Grants are the most direct form of arts funding: money awarded for a project, a period of practice, or a specific piece of work, with no expectation of repayment.
50 active grants
Arts grants fall into a few broad shapes. Project grants fund a defined piece of work with a start and an end — an exhibition, a recording, a publication, a tour. Practice or development grants fund your time rather than an output, giving you a period to make work without a fixed deliverable. Capability grants cover the costs around practice: equipment, studio setup, professional development, travel to present work.
In New Zealand, Creative New Zealand is the primary public funder, alongside regional arts councils, the Lottery Grants Board, and private trusts such as Foundation North. In Australia, Creative Australia sits at federal level with a parallel body in every state and territory, supplemented by Screen Australia and a deep field of private foundations.
Beyond the two national systems, a meaningful number of international grants are open to artists anywhere, or specifically to artists from the Asia-Pacific. These are listed here alongside domestic funding — the filters on each listing show which nationalities and residencies are eligible.
Grant rounds are deadline-driven and most funders assess two to four times a year. Applications are typically judged on artistic merit, the clarity and feasibility of the proposal, a realistic budget, and evidence you can deliver what you have described.
