Creative NSW Collaboration Fund 2026–27: Up to A$750,000 for Festival Public Art and Cross-Media Projects
A large collaboration fund for public art and multi-disciplinary experiences
Creative NSW has opened its 2026–27 Collaboration Fund to encourage ambitious new or significantly expanded artistic works brought to the public through genuine partnerships. The programme values the integration of multiple practices rather than the exhibition of unrelated projects placed next to each other. Relevant combinations can bring together visual art, moving image, projection, performance, design, music and event production.
The government explicitly names public installations, pop-up creative experiences, precinct activations and films created in collaboration with musicians and other art forms for screening in shared public spaces. A project led by a visual-arts organisation could therefore incorporate projections, audiovisual environments or large-scale screen-based elements, provided these activities belong to a genuinely collaborative event or cultural-institution programme.
Up to A$750,000, but at least 20% must come from the applicants
Individual project grants are advertised at up to A$750,000 excluding GST. Funding may address eligible project and associated operational costs, with an indicative split of around seventy percent project expenses and thirty percent operational support. This is a ceiling within a competitive assessment, not a standard payment issued to every accepted application.
The government will not fund the full cost. A minimum twenty-percent contribution to the total proposed programme cost is required from the applicant or partners. Budgets should clearly show cash or other eligible contributions, appropriately paid artists, suppliers, equipment or technical services, accessibility and operational support. If musicians perform at events funded by Create NSW, the guidelines require at least A$250 as a minimum performance fee.
Only qualifying organisations can apply, not individual artists
Applicants must hold an ABN for a NSW-registered entity, a business account at an Australian financial institution, GST registration and a permitted organisational legal structure. Eligible applicants may include incorporated associations, charities or other not-for-profit organisations, NSW cultural institutions, qualifying higher-education institutions, councils, First Nations corporations and consortiums with an eligible lead organisation.
Individual artists are explicitly ineligible to apply directly. A freelance digital artist may contribute as a paid creative partner, but an eligible organisation must lead and manage the grant. A proposal also needs a strong track record at meaningful audience scale and a genuine partnership with a medium-to-large NSW arts, screen or music event attended by more than 5,000 people, or with a NSW Cultural Institution.
Projects should activate NSW's summer or winter festival periods
The bulk of the proposed creative activity must occur in NSW during the summer months, December to February, or the winter festival period, June to August. Projects may extend outside those seasons in a limited way, but the seasonal public programme remains central. Supported formats could include a night-time illuminated arts trail, public video projections, a multi-venue arts and film programme, or an expanded festival that combines visual installations with performance.
These examples are potential forms of collaboration, not assurances that any projection-mapping equipment purchase or individual artist film will be funded. The scheme assesses the distinctiveness of the audience experience, quality of partner roles, place activation, community accessibility, feasible delivery and long-term value. Costs already supported by other Create NSW, Screen NSW or Sound NSW grants are excluded.
November 10 at 2pm: prepare SmartyGrants submission
Applications close on Tuesday November 10, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time. Applicants must submit the required information and attachments through the official SmartyGrants portal. The assessment criteria look at artistic ambition, partnership strength, audience development, place activation, seasonal impact, feasibility and value for money. A project budget should identify roles, partner contributions and risks in detail.
The NSW Government states that SmartyGrants sends an automated acknowledgement email after a successful submission. Applicants who do not receive a confirmation should investigate promptly rather than assume that clicking a save button submitted the application. The official Creative NSW listing remains the authoritative source for current forms, changed guidelines, the eligible event-partner threshold and any final conditions of the grant contract.
Official source: Create NSW / NSW Government, 2026–27 Creative NSW Collaboration Fund, consulted October 18, 2026. Grant ceiling is not guaranteed; organisational eligibility, established festival partner and minimum 20% co-contribution are required.