Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: The successful recipient will receive $30,000 in funding towards their fellowship.
- Application opened: 25 August 2025
- Application closed: 7 October 2025, 5:00 pm
Program objective
The Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) (VAFE) program is delivered with the curatorial and exhibition support of Artspace. The objective is to support NSW visual arts practitioners in the early stages of their career to challenge and expand their practice.
Up to 6 applicants will be shortlisted to take part in the fellowship exhibition at Artspace, Sydney in May 2026. At the exhibition opening, the fellowship of $30,000 will be awarded to 1 successful emerging visual artist to undertake a self-directed professional development program. This program could include research, travel, studio residencies, creation of new work, mentorships and other activities that align with the recipient’s practice and career progression.
Shortlisted artists will receive an artist fee to participate in the exhibition and may be asked by Artspace to participate in artist talks, other public programs, meetings with visiting curators, and media interviews to produce greater visibility for their practice. The shortlisted artists will be interviewed prior to the opening of the exhibition, as part of the assessment process to determine the fellowship recipient.
About Artspace
Artspace is one of the leading institutions for the production and presentation of contemporary art in the Asia Pacific. Their expansive, multi-platform approach to programming includes new commissions, exhibitions, performances, studio residencies, publishing, public programs, learning and outreach initiatives, and advocacy. Artspace is where artists of all generations test new ideas and shape public conversation. Embracing risk, experimentation, collaboration and advocacy, Artspace’s mission is to enhance our culture and support community vibrancy through a deeper engagement with contemporary art.
Credit: VAFE Shortlisted artists 2025 The shortlisted finalists for 2025 are Ellen Ferrier, Ellie Hannon, Ali Noble, Vedika Rampal, Joel Sherwood Spring and Ali Tahayori.
This program is administered by Create NSW.
Eligibility
Who can apply
- Individuals and groups are eligible to apply, providing that an individual or all members of the group are emerging/early career visual artists
- Applicants must be 18 years or above
- Residing in NSW over the last 12 months
- Meet the ABN requirements. Incorporated Entity, Companies and Trust ABN’s will not be accepted.
What is an early career stage visual artist?
An early career artist is someone who is at the beginning of their career, has created a modest independent body of work but hasn’t yet established a solid reputation as an artist within their artform.
Types of projects funded under this grant
The NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) recipient will undertake a self-directed program of professional development which may include research, travel, studio residencies, the creation of new work and/or mentorships, as select examples.
When the project can start and end
The fellowship must start after 1 August 2026 and is to be completed within a 2-year period.
The project should be started by 1 August 2026 and the project must be completed by 1 August 2028.
Who can’t apply
- organisations (legally constituted establishments with an ABN)
- you are a previous shortlisted applicant or have been a successful recipient of the NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging)
- your proposed professional development activity/ies are already taking place or have been completed
- you are a current employee of Create NSW or have been employed by Create NSW within the last 12 months.
Types of projects not funded under this grant
- activities that are carried out to satisfy the course requirements of an educational institution, such as TAFE or university
- activities that directly support the delivery of an educational program or course
- arts and cultural activities that are led by non-professional artists
- reimbursement to recover costs of items already purchased (such as flights, accommodation, and materials)
- purchasing musical instruments, artworks, equipment (such as laptops, cameras, technical equipment, or machinery), or vehicles
- capital works (infrastructure/building activities). Refer to Create Infrastructure regarding capital works funding opportunities
- Fundraising and donations
- Awards, prizes, competitions, or prize money
- Paying back loans
- Filmmaking projects, screen productions or film festivals. Refer to Screen NSW regarding film sector funding opportunities. This does not include videos with direct involvement of artists, musicians and performers such as music videos, video art and video for performance.
- Want funding for professional development related to contemporary music (please refer to the glossary for this definition). For more information on this, you should contact Sound NSW.
Example projects
The most recent Fellowship recipients include the following artists: Ali Tahayori (2025), Gillian Kayrooz (2024), Morgan Hogg (2023), Eddie Abd (2022), Dennis Golding (2020), Shivanjani Lal (2019), EO Gill (2018), Claudia Nicholson (2017), Consuelo Cavaniglia (2016), Heath Franco (2015), Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran (2014).
Additional eligibility requirements
For applications involving groups, the application must be submitted by an individual on behalf of the group.
Note: this will count as an application for all nominated group members who will not be eligible to submit separate applications to the Fellowship.
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
- Read the guidelines, FAQ'sand glossary
- Check your eligibility
- Samples of work
- Biography/CV for:
- yourself
- the group members involved (if you are applying on behalf of a group)
- key artists, arts and cultural workers or collaborators involved
- key organisations/partners involved
- Letters of confirmation/support from artist/s, organisations and/or communities involved
- Letters of offer/ invitations/partnership arrangements related to your proposed fellowship program
Address the eligibility criteria
Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria.
Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.
Address the assessment criteria
You will have the option to answer the merit and impact assessment criteria as a written or video response.
Merit Criteria
- an overview of your current ideas and practice
- your experience and achievements
- an outline of your proposed professional development program
Impact Criteria
- how the fellowship will benefit your practice at this stage of your career
- how your proposed fellowship program will support you to collaborate and grow your professional networks with other artists, cultural workers and/or organisations
The NSW Government is committed to ensuring fair access by all communities and individuals across the state. If the activity engages with the needs of a community or has outcomes that benefit specific Strategic Priority Areas, please include these details. The Strategic Priority Areas are:
- First Nations stories and communities
- Accessibility and equity
- Regional NSW
- Western Sydney
- Broad and inclusive communities and content
- Next generation of creatives and audiences
See the glossary for definitions of the Strategic Priority Areas. Engagement with a priority area/s is not compulsory.
Budget (not assessed)
- You will be required to submit a budget, however this will not form part of the assessment process.
Start the application
Create NSW uses the secure online grants system, SmartyGrants, to manage all its grant programs. All ACFP applications must be submitted via the online portal. You will receive an email confirmation of your application from SmartyGrants when your application has been submitted.
Note: If you are a new applicant to SmartyGrants, you will need to register and create a password. If you are already registered, you can log in with your existing username and password.
Apply now
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: the Director, Program Development and Delivery
Pre-eligibility
After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email from SmartyGrants. Create NSW staff will check eligibility.
Assessment Stage 1
VAFE Advisory Panel will score your application based on the criteria.
VAFE Advisory Panel may:
- set aside an application if it is below acceptable standard in any of the published criteria.
- ask for it to be reviewed by Create NSW First Nations staff. This is for applications that are working with First Nations arts and culture.
Assessment Stage 2
VAFE Advisory Panel member’s assessment scores will be amalgamated and presented at the assessment meeting to determine recommendations.
The VAFE Advisory Panel will discuss and consider the assessment criteria.
This may include prioritising applicants that address Arts and Cultural Funding Program (ACFP) Strategic Priority Areas, to ensure equity across the State.
Up to 6 applicants will be shortlisted and will receive an artist fee and curatorial support to participate in the 2026 VAFE exhibition at Artspace.
Assessment Stage 3
VAFE Advisory Panel will interview the shortlisted artists in the week prior to the opening of the exhibition as the final part of the assessment process for the award of the fellowship. One fellowship of $30,000 will be announced on the opening night of the exhibition.
Assessment process considerations
Applicants should note that:
- The NSW Government typically receives far more applications than it can support.
- You are not guaranteed funding even if your application meets the published criteria.
- If you are successful, your application may not be funded to the amount you requested.
Create NSW may, at its sole discretion and at any stage of the application process, do all or any of the following:
- Require additional information from an applicant.
- May request applicants to provide clarification or additional information regarding the eligibility criteria.
- Change the scope of the requirements of these guidelines.
- Vary, amend (including by replacement), or terminate the application process.
- Re-open an application after the closing date, provided it doesn’t give the applicant an advantage over other applicants.
- Consider any non-conforming or late application.
- Request further advice and/or clarification from applicants during the assessment process.
Successful Grant Applications
If your application is successful: you will be sent a funding agreement (contract). This outlines the conditions of funding, how you will be paid and your reporting requirements.
All applicants must have an active ABN with a nominated bank account or provide details of a funds administrator.
- Individuals must have a sole trader ABN or private company ABN (only if the individual is the sole director) or a funds administrator and a nominated bank account.
- Unincorporated groups, associations, organisations or other entities that do not have legal status must be contracted by an individual or a funds administrator on behalf of the group, association or organisation.
- Partnerships and organisations with legal status must have an ABN which matches their entity name and a nominated bank account.
The Nominated Bank Account must be a separate account at a financial institution used solely for the Grant, or an existing general account at a financial institution where adequate internal financial controls are in place to identify the Grant.
All applicants must:
- complete an acquittal at the end of the funding period. This may include an online meeting to discuss outcomes of the project.
- acknowledgment of Create NSW funding in all publicity materials.
You may be asked by Create NSW staff to provide additional information as a special condition to the agreement:
- a Connection to Place Statement, reference letter or letters from First Nations peers or community groups, to show details of your Cultural Artform Affirmation and how you are working with First Nations Protocols and ICIP.
- a detailed budget.
- other information as specified by the VAFE Advisory Panel.
Contracts will not be issued, and payments will not be made, until all Create NSW outstanding acquittals have been submitted.
Feedback on Create NSW project funding application results
Create NSW staff continue to help and support applicants who are preparing new funding applications. However, we do not provide individualised feedback on past applications. This is so we can continue to meet service standards by supporting applicants applying in future rounds.
Applicants are encouraged to book an appointment with an Arts Funding and Development staff member to clarify any questions related to the application process.
Publication of grants information
The Grants Administration Guide (Guide) requires that certain information is published in relation to grants awarded no later than 45 calendar days after the grant agreement takes effect (see section 6.5 of the Guide and Appendix A to the Guide).
This information is also open access information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIPA Act), which must be made publicly available unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the information.
In accordance with these requirements, relevant information about the grants awarded will be made available on the NSW Government Grants and Funding Finder as soon as possible after the funding agreement is executed. However, if due to the commercial-in-confidence nature of the information provided, the amount of funding provided will not be published.
All records in relation to this decision will be managed in accordance with the requirements of the State Records Act 1998 (NSW).
- If you agree we will publish your name, your LGA, primary location, artform, project title and description and amount of funding for media and communication purposes.
- This is subject to privacy legislation.
Please refer to Information for Funding Recipients for more detailed processes for successful applicants.
This includes:
- Program evaluation
- Conflict of interest management
- Organisations working with First Nations people or communities
- Complaint handling, access to information and privacy
Anticipated assessment outcome date is within one week of the final approval of funding commitments by government. The anticipated assessment outcome timeframe is sixteen weeks after closing date.
Anticipated date for funding deed execution with successful applicants is within one month of successful notification.
Support and contact
Create NSW staff are available to provide general information on the interpretation of these guidelines and support with the online application process.
- Email: arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au
- Phone: (02) 9228 4578
- Scheduling an online meeting to speak to the Arts Funding and Development team using the link to Microsoft Bookings
- Visit our website
Create NSW is committed to enabling equal access to the Arts and Culture Funding Program for all people in NSW. This includes removing barriers to our funding programs for people with disability.
We offer the following access options and inclusive programs. We encourage you to tell us about any other access requirements you have.
Guidelines
- The guidelines for ACFP funding are now screen readable and translatable.
Application forms
- You can request SmartyGrants application forms in Microsoft Word format. This form can be used to:
- Dictate responses
- Translate to other languages
- You can copy and paste responses into the SmartyGrants form.
Dictate your answers
On request we can arrange for you to dictate your answers into the SmartyGrants form. Please leave at least one week before closing date to enable this process.
National Relay Service
Contact us through the National Relay Service
- TTY users phone 133 677 then ask for 02 9228 4578
- Speak and Listen users phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 02 9228 4578
- Internet relay users connect to the NRS then ask for 02 9228 4578
