Up to $900,000 to support audience development and engagement activities, which may be driven by producers, tour coordinators, presenters, community or other relevant sector organisations.
On this page you will find
What is the Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program?
The Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program is a response to a recognised need in the touring sector to trial new ways of working together. It will back targeted, sector-led strategies for audience development and engagement, which may include consortium models—identified as a key opportunity.
This is a competitive program that will support at least three projects. The program will support audience development and engagement efforts driven by producers, tour coordinators, presenters, community groups or other relevant organisations within the sector.
Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program level of support
- Minimum grant amount: Not indicated
- Maximum grant amount: Organisations may apply for up to $300,000 per annum
- Funding period: Up to three years (2026–2028)
Co-contribution:A co-contribution is not mandatory, but applications are assessed on financial viability, including the diversity and scale of income and co-funding. Strong applications will likely include additional sources of income such as grants, sponsorship, earned revenue, or in-kind contributions.
Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program important dates
- Applications close: Tuesday 5 August 2025 at 3pm AEST
- Information session: Thursday 29 May 2025 at 12pm AEST
- Register your interest with GrantHelper
Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program objectives
The Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program aims to:
- Strengthen audience engagement and development in regional and remote communities
- Support collaborative and strategic approaches to audience development
- Encourage sector-led experimentation and innovation, including consortia models
- Align initiatives with national touring activity for greater cultural impact
Projects and expenditure eligible for Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program support
Eligible Projects
Projects must focus on audience development in regional and remote areas aligned with national touring activity. Eligible activities may include:
- Consortia of presenters working together to tour jointly commissioned or programmed work, along with shared audience engagement strategies.
- Regional presenters delivering comprehensive audience development initiatives to support touring work.
- Producing organisations with recurring tours delivering targeted audience strategies in key communities.
Eligible expenses include:
- Staffing and specialist advice
- Community engagement activities
- Bespoke marketing campaigns
- Seed funding for regionally focused new work
- Artist fees and salaries for touring party
- Rehearsal and remounting costs
- Touring expenses (freight, travel, accommodation, allowances)
- Tour coordination
- Environmental impact mitigation
- Wellbeing support for the touring company
- Accessibility measures (Auslan, captions, translations, accessible materials, etc.)
Ineligible Expenditure
Applications will not be considered if they:
- Do not involve or benefit Australian practicing artists, creative workers or audiences
- Lack a clearly defined arts component
- Propose activity that has already occurred
- Do not demonstrate an audience development outcome
- Do not benefit regional or remote communities
- Duplicate already-funded Creative Australia projects
- Involve First Nations content without adhering to Creative Australia’s First Nations Cultural & Intellectual Property Protocols
Other Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program important details that you will need to know
Organisations eligible for Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program support
Eligible organisations:
- Legally constituted organisations only
- Consortia of organisations may apply via a nominated lead organisation
- NPAPF (National Performing Arts Partnership Framework) organisations are ineligible, though they may be collaborators or beneficiaries of a supported project
You can’t apply to this fund if:
- you have an overdue report for another Creative Australia grant
- you owe money to Creative Australia
- you are an individual or a group
- your organisation is in receipt of investment through the National Performing Arts Partnership Framework
See the guidelines for full details of organisational requirements.
Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program assessment criteria
Applications are assessed by industry experts using four weighted criteria:
1. Quality
- Clarity and strength of the audience development strategy
- Proven experience and track record of the delivery team
2. Viability
- Effective planning, governance, and delivery capacity of the applicant or consortium
- Financial stability and strong budget planning
- Appropriate remuneration for artists and collaborators
- Meaningful evaluation and consultation with target communities
- Consideration of environmental and access issues
3. Equity
- Regional and remote impact
- Engagement with new and diverse audiences
- Demonstrated community partnerships and co-design
- Commitment to cultural inclusivity and diversity
4. Impact
- Potential to build new or deepen existing audience relationships
- Long-term benefit for communities and artists
- Strong participation outcomes (e.g. workshops, masterclasses, digital offerings)
- Sustainability of the engagement model beyond the funding period
- Contribution to a more inclusive and accessible national arts sector
No fixed percentage weights are published by Creative Australia for these criteria.
How do I get the Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program?
Applicants must:
- Read and understand the guidelines.
- Ensure eligibility for the funding. Applicants that do not meet all the eligibility criteria will not be considered.
- Deliver the project/s as outlined in the application.
- Provide complete information requirements.
Information to prepare for the Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program application
You’ll need to prepare:
- Project title and summary
- Description of your organisation and its track record
- Detailed outline of your proposal and timeline
- Anticipated outcomes
- Audience development strategy
- Budget for two years (template provided)
- Latest audited financial statements
Support material may include:
- Artistic work samples (up to 3 URLs or uploaded files)
- CVs or bios for key personnel (max 2 A4 pages)
- Letters of support (up to 5, one A4 page each)
See the guidelines for full details of information requirements.
Applying for the Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program
Applications must be submitted through Creative Australia’s Application Management System (new users should register well ahead of the deadline).
Register your interest with GrantHelper to explore your alignment with this grant and how we can assist you to increase your chances of success.
Playing Australia Audience Development Multi-Year Investment Program resources
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