Peer Assessment


artsACT engages members of the community with specific artform experience and expertise as artform peers. Peers provide advice and assist in the assessment of applications across a range of funding categories.

Membership of peer assessment panels is determined by the skills mix required for each funding category. All panel members are paid for their involvement. The timing, workload and payment vary depending on the category being assessed.

2023 peer assessors

Baden Pailthorpe, Rosealind Lemoh, Kaya Wilson, Jonathan Gavin, Dean Walshe, Goldele Rayment, Sonia Anfiloff, Joel Tyrrell, Miriam Slater, Samantha Faulkner, Patrick Mullins, Jasper Lindell, Ian RT Colless.

Register as a peer assessor

If you are interested in registering as a peer assessor? Please read the information below before registering.

  • The ACT Arts Peer Register submission form is available on the artsACT online grants portal.
  • Please note that your registration does not guarantee selection as a peer. artsACT seeks representation across age, gender, culture, ability and career progression and aims to match peers to applicants’ areas of practice.
  • Registration will remain current for two years, but can be withdrawn by notifying artsACT.
  • If selected as a peer, you agree to have your name listed on the artsACT website.
  • If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact artsACT on (02) 6207 2384 or by email at artsACT@act.gov.au

Peer qualities

In selecting peers, artsACT seek artists and arts workers that:

  • have arts experience and expertise in one or more of the following areas: arts administration, community arts, dance, festivals, music, screen and digital games, theatre, visual arts, writing.
  • are recognised in their field by their peers
  • have strong arts sector connections and networks
  • are familiar with the ACT arts and cultural sector
  • have no outstanding ACT Government funding acquittals

Interstate artists are encouraged to register, particularly if they can demonstrate familiarity with Canberra's arts and cultural sector or have experience in managing arts organisations and arts centres.

You can register interest in being a peer at any time via the artsACT online grants portal

Eligibility to apply for funding

Artists and arts workers registered as peers can apply for funding if they meet eligibility requirements of the funding category. Peers cannot assess any round in which they have submitted a funding application.

Privacy and Freedom of Information

The information provided when registering as a peer will be respected and artsACT will only use disclose personal information in accordance with relevant legislation, including the Information Privacy Act 2014. Peers should be aware the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 1989 apply to documents in artsACT’s possession including peers’ assessment comments.

Peer responsibilities

All peers must:

  • abide by the Code of Conduct, Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest requirements
  • agree to have their name listed on the artsACT website
  • read and apply the guidance material provided relating to their assessment duties
  • access, read, and assess applications and associated attachments online
  • provide constructive comments on each application assessed.

Code of Conduct

The public is entitled to have confidence in the integrity of Government and its advisory bodies. Peers have a duty to discharge the responsibilities entrusted to them according to appropriate standards of conduct and public ethics. Peers must:

  • submit an online conflict of interest declaration before completing assessments
  • immediately inform artsACT should any further conflict of interest be identified during the assessment process
  • conduct their duties fairly, impartially and efficiently, taking all reasonable steps to ensure they are informed about their role and make decisions with diligence, care and skill
  • avoid situations in which their private interests, whether pecuniary or otherwise, conflict or might reasonably be thought to conflict, with their public duty
  • ensure advice and recommendations are made in the public interest and not promote the particular interest of any external group with which they are associated
  • respect the position and views of other peers, and treat all other peers and staff of artsACT with courtesy and respect
  • if part of a panel, abide by the panel’s advice and recommendations. Individual members must not express contrary views outside of the assessment process.

Confidentiality

Peers must strictly observe confidentiality and not discuss, disclose, or use any information that comes to them in their capacity as a peer outside of the assessment process.

All enquiries from applicants, general public or media relating to the assessment process must be immediately directed to artsACT for a response.

All application material downloaded or printed must be immediately and securely deleted or destroyed on completion of the assessment process.

Conflict of Interest

artsACT has adopted the definition of ‘conflict of interest’ as set out by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which is a ‘conflict between the public duty and private interests of public officials, in which public officials have private-capacity interests which could improperly influence the performance of their official duties and responsibilities’. Conflict of interest can be:

  • Actual - involving a direct conflict between the duties and responsibilities of being a peer and a competing interest or obligation.
  • Perceived - where there appears to be a conflict between the duties and responsibilities of being a peer and a competing interest or obligation, whether or not that is the case.
  • Conflict of duty or role - where a peer holds one or more official positions or roles that may come into conflict with one another to some degree or where the information obtained in the capacity of one role may appear to inappropriately influence decisions made in another.

Where a peer possesses, directly or indirectly, an interest which conflicts or might reasonably be thought to conflict with their duty or improperly influence their conduct the peer must declare that interest immediately to artsACT. Depending on the nature and level of the conflict, artsACT will determine whether a peer will assess an application and be involved in assessment panel discussions as relevant. A peer who has a direct interest in, or whose immediate family has a direct interest in, an application will not assess that application. If a member of an assessment panel, the peer will not take part in the discussion or recommendation of that application.