Applications open on Monday 1 September 2025
Applications CLOSE on Sunday 19 October 2025 at 11:59pm ACST
For activity occurring between 1 January 2026 – 31 December 2026
ABOUT
The purpose of the Development Grant is to provide graduates and final year students with the means to continue or expand their career development and creative practice.
Our Development Grant supports eligible emerging creatives with grants of up to $3,000 to kickstart new projects, research and develop ideas or new works, or build skills, markets and creative practices.
Funding is designed to support projects over six-months, and can include:
- The creation or realisation of new work
- Research and development of new ideas
- Developing new skills
- A creative or business mentorship
- Professional development programs
Activity will take place between 1 January 2026 – 31 December 2026
WHO CAN APPLY?
Applications are invited from final year students and graduates of supported degrees from our partner institutions – the University of Adelaide, University of South Australia, and Flinders University – within five (5) years from graduation.
Honours students and graduates (up to five years following the final year of study) are also eligible to apply, provided honours study was undertaken directly following the undergraduate degree.
Masters and PhD graduates and candidates are not eligible to apply unless they still qualify through their undergraduate or honours study.
To check your eligibility please visit the Who We Support page on our website.
BEFORE YOU START YOUR APPLICATION
Make sure you read this Information for Applicants document and guidelines thoroughly.
Read our Grant Writing Tip Sheet here!
CONSULTATION AND GUIDANCE
Applicants are encouraged to discuss their application prior to submitting, please feel free to reach out to Helpmann Academy and book a time for an informal discussion about your project.
Interested applicants are encouraged to get in touch to discuss how we can help with your application. Please contact the Helpmann team via info@helpmannacademy.com.au, or call us on (08) 7089 0720.
APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS
Application
Applications CLOSE on Sunday 19 October 2025 at 11:59pm ACST
Applications should clearly demonstrate how the program will continue or expand your career development and creative practice.
Applications must be submitted via the Helpmann Academy website form here.
We aim to make our application process as accessible as possible. If you need to submit through alternative means, such as via video, please get in touch with our team to discuss arrangements.
Applicants are required to complete the following three questions:
- Tell us about yourself
You may include details such as artist bio, professional experience to date, any awards you have received, successful grant applications, details of any productions and key artists you’ve worked with.
2. Details of project
Provide a detailed description of the project (what do you plan to do?). Please include details about any collaborators, their role in your project and your reasons for working with them.
3. Project outcomes
Identify what the outcomes will be from undertaking your project – how will the project contribute to your career development (Why me? Why this? Why now?).
The following support material is required:
- Artist CV – maximum two (2) pages
- Official academic transcript – this must be your official transcript, showing your conferral date
- Project budget – budgets must be submitted using the Helpmann Academy budget template
- Notes to budget
- Project timeline
- Letter of support* on official letterhead from a current lecturer, previous lecturer, or industry professional who can speak to your practice
- Images and/or audio visual demos of your work
* We recommend you organise and request letters of support from your referee(s) as soon as you start your application – allow plenty of time before the application due date to do so. Letters must be provided with the online application form, not sent separately.
Additional support material may also be submitted and can include further letters of support, reviews, press coverage of past works or exhibitions, or showreels.
Assessment
Successful applicants will clearly demonstrate how undertaking their project will continue or expand their career development and creative practice. A panel facilitated by Helpmann Academy will assess applications based on:
- A high level of artistic merit
- The provision of a clear outline of why the chosen activity will continue or expand the applicant’s career development and creative practice
- If the proposed activity is realistic and achievable
- If the budget is realistic, accurate, and represents value for money
Applicants will be notified of outcomes within four weeks of the application close date.
FUNDING/CONDITIONS OF CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
The following conditions apply to all successful applicants:
- Applicants must not have any overdue acquittals for previous projects. Funding will not be provided if the recipient has an overdue acquittal.
- Funding will only be provided for the purchase of equipment, or freight, if they are specific to the project being undertaken.
- Supplies and materials will only be funded if they are specific to the project being undertaken and not for long term use.
- Funding will not be provided for current course requirements or any formal qualifications.
- Funding will not be provided retrospectively, and expenses cannot be covered until a signed agreement form has been returned.
- Funding will not be provided for JamFactory’s Foundation Year Associate Program in Ceramics, Glass, Furniture or Jewellery/Metal.
- Recipients must undertake the activity between 1 January 2026 – 31 December 2026.
- Recipients will be required to provide the Helpmann Academy with email updates throughout the duration of the program and provide a final artistic and financial acquittal report within four weeks of the completion of the program.
- Recipients will be required to acknowledge Helpmann Academy in any publicity, signage or other distributed material relating to the project for which the fellowship is awarded. This includes logo placement on all promotional material including print and online material and verbal acknowledgement of the Helpmann Academy at any publicly accessed events (including online activity). Recipients will be provided with the Helpmann Academy logo for this use.
- Recipients may be asked to supply images and content throughout the project for use on our social media channels. Recipients may also be required for social media ‘takeovers’ on our channels, which can be done with our assistance, if needed.
- If there are any changes to the recipient’s proposed program or budget, they must notify the Helpmann Academy immediately, and obtain approval before commencing any revised plans or spending.
- All funding decisions are final.
GET IN TOUCH
Interested applicants are encouraged to get in touch to discuss how we can help with your application. Please contact the Helpmann team via info@helpmannacademy.com.au, or call us on (08) 7089 0720.