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Performing Arts Market Development Fund

The Performing Arts Market Development Fund (the Fund) is a key program of the Queensland Government’s Grow 2022-2026 (PDF) (1.89 MB), the second action plan for Creative Together 2020-2030. 

The Fund will support interstate and overseas opportunities that grow Queensland’s cultural economy, increase exposure, facilitate business and career growth, and expand markets and export revenue potential for Queensland-based musicians, performing artists and organisations.

Objectives

Performing Arts Market Development Fund:

  • Supports attendance and participation in national and international events and showcases that fast-track profile building, grow new networks and connections, and drive career sustainability and economic outcomes through new export markets.
  • Generates national and international sales and touring revenue opportunities for Queensland-based artists and artsworkers by attending major industry markets and events.
  • Enhances skills, professional practice, national and international connections to increase exposure and strengthen the reputation of Queensland’s talented music and performing arts sector.

Market exposure and development through showcasing and market attendance

The Fund supports market exposure and development opportunities for individuals or groups including:

  • enabling Queensland-based artists’ and artsworkers’ participation in interstate and overseas buyers' marketplaces
  • extension of scope/scale of market activity showcasing
  • attending key interstate and overseas market events to grow commissioning and presentation opportunities for Queensland artists.

Applications for showcasing activities will need to demonstrate that applicants have been invited by their national or international partners directly or have been selected through a competitive process.

Applicants must demonstrate how the supported activity/project forms part of their long-term plan for national or international engagement, growth of profile and market, and potential capacity to expand or replicate projects in other markets.

Bringing national and international presenters/promoters/reviewers to see Queensland performances

The fund will also support economy-class interstate travel and accommodation for national presenters/promoters/reviewers and visiting international presenters/promoters to experience performances being presented in Queensland.

Funding

There are two streams of funding available:

  • Applicants can apply for up to $80,000 towards eligible costs for showcasing or market attendance activities (applicants can apply for up to 50% of the total project costs directly associated with the interstate or overseas activity.)
  • Applicants can apply for up to $2,000 towards eligible costs for bringing national and international presenters/promoters/reviewers to see Queensland performances.

The same artist or applicant can receive funding through this Fund only once in a calendar year for each stream, based on the date of submission.

Eligible and ineligible costs

Arts Queensland funding can only be used for the following costs related to the funded activity:

  • economy-class travel, accommodation, travel allowances, visas, registration fees, travel insurance, professional fees and relevant meeting costs.
  • freight, equipment hire, technical support, and management fees associated with the delivery of the activity (applications for showcasing activities only)
  • contingency amounts relating to potential fluctuations in exchange rates and travel and accommodation costs from the time of application.

The fund will not support presenters’ or promoters’ international flights, only their travel within Australia.

The Fund does not support costs associated with attending national or international conferences that do not include, or function as, an industry market.

Frequency

We’re pausing the Performing Arts and Visual Arts Market Development Funds to hold a review and seek feedback from the sector, including consulting on potentially moving to round-based funding.

Applications under the current guidelines for these funds will be accepted until 2pm on 18 July 2024.  

Successful applicants will be notified no more than 6 weeks from the date of submission.

For information on our other funding opportunities, visit www.arts.qld.gov.au/aq-funding

Eligibility

Please refer to the Arts Queensland General Funding Guidelines for general eligibility criteria and definitions.  

In addition to the General Funding Guidelines, applicants must:

  • be based in Australia
  • have written confirmed invitation or endorsement from the interstate or overseas market/partner
  • not receive Arts Queensland funding of more than $700,000 per annum of multi-year funding
  • if based outside of Queensland:
    • be able to clearly demonstrate how their application will grow outcomes and benefit Queensland-based artists and the performing arts sector
    • not receive core funding through either Creative Australia or equivalent State agencies to Arts Queensland.

Successful applicants for overseas activities will be expected to meet with a Trade and Investment Queensland business development representative before their departure to discuss how to leverage outcomes for themselves and Queensland.

How to apply

1. Visit our supporting documents page to view the:

  • Performing Arts Market Development Fund guidelines
  • General funding guidelines

2. Complete the online application form. 

Arts Queensland uses Smartygrants, an online grant application system. If you are unable to access Smartygrants contact: