Awards, Prizes and Opportunities – listed by closing date. 

21 Feb 2025 – The Bayside Painting Prize is the only annual painting prize held in Melbourne. The finalist exhibition brings together a broad range of artists from across Australia, both established and lesser known.

23 Feb 2025 – National Regional Arts Fellowship Program,  Creative & Professional Development The  Fellowship provides $20,000 to regional artists and arts workers to support creative practice or professional development, with a focus on sustainability. 

23 Feb 2025 – National Regional Arts Fellowship Program, Early Career Development. The Fellowship provides $10,000 to regional artists and arts workers who are in the early stages of their practice or career and have had less access to funding opportunities.

23 Feb 2025 – Next Level Creative Mentorship Program has expanded to support writers, musicians, dancers, choreographers, actors, directors and/or producers with disability or who are d/Deaf from New South Wales and South Australia.Ten artists with disability working in the performing arts will be provided with $3000 in project funding and access to a mentorship within a leading performing arts organisation to develop an innovative new project.

 3 Mar 2025  Create Exchange Arts and Cultural Funding Program Webinars designed to support individual artists and creative practitioners with the skills to thrive in their creative business. next one 12.30-1.15pm

28 Feb 2025 – Sydney Film Festival Competition – This festival aims to develop and deliver a sustainable world class film festival, which engages all stakeholders and achieves critical acclaim by presenting a unique program th

Feb 28 2025 –A note-taking training program for First Nations screenwriters. Seeding Storytellers is a note-taking training program for emerging First Nations Screenwriters, supported by Screenrights Cultural Fund, and delivered by Screenworks in partnership with the Australian Writers’ Guild.

1 Mar 2025 – The Forster Art Prize held over the Easter holidays since 1980.
Over $10,000 in prize money, 16 prizes across 8 mediums plus Best in Show, People’s Choice & Packing Room Prize.Open to any artist residing in Australia.

2 Mar 2025 –  Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards – Taking place on Larrakia Country, the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (Telstra NATSIAA) encourages entries from all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across the continent. 

3 Mar 2025 – World Wildlife Day Photo Competition will showcase the fantastic biodiversity across the QPRC region. Entry is open to all QPRC residents 18 years old or younger.

3 Mar 2025 –Gosford Regional Gallery Emerging Prize Since 2003, Emerging has run as a biennial art award to support early-career artists develop their practice. Entries are open to artists across New South Wales aged 18 to 30.

5 Mar 2025 – The Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize is an annual acquisitive prize, launched in 2017 to advance art and opportunity for emerging and established women artists in Australia. It is the highest-value professional artist prize for women in Australia

12 Mar 2025 – Gallipoli Art Prize  Organising Committee annually invites any eligible artists to submit a painting for the annual prize.It is awarded to the artist who best depicts the spirit of the Gallipoli .

14 Mar 2025 – Goulburn Regional Art Gallery is seeking applications for the dedicated space Gallery 2 for 2025-26.This exhibition opportunity is open to artists living within a 120km radius of the Gallery. Artists at all stages of their career working in any media are encouraged to apply.

1 Apr 2025 – First Nations Writing Services As part of Creative Australia’s multi-year investment program, we have introduced a new stream of investment – Delivery Partners – to support the provision of services to the arts and creative industries. 

1 Apr 2025 – Enteries now open for the Blue Square Art Competition. Every work features the colour blue somewhere, in a 16 x 16-inch format. 

1 Apr  2025 – Abstract Abilities Art Competition Are you an artist living with a disability? Do you like to paint, draw, take photos, sculpt, or create digital art? Help us to highlight and celebrate diverse talents in your community by making a submission to this year’s Abstract Abilities Art Competition!

1 Apr 2025 – Dance Services As part of Creative Australia’s multi-year investment program, we have introduced a new stream of investment – Delivery Partners – to support the provision of services to the arts and creative industries. 

16 Apr 2025 – Bowral Sculpure Prize There is a limit of 2 pieces per artist, which must be the original work of the artist andnot previously displayed with this society. All works must be for sale.

31 May 2025-  QPRC 2025 Art Awards has a  total prize pool of $25,000, this annual event has become a significant regional art award.

5 May 2025 – 2025 MAKE Award, Biennial Prize for Innovation in Australian Craft and Design, a national award for Australian designer/makers working across all related disciplines including ceramics, glass, furniture/woodwork, metalwork, textiles and fibre, and contemporary jewellery.

23 Jun 2025 – Frank Moorhouse Fellowship for Young Writers
Supports a writer aged 18-35 years to develop and write a new work of fiction.

30 Jun 2025 – Australian Screen Production Incentive – Location Offset This program aims aims to provide an incentive for large budget screen productions to film in Australia. It forms part of the Australian Screen Production Incentive that supports film, television and other screen production by providing rebates and incentive

18 Aug 2025 – Fellowship for Non-Fiction Writing
Supports an Australian author to create a significant new work of literary non-fiction.

open – Incentives for live music and performance venues – This program aims to encourage more live music, performance and other arts and cultural events and employment opportunities for musicians and performers.

open – Rusten House Galleries  now has limited availability in our 2025 exhibition calendar. However we have one gallery space available in July and October