Grants up to $1.5 million to support ambitious Australian creative projects, strengthen partnerships, attract investment and share distinctly Australian stories with audiences across diverse artforms.
On this page you will find
What is the Creative Futures Fund (CFF)?
The Creative Futures Fund (CFF) is a Creative Australia initiative supporting the development and presentation of ambitious creative projects that tell distinctly Australian stories across all artforms.
The fund invests in projects demonstrating exceptional creative ambition, audience reach and impact. It aims to help organisations secure significant partnerships and financial contributions to develop and deliver creative works of scale.
The fund supports projects through two investment streams: Development Investment and Delivery Investment.
Applications for the Creative Futures follow a two-stage process.
Stage 1 – Full Application
- Applicants submit their complete applications through Creative Australia’s online Application Management System.
Stage 2 – Additional Information (Invitation Only)
- Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit additional support materials and project-specific information
Creative Futures Fund level of support
The Creative Futures Fund offers two investment streams:
- Development Investment: $150,000 to $250,000 to support the creative development and testing of ambitious Australian works. Projects must have a clear pathway towards future public presentation and aim to secure additional investment and partnerships.
- Delivery Investment: $250,000 to $1,500,000 to support the presentation of new works or the significant redevelopment and presentation of existing works, achieving greater creative ambition, audience reach and impact.
Development funding does not guarantee subsequent Delivery Investment.
Creative Australia may also provide Strategic Investments for selected projects addressing sector development needs. This stream is not open for public applications.
Creative Futures Fund objectives
The fund aims to:
- Support the creation and sharing of distinctly Australian stories across all artforms.
- Invest in exceptional creative projects demonstrating ambition, audience reach and impact.
- Enable organisations to develop and deliver works of significant scale.
- Encourage partnerships and attract financial contributions from other sources.
- Strengthen Australia’s arts and cultural sector through innovative creative projects.
Projects eligible for Creative Futures Fund support
The Creative Futures Fund supports creative projects across all artforms that tell distinctly Australian stories and use intellectual property that is majority Australian-owned.
Development Investment
Eligible activities may include:
- Research, creative development and experimentation.
- Adapting existing Australian works into new formats or mediums.
- Prototypes, pilots, works-in-progress and market testing.
- Professional skills development.
- Developing partnerships, collaborations and investment opportunities.
- Community engagement, consultation and audience development.
- Evaluation, planning and reasonable project-related staffing costs.
Delivery Investment
Eligible activities may include:
- Final creative development and production activities.
- Adapting existing Australian works and intellectual property.
- Professional skills development and specialist advice.
- Establishing partnerships and attracting investment.
- Audience development and community engagement.
- Project evaluation and accessibility measures.
- Public presentation costs, including artist fees, production and travel expenses.
Ineligible activities
Funding cannot support:
- Projects using intellectual property predominantly owned by overseas individuals or entities.
- Activities without clearly defined artistic, creative or cultural outcomes.
- Projects that do not involve Australian practising artists or arts professionals.
- Activities already completed.
- Australian narrative drama and documentary screen content or activities supported through relevant screen and games funding programs.
- Projects that do not comply with applicable First Nations cultural protocols, community engagement requirements or child safety laws.
Commercial applicants must demonstrate why public funding is necessary or how their project will benefit not-for-profit partners or the broader arts sector.
Other Creative Futures Fund important details that you will need to know
Organisations eligible for Creative Futures Fund support
Eligible applicants include Australian organisations operating in the arts and cultural sector that conduct business in Australia and have their central management and control in Australia.
These may include:
- Theatres, museums, libraries, galleries, music and literature organisations.
- Incorporated community organisations with significant creative project experience.
- Local governments with dedicated arts and culture teams.
- Universities and higher education providers with dedicated arts and culture divisions.
- Commercial organisations producing or presenting artistic works.
- Arts organisations applying through partnerships or consortia.
Commercial applicants must demonstrate the need for public investment or the benefits their projects will deliver to not-for-profit partners or the broader arts sector.
Ineligible applicants include:
- Organisations based outside Australia.
- Organisations not operating in the arts and cultural sector, except as non-lead consortium partners.
- Groups that are not legally constituted.
- Primary and secondary schools.
- Organisations with overdue Creative Australia grant reports or outstanding debts.
Previous Creative Futures Fund recipients may be eligible, subject to project completion and acquittal requirements.
Creative Futures Fund assessment criteria
Applications are assessed against three criteria across both Development and Delivery streams. Creative Australia does not publish percentage weightings for these criteria.
1. Quality – Creative Ambition
Applicants must demonstrate:
- A clear, compelling creative vision for a distinctly Australian work.
- Strong artistic quality and ambition.
- Majority Australian ownership of the project’s intellectual property.
- How the investment will increase the project’s scale, ambition or impact.
- Relevant artistic experience and compliance with First Nations cultural protocols.
2. Impact – Audience Impact
Applicants must demonstrate:
- Potential audience reach and projected participation.
- Strategies to engage new and diverse audiences.
- Partnerships supporting audience development.
- Long-term cultural, community or sector benefits.
- Appropriate accessibility and inclusion measures.
3. Viability
Applicants must demonstrate:
- Organisational capacity and financial stability.
- Experience delivering ambitious creative projects.
- Strong partnerships and evidence of co-investment.
- Realistic budgets, timelines and delivery plans.
- The ability to achieve project outcomes and maintain longer-term sustainability.
Applications undergo a two-stage assessment process involving industry advisors, Creative Australia staff and internal moderation.
How do I get the Creative Futures Fund?
Applicants should:
- Review the program guidelines and eligibility requirements.
- Determine whether their project is suitable for Development or Delivery Investment.
- Ensure the project tells a distinctly Australian story and uses majority Australian-owned intellectual property.
- Demonstrate creative ambition, audience impact and financial viability.
- Prepare evidence of partnerships and co-investment.
- Submit a complete application with the required support materials through Creative Australia’s Application Management System.
Information to prepare for the Creative Futures Fund application
Applicants should prepare:
- A detailed project description outlining creative ambition and expected outcomes.
- A completed project budget using Creative Australia’s template.
- Audience development plans and projected audience reach.
- Evidence of confirmed or proposed partnerships and co-investment.
- Letters of support from lead artists and project partners.
- The organisation’s latest audited financial accounts, or an explanation of why auditing is not required.
- Biographies and examples of previous work from lead artists.
- Relevant creative and cultural support materials.
- Evidence of permissions and compliance with First Nations cultural protocols, where applicable.
Shortlisted applicants may be required to provide additional documents, including risk management, outcome measurement, partnership and community engagement plans.
Applying for the Creative Futures Fund
Applicants submit their complete applications through Creative Australia’s online Application Management System.
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Creative Futures Fund resources
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