GO8219: Visions of Australia - Round 22

The Visions of Australia Program provides funding to support the development and touring of quality exhibitions around Australia by Australian arts and cultural organisations.

The objectives of the Visions of Australia Program are to: increase access for Australian audiences to exhibitions of quality Australian arts and cultural material, with a particular focus on touring to regional and remote Australia encourage partnerships between organisations such as museums and galleries, particularly collaboration across the collections sector, to form curatorial partnerships and where appropriate, access to mentoring and skills transfer opportunities.

Program funding is delivered through two streams: Development: for the costs of planning and producing an exhibition to tour.

This includes research and design Touring: for the costs to produce the exhibition and the costs to transport, install and dismantle the exhibition as well as deliver public programs.

The Program delivers two funding rounds each year usually opening in February and September, noting that the department is currently considering revising the Program Grant Opportunity structure to run one funding round per year from 2026-27.

The Office for the Arts will be seeking views from stakeholders about which timing would best suit applicant organisations if only one round is held per year (i.e. either September 2026 or February 2027).

The Minister for the Arts (or his delegate) approves funding under the Program Guidelines based on an assessment by the Department and independent assessors.

To be eligible an applicant must be an Australian incorporated organisation; have as its principal purpose the arts and/or cultural heritage (usually reflected in the constitution/articles and annual report/business plans); have an active ABN; be registered for GST if required by the ATO; and have no outstanding reports, acquittals or serious breaches relating to any Commonwealth funding.

Unincorporated groups may be auspiced by an eligible organisation.

Individual business units and entities of local or state government authorities with an arts or cultural heritage purpose (e.g. galleries, museums, performing arts centres) are eligible.

The National Archives of Australia is eligible as a non-corporate Commonwealth entity.

Successful projects involving personnel working with children and/or vulnerable people must ensure relevant personnel maintain Working With Children checks/Working With Vulnerable People registration and must adhere to workplace health & safety and legally-binding industrial awards/employment agreements and Creative Workplaces minimum standards.