Screen NSW First Nations Screen Fellowship 2026: A$25,000 Support for NSW Screen Creatives — 29 October Deadline
Screen NSW is accepting applications for the First Nations Screen Fellowship 2026, a competitive career-development programme for one mid-career Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander screen practitioner in New South Wales. The Fellowship is intended for experienced screen writers, directors or producers who want to advance an early-stage project and their professional connections.
APPLICATION DEADLINE — Thursday 29 October 2026 at 2 pm. Screen NSW lists Australian Eastern time on the programme page; use the deadline shown by the official SmartyGrants application portal, as daylight-saving notation can affect conversions. Applications opened on 24 September 2026.
ELIGIBILITY — Applicants must identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander; be over 18; be Australian citizens; and have lived in New South Wales for at least the six months immediately before applying. Applicants also need an Australian Business Number (ABN). These conditions are cumulative, not alternatives, and this is not a global open call.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE — Applicants must be mid-career writers, directors and/or producers who have between one and four key creative credits in professionally produced screen work and otherwise satisfy Screen NSW's Terms of Trade. Screen practitioners without the specified credits, NSW residency or eligibility documentation should check with the organiser rather than assume they can apply.
PACKAGE — Total published support is A$25,000: A$22,000 in grant funding and A$3,000 in-kind mentoring. The grant component is broken down into A$15,500 for early-stage project development, A$6,000 toward international industry travel and A$500 toward relevant guild membership. A 12-month professional mentorship is included and valued at A$3,000.
APPLICATION MATERIALS — Prepare a CV of no more than two A4 pages, up to three relevant recent work samples, a one-page synopsis of the proposed development project, a signed letter of support from an Elder or First Nations community member, and a letter of support from an established screen practitioner. Follow the programme's file-size, footage-length and PDF requirements rather than sending oversized attachments.
APPLICATION PROCESS — Only submissions through the Screen NSW SmartyGrants portal are accepted. A registration may be needed, and application records should be saved before the deadline. The published guidelines explain assessment by Screen NSW personnel and an external First Nations screen-sector specialist.
WHY THE ORGANISER MATTERS — Screen NSW is a New South Wales Government screen development body within the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport. It publishes its grant guidelines, terms of trade, programme priorities, contacts and links to the official application service. Its programme is focused on strengthening First Nations screen opportunities and the state's screen sector.
WHO MAY BENEFIT — Eligible writers, directors and producers developing a screen or screen-based media project may benefit; this is not a general competition for animation files, not a student prize and not a grant automatically available to all artists. The applicant's creative credits, NSW ties and community support are essential parts of the process.
OFFICIAL PROGRAMME — https://www.screen.nsw.gov.au/funding-support/first-nations-screen-fellowship
OFFICIAL APPLICATION — https://screennsw.smartygrants.com.au/firstnationsscreenfellowship2026
EDITORIAL VERIFICATION — Source information checked against Screen NSW's current programme on 22 October 2026. Recheck eligibility, application time zone, budget eligibility, supporting materials and award conditions before submitting.