Organisations Fund 2026-2029

The Organisations Fund 2026-2029 is a four-year funding program that supports small-to-medium Queensland-based arts and cultural organisations to be stronger businesses.

The Fund recognises small to medium-sized arts companies play a critical role in Queensland’s arts and cultural sector by engaging audiences, strengthening communities, sharing our stories and providing significant employment opportunities for Queensland artists and arts workers.

The Fund supports the core operational and program delivery costs of small-to-medium arts organisations, helping to ensure they are well positioned to deliver on and leverage the opportunity of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.

NB: This Fund includes a new dedicated festivals stream, which opens on 13 January 2025. This stream will support organisations whose primary business is the delivery of arts and cultural festivals, recognising the unique business models, planning cycles and challenges for arts companies that primarily deliver a festival.

Objective

The objective of the Fund is to support Queensland small-to-medium arts and cultural organisations to be stronger businesses and to do and share great work.

Investment through this fund will support the Queensland Government’s Creative Together 2020-2030 priorities, lay the foundation for a vibrant arts and cultural program for Brisbane 2032, and help to deliver a legacy beyond the Games.

Funding

The minimum funding that can be requested from this Fund is $100,000 per year (over four years).

It is important to note the Fund has a limited budget and is highly competitive. It is very unlikely that new entrants to the fund will receive more than $100,000 per year.

Currently funded organisations (Organisations Fund 2022-2025, First Nations Pathways) that may be successful to this iteration of the Fund are unlikely to receive more than a 10% increase on their existing base funding, or the minimum amount, whichever is more.

A dedicated festivals stream within the fund will open 13 January 2025 for organisations that primarily deliver festivals.

Frequency

Important dates for the Fund:
 

How to apply

You must view a recorded fund briefing on the Organisations Fund 2026-2029 to access the application form. Please request a link to the briefing by emailing organisationsfund@arts.qld.gov.au.

To prepare for your application, you are encouraged to:

• View the PDF of the Application Form, which will be available prior to release of the recorded briefing and application link
• Review the Organisations Fund 2026-2029 Guidelines and the supporting FAQs
• Review Creative Together 2020-2030 and Elevate 2042
• Submit any questions to organisationsfund@arts.qld.gov.au

If Smarty Grants doesn’t meet your access needs, please contact an Arts Queensland Grants Officer on telephone (07) 3034 4016 or toll-free 1800 175 531 or email organisationsfund@arts.qld.gov.au.

Here are a few resources you might like to access in preparation for applying:

• Arts Queensland Cultural Engagement Framework - helps inform and guide respectful engagement with First Nations peoples, organisations and communities 
• Business Queensland - business finance, marketing, risk management, business planning and a Health check tool
• TAFE Queensland - industry-backed training in areas of business, IT and finance including short, fee-free courses
• Arts Queensland case studies - details of projects, learnings, reflections and more from organisations previously funded through the Organisations Fund

Application Form Example

Application form for the Organisations Fund 2026-2029 (example only).

FAQs

FAQs for the Organisations Fund 2026-2029

Guidelines

Guidelines for the Organisations Fund 2026-2029.

Download the PDF or DOCX.