Arts Organisation Investment Program
This Program supports the arts sector in Canberra to create, develop and promote the arts for the benefit of artists and their work, and for the ACT community to have strong access to and engagement in the arts.
artsACT is currently working with successful organisations to finalise funding agreements for the new funding period, including the purpose of the funding, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and associated funding arrangements. The information published below may be refined to reflect the outcome of these discussions prior to execution of funding agreements.
Arts Centre Investment - Up to Five-Year Funding - New Funding Period - 2028-2032
ACT Government arts centres provide critical arts infrastructure and high-quality programs fundamental to supporting artists and their work and providing community access to the arts. Some Arts Centres will also receive an increase to their existing funding arrangements during 2027.
Organisation | Amount | Primary Funded Role | Artform | Funding Purpose |
Arts Capital Ltd | $875,000 | Creative Infrastructure and Arts Precinct Management | Multi | To support delivery of creative infrastructure, facilities and sector support for artists, arts organisations and communities through the management and activation of Ainslie Arts Centre and Gorman Arts Centre. |
Belconnen Arts Centre Inc | $1,092,775 | Community Arts and Cultural Participation | Community | To contribute to delivery of accessible and affordable community arts, cultural participation and artist development opportunities in Belconnen and Gungahlin through the management and activation of Belconnen Arts Centre. |
Canberra Glassworks Ltd | $1,151,025 | Contemporary Glass Practice and Artist Development | Visual | To support delivery of contemporary glass practice, artist development and public engagement opportunities through the management and activation of Canberra Glassworks and its specialist facilities. |
Canberra Potters Society Inc | $310,000 | Ceramics Practice and Artist Development | Visual | To support delivery of ceramics practice, artist development and public engagement opportunities through the management and activation of Watson Arts Centre. |
PhotoAccess Inc | $500,000 | Photography and Media Arts Development | Visual | To support delivery of photography, imaging and multimedia arts practice, artist development and community participation opportunities through the management and activation of Manuka Arts Centre. |
Strathnairn Arts Association Inc | $377,600 | Visual Arts Practice and Artist Development | Visual | To contribute to delivery of visual arts practice, artist development and community engagement opportunities through artist studios, creative facilities and residencies at Strathnairn Arts Centre. |
The Stagemaster Inc | $1,325,000 | Performance Practice and New Work Development | Theatre | To support delivery of professional theatre presentation, creation, artist development and audience engagement opportunities through the management and activation of The Street Theatre. |
Tuggeranong Community Arts Association Inc | $1,274,193 | Community Arts and Cultural Participation | Community | To support delivery of community arts, cultural participation and artist development opportunities in Canberra's south through the management and activation of Tuggeranong Arts Centre. |
Arts Organisation Investment - Up to Four-Year Funding - New Funding Period - 2027-2030Leading arts organisations presenting high quality programs and services for artists and the community. | ||||
Organisation | Amount | Primary Funded Role | Artform | Funding Purpose |
Ausdance ACT Inc | $150,000 | Sector Development and Professional Support | Dance | To contribute to delivery of dance sector development, professional support and participation opportunities in the ACT. |
Australian Dance Party Ltd | $150,000 | Artist Development and Creative Practice | Dance | To contribute to delivery of contemporary dance creation, presentation, artist development and community engagement opportunities in the ACT. |
Canberra Art Biennial | $90,000 | Presentation, Festivals and Audience Engagement | Visual | To contribute to delivery of a contemporary visual arts biennial, artist development and audience engagement opportunities in the ACT. |
Canberra Contemporary | $370,000 | Artist Development and Creative Practice | Visual | To contribute to delivery of contemporary visual arts exhibitions, artistic development and audience engagement opportunities in the ACT. |
Canberra International Music Festival Ltd | $130,000 | Presentation, Festivals and Audience Engagement | Music | To contribute to delivery of contemporary and classical music presentation, artistic development and audience engagement opportunities through festival programming. |
Canberra Symphony Orchestra Ltd | $660,375 | Presentation, Festivals and Audience Engagement | Music | To contribute to delivery of orchestral performance, music education, artist development and community engagement opportunities in the ACT. |
Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre Inc | $455,000 | Artist Development and Creative Practice | Visual | To contribute to delivery of craft and design exhibitions, artist development, market development and public engagement opportunities in the ACT. |
Luminescence Chamber Singers Inc | $150,000 | Presentation, Festivals and Audience Engagement | Music | To contribute to delivery of professional vocal performance, artist development and audience engagement opportunities in the ACT. |
MARION | $150,000 | Sector Development and Professional Support | Literature | To contribute to delivery of writer development, literary participation and sector support opportunities in the ACT. |
Megalo Access Arts Inc | $480,135 | Artist Development and Creative Practice | Visual | To contribute to delivery of printmaking, artist development and public engagement opportunities through specialist open-access facilities and programs. |
Music For Canberra Inc | $236,000 | Participation and Community Engagement | Music | To contribute to delivery of inclusive music participation, education and performance opportunities for ACT communities. |
MusicACT Inc | $150,000 | Sector Development and Professional Support | Music | To contribute to delivery of professional development, industry support and sector development opportunities for the ACT contemporary music industry. |
Noisy Futures | $120,000 | Participation and Community Engagement | Music | To contribute to delivery of inclusive contemporary music participation, skills development and creative pathway opportunities for young people of marginalised gender identities. |
QL2 Dance Inc | $430,000 | Artist Development and Creative Practice | Dance | To contribute to delivery of contemporary dance training, artistic development and performance opportunities for young people and emerging dance artists. |
Rebus Theatre Inc | $150,000 | Participation and Community Engagement | Theatre | To contribute to delivery of inclusive and accessible theatre-making, artist development and participation opportunities for people of all abilities. |
The Canberra Youth Theatre Inc | $450,000 | Artist Development and Creative Practice | Theatre | To contribute to delivery of youth-led theatre, new work development and professional pathways for young and emerging artists in the ACT. |
The Stellar Company | $150,000 | Participation and Community Engagement | Dance | To contribute to delivery of inclusive dance and multidisciplinary arts participation and artist development opportunities for diverse communities. |
Warehouse Circus Inc | $220,000 | Participation and Community Engagement | Physical Theatre | To contribute to delivery of community participation, skills development and pathway opportunities through circus arts programs for young people and ACT communities. |
Emerging Arts Organisation Investment - Two Plus Two-Year Funding - New Funding Period - starting from 2027This funding provides funding for two years, with a possible extension of two years. Organisations in this category have not received artsACT multi-year funding previously. | ||||
Organisation | Amount | Primary Funded Role | Artform | Funding Purpose |
Canberra Writers Festival | $70,000 | Presentation, Festivals and Audience Engagement | Literature | To contribute to delivery of a high-quality annual writers festival in Canberra, including audience development, sector collaboration, and opportunities for local writers in the ACT. |
Lexi Sekuless Productions (Mill Theatre) | $50,000 | Presentation, Festivals and Audience Engagement | Theatre | To contribute to delivery of independent theatre production, artist development and professional opportunities for ACT artists and arts workers through Mill Theatre. |
Tributary Projects Incorporated | $50,000 | Artist Development and Creative Practice | Visual | To contribute to delivery of artist-led development, experimentation and professional opportunities for emerging artists and arts workers in the ACT. |
Arts Centre Investment - Up to Five-Year Funding - Current Funding Period - 2023-2027
ACT Government arts centres provide critical arts infrastructure and high-quality programs fundamental to supporting artists and their work and providing community access to the arts.
| Organisation | Amount | Artform | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arts Capital Ltd | $720,000 | Multi | Managing the Ainslie and Gorman Arts Centres including services to resident artists and arts organisations and promoting the activities of the centres. |
| Belconnen Arts Centre Inc | $900,000 | Community | Managing the Belconnen Arts Centre and delivering community arts and cultural development programs in Belconnen and Gungahlin. |
| Canberra Glassworks Ltd | $850,000 | Visual | Managing the Canberra Glassworks and delivering programs and services for the creation and exhibition of studio glass. |
| Canberra Potters Society Inc | $200,000 | Visual | Managing the Watson Arts Centre and delivering ceramic programs and services to supporting all levels of ceramic practice. |
| PhotoAccess Inc | $280,000 | Visual | Managing the Manuka Arts Centre and providing contemporary photographic/multimedia programs and exhibitions. |
| Strathnairn Arts Association Inc | $200,000 | Visual | Managing the Strathnairn Arts Centre and delivering visual arts programs and services including for ceramics and bronze across all levels of practice. |
| The Stagemaster Inc | $950,000 | Theatre | Managing The Street Theatre and delivering professional development programs and productions for local theatre artists. |
| Tuggeranong Community Arts Association Inc | $860,000 | Community | Managing the Tuggeranong Arts Centre and delivering community arts and cultural developing programs in Tuggeranong and Woden. |
Arts Organisation Investment - Up to Four-Year Funding - Current Funding Period - 2023-2026
Leading arts organisations presenting high quality programs and services for artists and the community.
| Organisation | Amount | Artform | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ausdance ACT Inc | $150,000 | Dance | Providing support to independent professional dancers and delivering accessible dance programs across all genres. |
| Australian Dance Party Ltd | $100,000 | Dance | Professional dance company, creating new contemporary dance work for local dance artists. |
| Canberra Contemporary Art Space Inc | $300,000 | Visual | Delivering opportunities for emerging and established artists to create and present contemporary visual art and engage in audience programs. |
| Canberra International Music Festival Ltd | $92,000 | Music | Presenting an annual festival of classical and contemporary/fine art music. |
| Canberra Symphony Orchestra Ltd | $615,000 | Music | Presenting a program of classical music concerts and performances, including community access programs. |
| The Canberra Youth Theatre Inc | $300,000 | Theatre | Delivering creative opportunities for young people through theatre workshops, productions and creative pathways. |
| Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre Inc | $410,000 | Visual | Delivering contemporary craft and design programs and exhibitions for local artists. |
| Girls Rock! Canberra Inc | $70,000 | Music | Delivering participation opportunities in contemporary music for young people of marginalised gender identities. |
| M16 Inc | $70,000 | Visual | Delivering a program of exhibitions for local visual artists. |
| MARION | $185,000 | Literature | Presenting professional development programs for Canberra writers at all levels and promoting their work. |
| Megalo Access Arts Inc | $370,000 | Visual | Delivering access to print media equipment and professional development programs and exhibitions. |
| MusicACT Inc | $125,000 | Music | Delivering professional development programs and services for contemporary musicians and bands. |
| Music For Canberra Inc | $300,000 | Music | Delivering classical music performances and participation programs for all levels and abilities. |
| QL2 Dance Inc | $360,000 | Dance | Delivering dance development and performance opportunities for young people and independent dance artists. |
| Rebus Theatre Inc | $100,000 | Theatre | Delivering inclusive and accessible theatre making and presentation opportunities for people of all abilities. |
| Screen Canberra Ltd | $150,000 | Screen | Delivering professional development programs and opportunities for local screen practitioners. |
| Warehouse Circus Inc | $150,000 | Physical Theatre | Delivering development programs and services for circus/physical theatre emerging artists. |
| You Are Here Canberra Inc | $80,000 | Multi | Delivering professional development and presentation opportunities for local contemporary artists and producers. |
Emerging Arts Organisation Investment - Two Plus Two-Year Funding - Current Funding Period - starting from 2023
This funding is for organisations that have not recieved artsACT multi-year funding previously.
| Organisation | Amount | Artform | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contour 556 Ltd (Canberra Art Biennial) | $50,000 | Visual | Delivering a biennial contemporary visual arts festival in public spaces. |
| Luminescence Chamber Singers Inc | $40,000 | Music | Delivering vocal/choral development programs and performances |
| The Stellar Company | $40,000 | Dance | Developing and presenting inclusive dance activities for people of all abilities, ages and backgrounds. |
Community Outreach (ANU) Program - Current Funding Period - 2024-2026
Funding to the ANU School of Art and Design and the School of Music to increase participation in the arts, provide access to high quality, inclusive arts programs that develop the artistic skills of participants, including from diverse backgrounds and those that may experience barriers or disadvantage.
| Organisation | Amount | Artform | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANU School of Music | $559,053 | Community | Providing support for the delivery of community outreach music programs. |
| ANU School of Art and Design | $120,000 | Community | Providing support for the delivery of community outreach art and design programs. |