What kind of activities will the program support?

Creators Fund provides financial support for up to six months for creative practitioners to undertake the following activities:

• Intensive creative research and development of new ideas/concepts
• Practice-based experimentation.

Applications can be for solo activity or activity undertaken by creative groups, collectives or collaborations.

Is the program open to a range of creative disciplines?

Yes. We encourage applications from a wide range of creative disciplines, including but not limited to screen, fashion, design, digital games, visual arts, literature, contemporary dance, circus, cabaret, music, physical performance, craft, sound art, theatre, multidisciplinary, experimental work and cross-industry collaborations.

How much funding is available?

You may apply for amounts between $20,000 and $50,000, for a funded period of up to six months of activity.

All applicants are encouraged to include access costs within their project budget. Applicants applying through the Deaf and Disabled stream may apply for an additional amount of up to $5000 on top of the general project costs to cover specific access expenses for Deaf and Disabled participants.

If my application is successful, when will the funding period start?

This round supports activities starting from 1 July 2023 and onwards.

If our application is successful, when will the grant payment be made?

If your application is successful, you’ll receive a Common Funding Agreement. You must confirm your acceptance of the agreement.

The payment schedule and any relevant funding deliverable/milestones will be outlined in the funding agreement.

Once the agreement has been executed (i.e. both you and Creative Victoria have accepted it), and you have satisfied any conditions and provided us with an invoice, the grant payment will be made.

We will aim to make grant payments before 30 June 2023.

Eligibility

Who can apply?

You are eligible to apply if you’re an individual or collective who:

1. meets Creative Victoria’s general eligibility
2. has an active Australian Business Number (ABN). If you do not have an active ABN, you can apply online or apply for the grant through an auspice body with an ABN.
   • groups of individuals who join as a collective must be legally constituted or nominate either an individual or an auspicing body to apply, and to take legal and financial responsibility for the grant should one be awarded.
   • unincorporated associations will need to either apply under auspice, or have an individual apply on behalf of the group.
3. has no overdue Creative Victoria (or former Arts Victoria) acquittals
4. has not received a Creators Fund grant previously
5. is not currently in receipt of funding from Australian based like-minded programs (e.g. Fellowships etc).

You are not eligible if you:

• don’t meet the eligibility criteria above
• submit more than one application (including as part of a collective or under auspice)

Please note, you are not a priority to receive Creators Fund if you are:

• employed by State-owned cultural agencies, National Performing Arts Partnership organisations and organisations receiving funding through Creative Victoria’s Organisations Investment, Creative Enterprises and Creative Ventures Programs or Regional Partnerships Programs
• undertaking full-time or part-time study at the point of commencing the proposed activity
• applying to Creators Fund when your project/activity is better suited, or eligible for another Creative Victoria funding program

I have received a Creative Victoria grant recently - can I apply to this program?

Previous recipients of a Creators Fund grant cannot apply to the 2023 program.

However, previous grant recipients of other Creative Victoria programs are eligible to apply, provided they:

• don’t have an overdue Creative Victoria (or former Arts Victoria) acquittal
• meet the eligibility criteria of the Creators Fund program
• use the funds for activities as set out in the program guidelines
• aren’t applying for funding for the same project/activity.

I’m in more than one collective/or working on more than one project. Can I apply for funding for different projects/activities?

We will only accept one application per applicant or organisation. One individual can’t act as the primary contact for two separate applications. This applies to both individual and group/collective activity.

Can my activities commence before 1 July 2023?

No activities can begin before 1 July 2023. Don’t commit to any arrangements or make any payments on the assumption you’ll receive support for activity prior to this date.

As Creative Victoria grants use public money, the allocation of funds through our grants programs requires significant scrutiny and applicants cannot be funded until we complete this process.

Creators Fund does not support the reimbursement of expenses already incurred, or other retrospective funding.

If I meet the eligibility criteria, am I guaranteed funding?

No. Demand for Creative Victoria funding is high and it’s an extremely competitive program. Don’t assume you’ll be successful or enter commitments based on that assumption before receiving formal notification. If you’ve been successful once, that isn’t a guarantee that you’ll be successful again.

I have a new business. Can I apply for business start-up costs and business support?

This program isn’t designed to provide business support. LaunchVic’s website has information and resources for start-ups.

For business support, please refer to the Business Victoria website.

Can I apply for funding to support international activity?

Applications for international activity will be accepted. Applicants should ensure that any proposed international activities demonstrate compliance with current Commonwealth and Victorian public health measures to slow the spread of coronavirus.

For applications involving international travel, please consider viable planning and contingencies.

Applicants will be responsible for their own COVID-19 safety planning and risk management. Applicants should ensure that any proposed international activities demonstrate compliance with current Commonwealth and Victorian public health measures to slow the spread of coronavirus. Information about travel risks and COVID-19-related quarantine requirements can be found on the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs’ Smart Traveller website.

Is Creators Fund funding able to cover costs for non-Victorians?

No. You cannot use the Creators Fund grant to cover costs or payments to non-Victorian creative practitioners or collectives.

Can I apply for Creators Fund if I applied to VicScreen?

Creators Fund doesn’t duplicate the programs offered by VicScreen. If your activity/project is suitable for funding through any of VicScreen’s programs, you won’t be eligible to apply for this program. This is to ensure fairness and equity, given that there will be limited funding available.

You’re welcome to apply for the Creators Fund for activities that aren’t eligible for VicScreen programs.

Please contact program staff to discuss further.

Any information you include in your application may be shared and will be subject to verification from other Government departments/agencies, including VicScreen as required.

Application

What is an auspice?

If you don’t have an ABN or aren’t sure that you’ll have the capacity to manage the paperwork or requirements associated with a Creative Victoria grant, an organisation or business can submit the application on your behalf. If your application is successful, the auspice organisation will receive any funds allocated, is responsible for the management of the project and must sign off on the acquittal of grant funds.

Groups of individuals who join together as a collective must be legally constituted or nominate either an individual or an auspicing body to apply, and take legal and financial responsibility for the grant should one be awarded.

We recommend that you have a clear written agreement with your auspice organisation with written confirmation of their agreement with you, before applying for funding.

Who can auspice my grant?

For this program, any legally constituted organisation may act as an auspice.

In the application, you’ll be asked to provide details of the auspicing organisation, such as its legal name, ABN and contact details.

An auspice organisation can apply for this program on behalf of multiple people/projects.

What should I consider when including First Peoples Cultural Intellectual Property (CIP); collaboration and/or engagement with a First Peoples creative practitioner(s); and/or engagement with First Peoples community in my application?

We’re committed to the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the 11 guiding principles of Aboriginal Self-Determination as identified in the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework 2018-23.

You must follow correct protocols when working with First Peoples artists, content and/or communities. Please refer to the Australia Council’s Protocols For Using First Nations Cultural And Intellectual Property In The Arts. Use the project checklist (pp. 168-172) as a resource to guide considerations when engaging with First Peoples content, creatives/artists and cultural heritage.

To protect First Peoples arts practice from misappropriation, moral and copyright infringement, you must submit appropriate documentation if you propose to work with First Peoples stories/cultural material that is not your own, such as letters of confirmation from the First Peoples you’re working with and protocols you’ll put in place to ensure cultural safety.

I am on a Disability Support Payment (DSP) plan/National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan. Will this grant impact my payments?

This grant may affect your payments. Please check with Centrelink or your contact person at NDIS. You may want to consider being auspiced by an organisation.

Can the funding be used for access costs?

We strongly encourage you to consider inclusive ways of working and ensuring access to all audiences. Funding can be used to cover any access costs that help you remove barriers in your activity. You can also use the funding to make your activity accessible to a wider audience. Please provide budget notes about any access costs that are included in your application budget.

Examples of access costs

• Access consultant for support in designing an accessible space/event
• Access/disability support workers
• Assistive listening devices, audio loops etc
• Audio descriptions
• Auslan interpreters
• Blind or low-vision assistance
• Braille in labelling, marketing, signage at venue, etc.
• Captioning services (open/closed)
• Disability concession pricing or subsidised ticket prices
• Disability liaison person for meeting and/or engaging with Deaf and/or Disabled people to be responsive to their access needs
• Ergonomic equipment and/or an ergonomic consultant
• Guide dog access
• Hiring access aids/equipment
• Plain English marketing material – short, simple sentences with pictures
• Setting up a quiet or sensory space or session – to avoid sensory overload or to provide sensory input to meet a sensory need
• Staff and volunteer training e.g. disability awareness, communication, etc.
• Therapy –counselling, physio, occupational therapy, etc.
• Updating website and booking system to a more accessible user interface.

I want to make my activities/organisation more accessible, but I don’t know where to start?

Access costs vary depending on the project and services you need. We suggest getting in touch with an access consultant. You can find the Inclusive Practice Guide and a list of organisations in Victoria offering support to Deaf and Disabled people on the Arts Access Victoria’s website.

Additional resources:

• Useful Publications, Arts Access Victoria
• Guide to Inclusive Meetings, Description Victoria
• Inclusive Publishing in Australia: An Introductory Guide, Australian Inclusive Publishing Initiative
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0)
• Making Your Venue Accessible, Music Victoria
• Resources, Arts Access Australia
• Producers Guide to Access, Melbourne Fringe

Assessment

How will the First Peoples stream be assessed?

Applications from First Peoples or First Peoples-led organisations or businesses will be assessed by a First Peoples panel. This embeds Aboriginal self-determination into the assessment process.

Will the First Peoples stream be open to non-First Peoples creative entities that wish to present First Peoples Cultural Intellectual Property in partnership with First Peoples creatives?

No. The First Peoples stream is specifically for applications led by First Peoples. For non-First Peoples-led applications wishing to collaborate with First Peoples to present First Peoples stories, culture or content, please apply through the General or Deaf and Disabled creatives streams.

This means your application will be assessed by relevant external peers and may also be reviewed by a First Peoples panel to ensure appropriate cultural protocols and cultural safety are reflected in the application. Activity that doesn’t follow or demonstrate correct protocols won’t be supported.

How will this program support Deaf and Disabled people in the creative industries?

Applications by Victorian Deaf and Disabled creatives will be assessed by a panel of peers with lived experience of deafness and disability. Applications that aren’t led by Deaf and Disabled creatives but involve key participants who identify as Deaf and Disabled can choose to be assessed under this stream. Please contact program staff to discuss.

What are the deliverables and reporting obligations for Creators Fund?

Your Funding Agreement will outline your obligations.

You’ll need to provide regular updates about your funded activity, including information about the activity budget and plan.

At the end of your funded period, you must submit an acquittal which provides information about the outcomes of your funding.

During and after your funded period, you’ll participate in a program evaluation. You may also be asked to provide information about your funded activity and any longer-term outcomes to help evaluate the Creators Fund.

Why does it take so long to assess this program?

After the round closes, submitted applications go through an eligibility and due diligence check. External assessors are then allocated applications and given time to review them before meeting to discuss recommendations. If required, an independent financial analyst may need to assess budgets provided in applications.

Recommendations are compiled and provided to the Minister for Creative Industries for final approval. We work as fast as we can to assess applications. You’ll be advised of the outcome of your application approximately 12 weeks from the closing date.

How does Creative Victoria support a fair distribution of funds and ensure applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds and creative disciplines are supported?

To ensure that our funding is equitably distributed, we need to engage people from diverse backgrounds in our processes, from inception to delivery.

We work with industry representatives to make sure that there’s diverse representation on assessment panels for this program.

We also reach out to a broad range of organisations to promote the program to encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds, including Deaf and Disabled, women, LGBTIQ+ and those from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Contemporary Music Creators Fund FAQs

What is the difference between Creators Fund and Music Works?

Creators Fund is a program designed to support creatives to undertake a period of intense research or experimentation. It’s not focused on supporting full concept realisation and presentation, or on audience engagement activities (e.g. recording an album, going on tour, making a video clip). Instead Creators Fund aims to:

• Encourage deep research and experimentation to support creative practitioners in achieving innovation, and advancement in their careers.
• Afford practitioners with an opportunity to take creative risks.
• Support creative practitioners to broaden, deepen or diversify their creative practice.
• Promote original and expansive thinking.
• Encourage cross-disciplinary and cross-industry collaborations.
• Engage with independent artists, creatives and collectives that reflect the diversity of the Victorian community, including individuals and collectives from across metro, outer suburban and regional Victoria.

Music Works provides funding for innovative projects, that will strengthen and support Victoria’s music industries. It is much more suited to applications for album recording, touring and marketing activities.