Biennale Delegates Program 2026
Key dates
Applications open: Tuesday 17 March 2026 (10am AEDT)
Applications close: Tuesday 28 April 2026 (3pm AEST)
Notification: mid-May 2026
Program dates
May – October 2026
Group Session 1: late-May (online introduction)
Sydney: 10 – 14 June - Biennale of Sydney (face-to-face)
Group Session 2: mid-July (online workshop)
Group Session 3: mid-August (online workshop)
Venice: 17 – 27 September - Venice Biennale (face-to-face)
Closing: 31 October (report due)
Contact
If you need advice about applying, contact us .
Phone: 02 9215 9000
Toll-free: 1800 226 912
NRS: 1800 555 677 | Visit the NRS
Email: venice@creative.gov.au or enquiries@creative.gov.au .
About the program
Creative Australia’s Biennale Delegates Program is a professional development opportunity for individuals working in the visual arts sector (producers, technicians, writers, curators, artists, project managers) who are living in Australia.
The program will facilitate an exchange of ideas, catalyse new perspectives, and support the seeding of future projects and collaborations. In 2026, the total intake for the program will be eight (8) individuals, one (1) representative from each State and Territory from across Australia. This program is for individuals:
- who are early career, within five to ten years of practice or experience as a creative practitioner
- interested in applying learnings from participation in the program to their practice
- wanting to develop or expand their national and global international networks
- wanting to explore shared global challenges to benefit Australian creative practice
- interested in identifying future international projects or collaborations
- from NSW, who live in Western Sydney. Create NSW defines Western Sydney as the thirteen local government areas of Blacktown City, Blue Mountains City, Camden Council, Campbelltown City, The City of Canterbury Bankstown, Cumberland Council, Fairfield City, Hawkesbury City, Liverpool City, The City of Parramatta, Penrith City, The Hills Shire, and Wollondilly Shire.
The Biennale Delegates Program is a co-investment initiative with Create NSW, artsACT, Arts Tasmania, Arts Queensland, Create SA, Arts NT, and WA Government, and is philanthropically supported by the Cross Family Foundation.
Program format
In 2026, the Biennale Delegates Program returns as a distinctive initiative fostering creative exchange, critical dialogue, and professional development across global art platforms.
Offering access to Australian and international events – including the Biennale of Sydney and Venice Biennale – the program positions delegates at the forefront of contemporary visual arts discourse.
Developed and delivered by Creative Australia in a hybrid format, participants will shape their experience through curated workshops, mentorship with sector leaders, and collaborative learning. This immersive approach deepens understanding of curatorial practice, cultural mediation, audience engagement, and future-facing strategies shaping the arts.
Delegates will need to commit to 14 days of in-person engagement in June and September, plus international travel.
Support
Successful applicants will receive a grant of AUD $4,750 to support their participation, professional development opportunities and outcomes.
This grant includes:
- $400 allowance for the Sydney intensive to cover additional meals, airport transfer and incidentals.
- $850 allowance for the Venice, Italy intensive to cover additional meals, airport transfer and incidentals.
Additional support needs including accessibility support, interpreting, childcare and regional access support will be provided on a case-by-case basis. We encourage you to speak to us about any specific access needs you may require ensuring you can equitably participate in this program.
National and international travel support
Creative Australia will reimburse you for one (1) return flight from your nearest capital city to:
- Sydney (10 - 14 June 2026) up to the value of AUD $800
- Venice (17 – 27 September 2026) up to the value of AUD $2,500
Creative Australia will arrange and pay for your accommodation (including City Taxes where applicable) in:
- Sydney (10 - 14 June 2026)
- Venice (17 – 27 September 2026)
You will be required to arrange travel insurance for both trips. Creative Australia will reimburse you the cost of all travel insurance to a total of AUD $250.
Eligibility
Who can apply?
- Only individuals may apply to this program.
- Applicants living in Australia who are an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident.
- For NSW applicants, only those who live in Western Sydney are eligible. Create NSW defines Western Sydney as the thirteen local government areas of Blacktown City, Blue Mountains City, Camden Council, Campbelltown City, The City of Canterbury Bankstown, Cumberland Council, Fairfield City, Hawkesbury City, Liverpool City, The City of Parramatta, Penrith City, The Hills Shire, and Wollondilly Shire.
- Applicants must be eligible to travel nationally and internationally.
Who can’t apply?
You can’t apply if:
- you have not included the required support material in your application
- you received a grant, or administered a grant, from Creative Australia in the past and that grant has not been satisfactorily acquitted
- you owe money to Creative Australia
- you have participated in a professional development opportunity with Creative Australia in the last four years. This includes Creative Australia’s international engagement initiatives, and training and professional development opportunities
- you do not currently live in Australia
- the application is from legally constituted organisations.
Protocols
Your application must comply with the following protocols. We may contact you to request further information during the assessment process, or if successful, as a condition of your funding.
Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts
All applications involving First Nations artists, communities or subject matter must adhere to these Protocols, provide evidence of this in their application and support material. More information on the First Nations Protocols is available here .
Commonwealth Child Safe Framework
All successful applicants are required to comply with all Australian law relating to employing or engaging people who work or volunteer with children, including working with children checks and mandatory reporting. Successful organisations who provide services directly to children, or whose funded activities involve contact with children, will additionally be required to implement the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.
Application form
Click on the ‘Apply Now’ button at the top of this page.
The Application Form will require you to fill in some of your details and submit three (3) support material items. All written support material should be uploaded as a single pdf file.
We do not accept application-related support material submitted via post. Application-related material received by post will not be assessed and will be returned to the sender. If you think you will have difficulty submitting your support material online or need advice on what type of material to submit, please contact us.
Please note: Our assessors will not access any URLs that require them to log in or sign up to a platform.
Please do not provide links to applications support material that require users to log in or pay for access.
If you are linking to media files that are private or password protected like Vimeo, please provide the password in the password field on the application form.
Support Material Item 1
A single page pdf file or a link to an audio file or a video file responding to the following three questions:
- How will this program contribute to the development of your practice? (250 words maximum, min 10pt sans serif)
- What do you wish to explore/develop while participating in this program? (250 words maximum, min 10pt sans serif)
- What are your expected outcomes from completing this program? (250 words maximum, min 10pt sans serif)
Audio or video submissions should be a maximum of one (1) minute in length. Please upload audio or video submissions under the support material section of the application form. Audio and video format submissions are not mandatory.
Support Material Item 2
A maximum one-page CV illustrating relevant work experience, including the contact details of two referees and a Letter of Support from your current or recent previous employer endorsing your application and acknowledging the commitment of 14 days of in-person engagement in June and September, plus international travel.
Support Material Item 3
A link or single page of one example of a project or activity you have completed or are working on that is relevant to the program.
Please refer to our How to apply page for further information and guidance on support material upload requirements.
Assessment
Assessment Process
Creative Australia staff and industry advisors with diverse and relevant experience will assess your application against the assessment criteria listed below with final decisions made by Creative Australia.
Assessment Criteria
You must address the two assessment criteria below in this category. Under each criterion are bullet points indicating what staff/industry advisors may consider when assessing your application. You do not need to respond to every bullet point listed.
Quality
Staff and Industry Advisors will assess the quality of your previous work and/or experience and concepts presented in your submission.
They may consider:
- the rigour and clear articulation of creative, engagement or development processes
- your participation suitability that will benefit and impact your practice
- the quality of work previously produced, and public and peer response to your work.
Impact
Staff and Industry Advisors will assess the potential outcomes from this opportunity.
They may consider:
- the relevance and timeliness of the program to your practice
- how participation in the program strengthens your capacity as an arts professional, particularly in relation to international engagement and collaboration.
Assessments will be completed in two stages:
- Stage 1: Applications will be assessed by Creative Australia staff and Industry Advisors to determine a shortlist of potential delegates.
- Stage 2: Shortlisted delegates will be endorsed by each State and Territory government (excluding Victoria).
Notification: mid-May 2026
Successful applicants
If your application is successful, we will give you an agreement that specifies the amount of investment we will provide, the proposed payment schedule, milestones, deliverables, and any other conditions of investment.
We will pay you once you have accepted your investment agreement and any reports or deliverables you must provide us with have been approved.
You may be asked to participate in evaluation activities with Creative Australia staff and external evaluators at various times throughout your project.
Frequently asked questions
How can I get assistance with my application?
Our staff are available to assist you in understanding the purpose of the grant, application requirements and submitting your application. Creative Australia staff can assist over email, phone and video calls. We cannot review application drafts.
Do you accept applications in language other than English?
Yes we do. More information is available on our website: Languages other than English.
Do I need an ABN to apply for a grant?
All individuals based in Australia must have an active Australian Business Number (ABN). Individual applicants without an ABN may have their grant administered by an individual or organisation with an ABN. Organisations operating outside of Australia do not need an ABN to apply, depending on their circumstances, (please check with your accountant or tax advisor).
The name of the applicant must match the name of the ABN and the name of the back account we pay the grant into. If you cannot provide an ABN and bank account that are in the same name as the applicant, you will need to nominate an administrator for your grant.
For more information about this, please contact us.
What happens if I can’t travel on the dates outlined in the guidelines?
If you are unable to travel during the outlined dates, you won’t be able to participate in those parts of the program.
Can I bring my family members with me when travelling?
You are able to bring dependants with you during your participation in the program, however noting that they will not be able to attend program activities and will not be financially covered by Creative Australia.
Why does the NSW Delegate have to be living in Western Sydney?
Create NSW have stated: "As the Artistic Team (Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino) are well‑known Western Sydney creatives, this opportunity is to support and uplift someone from the same region, which is why Create NSW have focused the eligibility of the applicant there."
Create NSW defines Western Sydney as the thirteen local government areas of Blacktown City, Blue Mountains City, Camden Council, Campbelltown City, The City of Canterbury Bankstown, Cumberland Council, Fairfield City, Hawkesbury City, Liverpool City, The City of Parramatta, Penrith City, The Hills Shire, and Wollondilly Shire.
