First Nations Creative Careers Grants

First Nations Creative Careers Grants will provide professional development opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, through:

• Mentorships, fellowships, internships, and placements that demonstrate strong developmental content; or
• To enable a multidisciplinary approach to public art. The definition of public art includes permanent, temporary and ephemeral works such as installations, sculptures, murals, mosaics, projection, lighting, soundscapes, multi-media, performance-based work. It also extends to unique street design and furniture elements created by an artist to add value to public realm projects such as windows, gates, grates, light fittings, bollards etc.

Grants up to $20,000 will be available through a competitive process for South Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, collectives, and organisations, as well as South Australian organisations applying for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific professional development opportunity.

The program is funded by Arts South Australia and the City of Adelaide to foster leadership and career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and arts workers.

Priority Areas

• enhance confidence, experience and skill of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in arts sector
• support career advancement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and collectives
• increase participation, visibility, and representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in City life

Who can apply?

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals based in South Australia at any stage of their creative career

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collectives and legally constituted organisations based in South Australia

• South Australian arts and cultural organisations and Statutory Authorities funded by the South Australian Government in partnership with independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who must be the primary beneficiaries
• priority will be given to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led applications

Eligibility

• career and professional development activities to be undertaken between July 2023 and end December 2024
• professional development opportunities that demonstrate a connection with the City of Adelaide. For example, professional development activities taking place within the City of Adelaide boundary, and/or activities that support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives currently studying, living, or with studios based in the City of Adelaide including North Adelaide
• it will be a condition of funding that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples based in South Australia are the primary beneficiaries

What you can apply for:

• artist, creative or professional fees associated with a professional development opportunity
• professional development, training and skills development
• research and development
• workshops, short courses, conferences, masterclasses or significant events
• intergenerational learning, i.e. cultural maintenance and cultural practices under the guidance of an Elder and/or senior cultural leader with a creative outcome
• residencies
• collaborations
• mentorships
• work placements and internships
• living allowance, travel costs, and/or materials (directly relating to the professional development opportunity)

Assessment Criteria

What will not be funded?

Applications will be ineligible if any of the following apply:

• the application does not meet the identified strategic priorities of the City of Adelaide
• the application will contravene an existing City of Adelaide Policy or Operating Guideline
• the application is for costs that have already received funding from City of Adelaide and/or Arts South Australia
• applicants who have not acquitted on previous City of Adelaide and/or Arts South Australia funding
• activities, events or programs that are duplicating existing services
• permit fees and other non-professional development costs
• applications that don’t demonstrate a connection to the City of Adelaide
• professional development opportunities already completed or due to be completed before the commencement of the funding period (July 2023 - end December 2024)
• applications seeking reimbursement of funds already spent
• the funding request is for organisational core operational activity
• the funding request is for the purchase of large capital items or renovations
• activities with safety or environmental hazards
• requests from commercial organisations operating on an expected profit basis, including ticketed paid entry events or memberships (unless it can be demonstrated that there is significant benefit for the city, and it strongly aligns with the program’s priorities)
• the applicant undertakes canvassing or lobbying of Elected Members and/or employees of the City of Adelaide and its subsidiaries in relation to the funding request during the application and assessment period

Required Information

As part of the application form you will need to provide information about:

• if an individual, a short biography about yourself e.g., a curriculum vitae, and how you will benefit from the opportunity
• where relevant, information about the organisation, partners and/or mentors and their experience in this area
• the opportunity and its potential impact
• a breakdown on how the grant money will be spent
• where applicable, information on any additional funding received (other than through City of Adelaide or Arts South Australia) to support this professional development opportunity
• applications made by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individual or organisation will be eligible for flexible submission approaches e.g., video submissions, face-to-face meetings, other suitable methods by prior arrangement. Please contact us to discuss

Key Dates

• applications open: Tuesday 14 March 2023
• applications close: Sunday 30 April 2023
• notification of results: by 2 June 5:00pm 2023
• successful applicants will be contacted about their funding agreement
• on completion of their project, applicants will be required to deliver an acquittal process arranged by the City of Adelaide. Successful applicants will also be asked to provide evidence of financial expenditure

Application Process

• applicants can contact a City of Adelaide Case Manager Officer on (08) 8203 7807 or (08) 8203 7050 and/or email [email protected] to discuss any questions about the application form, the application process or eligibility criteria. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals or organisations can arrange a flexible submission approach such as video submissions or face-to-face meetings (during working hours), if preferred
• applicants seeking funding can apply by submitting an application form online via the City of Adelaide SmartyGrants Portal within the advertised timeframes
• register if you are a new SmartyGrants user
• if you have an existing SmartyGrants account, you can use it to complete an application
• click on the “First Nations Creative Careers Grant Round 2022/23”
• click on “Start a submission” to access the application form
• complete the online application form
• your application form can be saved and updated at any time until you click “Submit”
• you will receive an automated response once your application has been submitted
• late submissions will not be accepted

Assessment Process

Once submitted, an application will be assessed according to:

• eligibility
• assessment criteria
• available funding

Eligible applications will be assessed against the assessment criteria by a panel which will include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation.

All successful applicants will be required to:

• provide copies of public liability (minimum $20M) and employment insurance
• sign off on the funding terms and conditions
• provide a tax compliant invoice for payment/s
• ensure all people working or volunteering with children as part of this project have a valid Working with Children Check

Application Support