversity in leadership.
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Our Leadership Programs
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Sync Australia Online Leadership Program
Mon October 11, 2021 12:00 am (AEST)
Sync Australia – Online is a new online leadership and coaching program exploring Deaf and disabled leadership in arts, culture, heritage and media.
Digital Strategist-in-Residence
Tue December 7, 2021 3:00 pm (AEDT)
The Digital Strategist-in-Residence will connect and collaborate with key members of your team. The program will involve facilitated sessions and self-directed tasks. This residency is a hybrid program, involving both in-person and online sessions.
The Custodianship Program
Unearthing First Nations leadership by developing different ways of knowing, being and doing. Connecting legacy between past and future generations. The Custodianship program is designed by First Nations leaders for First Nations leaders to transform sustainability in culture, practice, community and the arts.
Arts Leaders Program
The Australia Council Arts Leaders Program is dedicated to transforming our sector’s knowledge, skills and capabilities by supporting established arts leaders of diverse art forms from around Australia and the Indo-Pacific.
Future Leaders Program
The Future Leaders Program is dedicated to transforming our sector’s knowledge, skills and capabilities by supporting emerging arts leaders of diverse art forms from around Australia and the Indo-Pacific.
International Leadership Program Indo Pacific
The International Leadership Program is for arts professionals from eligible Indo-Pacific countries to join two leadership programs in Australia.
Apply for a fully-funded scholarship in one of our groundbreaking programs to transform your leadership and create impact for your organisation, practice or community.
Join colleagues from across our region to explore arts leadership through a different lens and learn through a range of varying experiences during your visits to Australia.
Future Form: Transforming Arts Business Models
Future Form provides time and space for participants to reimagine and respond to the future.
Participants will use a range of design techniques to interrogate the value proposition of their organisation; and identify practical solutions and next steps. The program includes a range of activities including online learning sessions, intensive residential labs, individual coaching sessions and peer support.
Riverina Arts Leadership Program
The Australia Council will be running a 3-month leadership program for artists and arts workers from across the Riverina between March and June 2021 in Wagga. The program is designed for both emerging and established leaders working in the arts and creative industries. The program will connect with our national cohort visiting Wagga for their leadership residentials.
Sync Australia Online Leadership Program
Sync Australia - Online is a new online leadership and coaching program exploring Deaf and disabled leadership in arts, culture, heritage and media.
Digital Strategist-in-Residence
The Digital Strategist-in-Residence will connect and collaborate with key members of your team. The program will involve facilitated sessions and self-directed tasks. This residency is a hybrid program, involving both in-person and online sessions.
The Custodianship Program
Unearthing First Nations leadership by developing different ways of knowing, being and doing. Connecting legacy between past and future generations. The Custodianship program is designed by First Nations leaders for First Nations leaders to transform sustainability in culture, practice, community and the arts.
Arts Leaders Program
The Australia Council Arts Leaders Program is dedicated to transforming our sector’s knowledge, skills and capabilities by supporting established arts leaders of diverse art forms from around Australia and the Indo-Pacific.
Future Leaders Program
The Future Leaders Program is dedicated to transforming our sector’s knowledge, skills and capabilities by supporting emerging arts leaders of diverse art forms from around Australia and the Indo-Pacific.
International Leadership Program Indo Pacific
The International Leadership Program is for arts professionals from eligible Indo-Pacific countries to join two leadership programs in Australia. Apply for a fully-funded scholarship in one of our groundbreaking programs to transform your leadership and create impact for your organisation, practice or community. Join colleagues from across our region to explore arts leadership through a different lens and learn through a range of varying experiences during your visits to Australia.
Future Form: Transforming Arts Business Models
Future Form provides time and space for participants to reimagine and respond to the future. Participants will use a range of design techniques to interrogate the value proposition of their organisation; and identify practical solutions and next steps. The program includes a range of activities including online learning sessions, intensive residential labs, individual coaching sessions and peer support.
Riverina Arts Leadership Program
The Australia Council will be running a 3-month leadership program for artists and arts workers from across the Riverina between March and June 2021 in Wagga. The program is designed for both emerging and established leaders working in the arts and creative industries. The program will connect with our national cohort visiting Wagga for their leadership residentials.General Leadership Programs FAQs
Across all our programs, you will attend a series of intensive residentials. Together with a group of other participants, you will travel to a regional location in Australia and stay for up to 5 days. For Arts Leaders, the second residential will be held in Indonesia. There are also virtual online sessions to reconnect with the group and to explore topics between the residentials.
During the program you will participate in a range of activities both indoors and outdoors to build your skills, capacity and confidence. Grounded in generosity and listening, we tackle the big issues and opportunities faced by our sector. The programs are designed to explore new ways of thinking and enact the potential of the arts for change.
A residential is a 4-5 day learning session in a range of locations across Australia (and in Indonesia) which you attend with other participants in the program. The residentials are not a professional development conference. Instead, they are an opportunity for the group to come together, share ideas, listen, collaborate and develop new ideas. The residentials are an opportunity to take time out of your day-to-day practice to reflect, refuel and learn about leadership.
Our residentials take place in regional Australia (apart from the second Arts Leaders residential, which will take place in Indonesia). We choose regional locations for a number of reasons; to spend time learning in Country with traditional Custodians, to slow down, rest and rejuvenate and to allow for new perspectives and knowledge-sharing to occur in a non-urban environment. A regional context also offers alternative solutions to arts and cultural practice that may not be available in the urban sector.
The Custodianship residentials aim to occur in regional and urban context, providing opportunities for developing diverse ways of knowing, being and doing in various settings.
You will be notified of the first residential location shortly after you have been selected for the program, and the second/third location will be announced at the end of the first/second residential. For more information about travel to residential locations, please see the relevant FAQ.
The Future Leaders and Arts Leaders programs are led by a lead facilitator and supported by a range guest speakers and co-facilitators throughout the program. The program is guided by and grounded in a commitment to First Nations cultural knowledge, and this is a core component to the learning and design of the residentials. You can find out more about our facilitators on our website.
For more information about who facilitates the Custodianship Program, please see the Custodianship FAQs below.
Successful Future Leaders and Arts Leader applicants pay an administration fee of $300 per residential. We encourage you to contact us for financial support if required, as no applicant is discouraged from applying due to financial reasons.
Successful International applicants are supported by Australia Council and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and are not required to pay the fee. Travel to all residentials will be supported for all International participants.
Successful Custodianship applicants are supported by Australia Council and are not required to pay the administration fee. Travel to all residentials will be supported for all Custodianship Program participants.