Collaboration Grant for Arts and Cultural Organisations (Australia)

Deadline: 28-Sep-2026

The Major Projects Collaboration Grant supports strategic and innovative partnerships across the arts and culture sector in South Australia. The programme encourages organisations and partners to take creative risks, share knowledge and resources, develop new ways of working, reach new audiences, and create employment opportunities. Funding of up to $100,000 is available for projects involving collaboration across the arts and cultural sector and potentially with partners from outside the sector. The grant supports activities including creative development, art making, and presentation across various art forms. A key objective is to ensure that independent artists and small-to-medium arts and cultural organisations are the primary financial beneficiaries of supported projects. Eligible partnerships can involve independent groups, arts and cultural organisations, funded organisations including those supported through the National Performing Arts Partnership Framework, statutory authorities, for-profit businesses, and partners from non-arts sectors. All project partners are expected to contribute to the project budget through cash or in-kind support.

About the Major Projects Collaboration Grant

The Major Projects Collaboration Grant is designed to encourage strategic partnerships and innovative approaches within the arts and cultural sector. The programme recognises that collaboration can enable artists and organisations to access resources, knowledge, audiences, skills, and opportunities that may not be available through working independently. The grant aims to support projects that demonstrate: - Strategic partnerships. - Innovative collaboration. - Creative risk-taking. - Knowledge sharing. - Resource sharing. - New approaches to working. - New audience outcomes. - Employment opportunities. - Creative development. - Art making. - Public presentation. Funding Available The Major Projects Collaboration Grant provides funding of up to: $100,000 Applicants should develop a comprehensive project budget showing the total cost of the collaboration and the contributions expected from all participating partners. The grant is intended to support substantial collaborative projects rather than isolated activities undertaken by a single artist or organisation. What Does the Grant Support? Funding can support collaborative projects involving creative development, art making, and presentation across a range of art forms. Projects may focus on developing new creative practices, producing artistic work, presenting work to audiences, or establishing new collaborative approaches. The programme particularly encourages projects that demonstrate how collaboration can produce outcomes that would not be possible through conventional or individual approaches. Strategic Partnerships A central feature of the grant is the development of strategic partnerships. Partnerships should have a clear purpose and demonstrate how the participating organisations, groups, businesses, or other partners will work together to achieve meaningful artistic, cultural, audience, employment, or sector outcomes.

Applicants should clearly explain:

- Why the partnership is needed. - What each partner contributes. - How knowledge and resources will be shared. - How the collaboration supports innovation. - What new opportunities will result. - How the project benefits artists and arts organisations. - What outcomes will be achieved for audiences and the wider sector. Encouraging Creative Risk-Taking The programme encourages partners to take creative risks and explore new ways of working. This may involve experimentation with artistic processes, collaborative models, technologies, audiences, presentation formats, or partnerships between the arts and other sectors. Applicants should demonstrate how the proposed collaboration provides an opportunity to explore ideas or approaches that may not be achievable through conventional project structures. Knowledge and Resource Sharing Collaboration should provide opportunities for participating partners to share their expertise, resources, networks, infrastructure, or other capabilities.

Examples may include sharing:

- Artistic knowledge. - Production expertise. - Technical skills. - Facilities. - Equipment. - Professional networks. - Audience development resources. - Organisational capabilities. Applicants should explain how this exchange strengthens the project and creates value for participating artists, organisations, audiences, or the wider arts sector. New Audience Outcomes The grant encourages collaborations that create new audience outcomes. Projects should consider how partnerships can help artists and organisations reach new communities, audiences, markets, or participants. Applicants should clearly describe the anticipated audience benefits and explain how the collaborative model contributes to those outcomes. Employment Opportunities Creating new employment opportunities is another important objective of the programme. Collaborative projects may generate opportunities for artists, producers, technicians, creative workers, administrators, and other professionals involved in delivering the project. Applicants should identify relevant employment or professional opportunities and explain how the project contributes to the sustainability and development of the creative workforce. Who Can Participate in a Partnership? The programme allows for a broad range of potential partners.

Eligible partnerships may involve:

- Independent groups. - Arts and cultural organisations. - Funded arts organisations. - Organisations funded through the National Performing Arts Partnership Framework. - Statutory authorities. - For-profit organisations. - Non-arts sector partners. This broad partnership model allows arts organisations to collaborate with businesses, government-related bodies, and organisations outside the traditional arts sector where the partnership contributes to the project’s