The Organisation Fund 2026-2029 (General Stream and Festivals Stream) has now closed.
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 and deliver vibrant arts and cultural experiences across the state.
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 these organisations, helping to ensure they are well positioned to deliver on and leverage the opportunity of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games, foster a vibrant statewide arts scene and support Queensland Government’s commitment to a 20-year tourism plan.
The Organisation Fund 2026-2029 includes two streams:
General stream for small-to-medium arts businesses that have a primary or strategic focus on the delivery of arts and cultural products or services in Queensland – opened 30 September 2024 and closes Monday 20 January 2025.
Festivals stream for not-for-profit arts and cultural festivals that present live music as a key component of their programming - opened Monday 13 January 2025 and closes 10 March 2025
NB: You can only apply to one stream. Choose the stream that has objectives and criteria that best match your organisation’s business.
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.
The Festivals stream specifically works to strengthen not-for-profit Queensland arts and cultural festivals that include live music as a key component of their programs and support their sustainability as arts businesses that help drive cultural tourism outcomes in Queensland.
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 as outlined in Elevate 2042.
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.
Festivals stream
The Festivals stream of the Organisations Fund 2026-2029 recognises the critical role festivals play in fostering a vibrant arts and cultural scene across Queensland and acknowledges the unique business models, planning cycles and challenges for these organisations.
This stream is open to Queensland-based not-for-profit organisations delivering significant arts and cultural festivals that present live music as a key component of their programming and can drive cultural tourism outcomes for the state.
This includes:
organisations whose primary purpose is to deliver a festival
organisations that deliver a festival as a strategic, core part of a broader program of activities.
Note: By ‘festival’ we mean an organised series or program of public arts and cultural events, featuring live music, which is held over two or more consecutive days and supports significant employment opportunities for artists and arts workers.
Please see the Festivals stream guidelinesand the supporting FAQs for more information.
Frequency
Important dates for the Fund:
Open
Close
Notification
Activity start date
Organisations Fund (General) Monday 30 September 2024
Now closed – 4pm, 20 January 2025
By 30 June 2025
From 1 January 2026
Festivals Stream Monday 13 January 2025
Now closed – 2pm, Friday 14 March 2025
By 30 June 2025
From 1 January 2026
How to apply
Here are a few resources you might like to access in preparation for applying:
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
Festivals Stream - how to apply
Please note: The Festivals Stream of the Organisations Fund 2026-2029 has now closed.
