ACF Boost 2027: Australian Digital and Visual Artists Can Seek Up to A$5,000 Matched Fundraising
Applications for ACF Boost 2027, the Australian Cultural Fund's matched-funding programme, close on Monday 19 October 2026 at 12:00pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time. It can support qualifying visual-art, film, video and other arts projects — including digital and media art projects that fit an eligible cultural form — by matching money raised from donors through the ACF platform. Selected applicants may receive up to A$5,000 in matching funds. This is not an unconditional A$5,000 production grant: the actual Boost amount depends on eligible donations raised during the required fundraising period.
Eligible artists, organisations and Australian requirements
The programme accepts eligible individual artists, collectives and arts organisations that meet Australian Cultural Fund registration rules. The application criteria require Australian citizenship or permanent residence, an applicant aged at least 18, and an active Australian Business Number (ABN) or an eligible auspicing arrangement. The proposed project must be in one or more of the accepted cultural forms, which include visual arts, craft, design, film, video, performance and music, among others. In particular, using software or digital media does not automatically establish eligibility: applicants must identify the arts and cultural character of the actual work.
How the matching support works
Successful applicants run an Australian Cultural Fund public fundraising campaign between 1 February and 30 April 2027. ACF Boost matches eligible funds raised, dollar for dollar, up to a ceiling of A$5,000. For example, receiving A$2,000 in qualifying donor gifts would produce at most A$2,000 of matching support, not the entire A$5,000. The programme supports projects from May 2027 onwards, and the grant payments are expected in May after the campaign period.
Contributions must be genuine donations without material rewards for donors; ticket purchases and sponsorships that provide tangible benefits cannot be treated as charitable gifts on the ACF. The scheme is not a general commercial crowdfunding match for any technology product. It is intended to help projects such as arts exhibitions, creative research, productions and presentations where the budget and campaign are credible.
Who cannot apply?
The guidelines exclude previous ACF Boost 2026 recipients, the 2026 AusArt Day matched-funding cohort and certain participants in other current Creative Australia matched-funding schemes. Outstanding acquittals or debts to Creative Australia also prevent an application. ACF Boost supports one project per applicant in this round; an already-live ACF project does not by itself qualify as the 2027 application, which must be submitted in the advertised window.
Submission and key dates
Applications opened on 21 September 2026 and close on 19 October 2026 at 12pm AEDT. The applicant creates an ACF artist profile and project, selects the ACF Boost consideration checkbox, and explains why matching donations would make a difference. A clear budget, fundraising target, contingency plan and project details are required. Decisions are scheduled for 14 December 2026. Successful projects then launch their ACF fundraising campaigns between February and April 2027.
Official eligibility and application
This article provides a summary. To avoid misunderstandings, please be sure to check the official page for full details. Information verified on 12 October 2026.
Our competitions
Aion Laboratory independently organises the Aion Digital Art Prize for eligible digital, interactive and media artworks, which has separate entry rules from ACF Boost. No partnership between Aion Laboratory and Creative Australia is implied.