A dynamic and well-resourced arts sector is central to a culturally rich, vibrant and innovative society. The Foundation is interested in enhancing the calibre and capacity of the arts sector and supporting excellent organisations to raise the bar of aspiration and achievement. 

Specifically, the Foundation seeks to support first-rate artistic institutions and organisations in metropolitan and regional Australia which are distinctive in artistic achievement, imagination and innovation to:

• foster development across a sector or art form.
• host artists in high-calibre professional development and/or leadership opportunities of at least 12 months (e.g. fellowships, apprenticeships, mentorships, internships).

The Ian Potter Cultural Trust

The Foundation’s commitment to the arts is also expressed through The Ian Potter Cultural Trust, a separate charitable trust that makes grants to exceptionally talented early-career Australian artists. The Cultural Trust provides support to individual artists to help them to undertake professional development opportunities, usually overseas.

• Applicants must speak with the Program Manager before preparing an Expression of Interest (EOI). Calls can be booked approximately 2-3 weeks prior to the funding round opening.
• University applicants should contact their Advancement/Research Office prior to submitting an EOI or Application. See specific instructions for applications from universities or research institutes.
• Please note that existing projects may not be eligible. Occasionally the Foundation will support a development or innovation to an existing project but please contact the relevant program manager before proceeding.
• Applications for each program area are open once a year for consideration by the Board of Governors.
• In general, the recommended minimum grant amount for institutions and organisations is $100,000 per year and grants are usually multi-year.
• We encourage all organisations to apply regardless of their size; in the case of smaller organisations, the award can be for smaller amounts over multiple years.
• Proposals that are collaborative and/or share knowledge with the broader sector are encouraged.
• The Foundation rarely awards the full amount of any project.  Please ensure that you have alternative providers of funding and that your application clearly considers any possible grant from the Foundation in this context.  
• Please also refer to our Funding Principles for further information.

The Foundation does not support Arts events (such as festivals or fairs), performances or exhibitions. This exclusion also applies to the development or production of works of art, where this is the primary purpose of the project.  

Projects that fall into any of the following categories will not be considered for funding:

• Retrospective funding – projects which are already underway, or which will commence prior to the date indicated in our online application information are not eligible for consideration.
• Recurrent expenditure for which there is no future provision.
• Capital or endowment funds established to fund a chair or to provide a corpus for institutions.
• Research for undergraduate, masters or doctoral students
• Auspicing* is not permitted – the organisation applying must be the one that will run the program or project.
• Applications for public charitable purposes outside the Commonwealth of Australia**
• Applications for projects that have previously been declined by the Foundation cannot be resubmitted.
• Applications will not be accepted from organisations that have not successfully acquitted previous grants from the Foundation.
• We do not directly support schools.

Auspicing refers to the practice of an ineligible organisation (one that does not have DGR and TCC status) applying to the Foundation via an eligible organisation. Auspicing arrangements are excluded under the Foundation's guidelines. The organisation applying to the Foundation must be the organisation that will run the project or program for which a grant is being sought.

The Foundation is limited to providing money, property or benefits for public charitable purposes in the Commonwealth of Australia. However, the Foundation is able to provide a grant for activities outside the Commonwealth if the grant is made for a public charitable purpose in the Commonwealth. For example, a grant might be made to an Australian university to enable it to fund an overseas study tour by an Australian researcher engaged by the university.

Grant requests for this program area are considered via a two-stage Expression of Interest process.  

Please note there are specific instructions you need to follow if you are from a research institution.

1. Check your organisation’s Eligibility 
2. Read ALL the information on this program area page to ensure your project meets the program area objectives and to see when applications are open.
3. Attend the Information Session held prior to the funding round.
4. Speak with the relevant Program Manager before preparing an Expression of Interest (EOI).
5. Hit 'Apply Now' at the bottom of this program area page. This link will only appear when a Funding Round is open for this program area.
6. You then need to log in to our grant management system by either entering your username and password (if you have applied for a grant previously) or creating an account by clicking New Applicant?.
7. Complete the Expression of Interest online form (Stage 1). After you save and close the online form, you can re-access your Expression of Interest via the Login link (see header or footer) using your username and password. 
8. If your Expression of Interest is approved, you will be invited to submit a full application. Complete your full application (Stage 2) online. We require all supporting documents to be submitted as part of the online application by 5:00 pm AEST on the closing date. 

What happens next?

All grant applications are considered by the Board of Governors at the Foundation’s board meetings, which are held three times a year in line with the Funding Rounds.

You will be advised of the outcome of your application by phone or email.

To assist your organisation with the application process, we have provided Word templates of the EOI and full application online forms below. 

Expression of Interest (Stage 1)

• EOI form template
• EOI form template - universities only
• Project budget template - EOI stage

Full application (Stage 2)

• Arts application form template
• Arts application form template - universities only

Please note these are NOT the live application forms. All EOIs and full applications MUST be completed online via the Apply Now link at the bottom of this page.  Please note this link will only be active when the program area is open for EOIs.