Awards, Prizes and Opportunities – listed by closing date. 

20 Mar 2025 – SALON is Arts on Tour’s key annual industry event that builds relationships between NSW and ACT artists, producers and presenters, creating opportunities for touring and partnerships. Artists and producers can submit an EOI to pitch their work at the half-day event, and to be included in the Salon booklet.

25 Mar 2025 – Digital Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) Workshop Series  Download is a workshop for First Nations artists and arts workers at all career stages, who are engaging or wish to engage more with digital practice and learn more about ICIP. This is a program developed in partnership with Arts Law Centre of Australia to provide practical advice on how to manage and protect ICIP when working digitally.  

27 Mar 2025 – Artist Call Out: Inlays Whitlam – Public Art are seeking a First Nations artist to design seven circular inground inlays, but to be considered as one work. Each site is located adjacent to Keith Bain Crescent, Whitlam, at a place where people can sit to enjoy the surrounding views. (see commission brief for photos and map). We aim to encourage people to pause, rest and contemplate their connection to their surrounding environment. 

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. 

4 Apr 2025 – Screen Masterclass Program,  Social Enterprise for Screen  Creative Plus Business, will see 20 filmmakers selected for the 13-week online program, to educate them about the social enterprise model of business, and equip them with the skills to build sustainable businesses that can contribute to positive social change.

Apr 6 2025 – Belco Arts in Canberra ACT is currently calling for expressions from interest from artists for two public and community arts projects which will be delivered as part of the build of the new Gungahlin Community and Youth Centre.

7 Apr 2025 – Copyright Agency First Nations Fellowship First Nations writers are invited to apply for one of twelve week-long residencies at Varuna in 2025, sharing the residency with other First Nations writers, and benefiting from one-on-one mentorship and the sharing of skills and knowledge

7 April 2025 – The Roderick Centre Online Fellowship – fosters connection and offers progressional development for writers living in regional and remote areas. Facilitated by Mary Anne Butler across two weeks, writers will share their work, learn from experienced authors with a connection to regional Australia, and benefit from two one-on-one mentor conversations with Mary Anne, focused on their current project.

9 April 2025 – Sound Advice: Regional Touring Toolkit – a free five-part online series packed with real strategies, expert insights, and practical tools to help you navigate the music industry with confidence.

9 Apr 2025 – MusicNSW Regional Touring Network is looking for tour-ready original acts based across regional NSW that want to connect with other artists, grow new audiences, learn more about touring – and of course – hit the road to play shows! 

10 Apr 2025 – Music Access and Inclusion Masterclass for Music Practitioners with Disability or who are d/Deaf. If you are an artist or industry worker with disability or who wants to improve accessibility and inclusion in the music industry, don’t miss these free online masterclasses by Accessible Arts in partnership with MusicNSW

15 May 2025 – Music Access and Inclusion Masterclass  for Industry (e.g. venues, festivals and other music businesses)If you are an artist or industry worker with disability or who wants to improve accessibility and inclusion in the music industry, don’t miss these free online masterclasses by Accessible Arts in partnership with MusicNSW

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.

30 Apr 2025 – The Homiens Art Prize is an international art prize open to all artists and art forms. We celebrate our chosen artists across our media, exhibiting their art online where it is viewed by artists and collectors in the United States and throughout the world. 

1 May 2025 – Remagine Art Prize  is an environmental art prize dedicated to bringing awareness of environmental challenges such as waste and consumption. This years theme – Rethink to Repurpose refers to the decisions we make each day about how much waste we create, and how we can reuse materials to help save our precious natural resources. 

May- Jun Download: Online Digital Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) Online Workshop Series  – Download: Online is a series of Zoom workshops for First Nations artists and arts workers at all career stages, who are engaging or wish to engage with digital practice and learn more about ICIP. This is a program developed in partnership with Arts Law Centre of Australia to provide practical advice on how to manage and protect ICIP when working digitally. Four online workshops will be held across May and early June. Workshops will be 2 hours in duration and will be grouped by art form area to provide tailored advice to attendees around IP and ICIP considerations and protections. First Nations artists and arts workers are welcome to register for one or more workshops depending on art form area practice and interest.

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.

5 May 2025 – Varuna Residential Fellowships– offer two to three weeks of full board and accommodation at Varuna, in the beautiful surrounds of the Blue Mountains. 

11 May 2025 – The Waverley Art Prize is open to painting, drawing, print and mixed media. This year’s Judges are Anne Ryan, Curator Australian Art, AGNSW, and Jasper Knight, artist.

11 May 2025 – Sunshine Coast National Art Prize Open to Australian contemporary artists working in any 2D medium and in new media, the award offers a prize pool of more than $35,000.

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.

2 Jun 2025 – The Farm Margaret River 2026 Funded Residency program A leading Arts Residency program in Western Australia, offering a unique opportunity for artists to develop work that engages thoughtfully with the land.

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

9 Jul 2025 – Strathnairn Arts Small Sculpture Prize This new award seeks to celebrate and highlight the creativity and innovation found in small-scale sculptural works by artists from across Australia. 

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