Photo: Lee Merchant
Creative Activation Fund seeks to support the development and delivery of creative projects that can increase visitation and have strong potential to become cultural tourist attractions.
Creative activation projects that can be supported include, but are not limited to, public art that responds to the natural landscape, creative interventions that breathe new life into buildings, creative reimagining of silos or unused sites, large-scale murals or sculptures as well as digital activation that could bring sites to life using cutting edge technology through VR or AR.
To ensure long-term impact for local communities, this program will focus on projects that can promote visitation during most parts of the year and have at least a three-year lifespan. This program is open to local and international partnerships, led by a Victorian organisation or local government authority.
This program does not support the planning and delivery of events/festivals.
Please note: We understand that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created uncertainty regarding future planning, travel and gatherings. When proposing projects for 2021, you should take COVID-safe practices into account and consider contingencies while still feeling free to present your creative ideas. Creative Victoria will be flexible on timelines for the selected projects to ensure they can be realised in line with any public health measures or restrictions of the day.
For further information, refer to the program guidelines.
Funding available
Applications will be accepted for requests between $40,000 and $300,000.
Who can apply
This program is open to Victorian-based legally constituted organisations / institutions / creative businesses that have an Australian Business Number (including but not limited to, creative industries organisations, and local progress associations, local governments and tourism boards).
Creative Victoria will only accept one application per applicant in each round.
The program will prioritise projects that:
- Are led by Victorian First Peoples creative practitioners or organisations.
- Align with local priorities of the area in which they are located.
- Occur in regional Victoria.
- Reflect the culture and diversity of Victoria.
- Are developed through new creative collaborations, including interstate and international collaborations.
- Partner with practitioners or organisations from a wide range of creative disciplines across the creative industries.
Round 2 of the program, for projects commencing from 1 January 2021, will prioritise projects in the Wimmera Mallee region (this refers to the areas covered by the Mallee Regional Partnership and the Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Partnership as established by the Victorian government).
Prospective applicants must call program staff before applying.
Key dates
Round 1
Round one applications closed on 19 March 2020. See the recipient list here.
Round 2
Applications open: 20 August 2020, please apply using the Creative Victoria Grants Portal
Applications close: 5pm, 24 September 2020
For activity commencing after 1 January 2021.
Round 3
A third round will be offered in August 2021 for activity commencing after 1 January 2022.
NB. It takes approximately 12 weeks from the closing dates until funding results are available.
Who to talk to
For any enquiries please contact:
Kaushali Seneviratne: 03 8683 3106 or or 1800 134 894 (toll free country Victoria only)
or at Kaushali.Seneviratne@creative.vic.gov.au
Sophine Chai: 03 8683 3164 or at sophine.chai@creative.vic.gov.au
Links and downloads
Creative Activation Fund program guidelines DOC, 223.0 KB
Creative Activation Fund program guidelines - Accessible DOCX, 55.9 KB
Creative Activation Fund drafting tool DOCX, 40.0 KB
Budget drafting tool
Information for all applicants
Creative Victoria Grants Portal
Creative Activation Peer Assessor List March 2020 DOCX, 25.4 KB
Previous recipients
*If you have received funding through this program and your project has been impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19), please contact program staff*
Large-scale art featuring silos, app trails and open-air galleries will be created as part of the first round of the Creative Activations Fund. Full article here
Greater Bendigo City Council, Bendigo, $100,000
Development and delivery of Djaara Lights, a sequence of neon artworks, street art and digital experiences telling the dreaming stories of “Djandak” (Country) from Dja Dja Wurrung people, the Traditional Owners of Bendigo. The project will activate Bendigo’s Telstra Exchange Building and the neighbouring Bendigo Creek.
Picola and District Improvement Group, Picola, $53,100
Creation of a large-scale silo art mural by artist Jimmy D'Vate. The work will depict scenes of local history, flora and fauna, inspired by the nearby Barmah National Park, home to the largest Red Gum forest in the world.
St Arnaud Community Resource Centre on behalf of Sally Wright, St Arnaud, $60,000
Development and creation of the St Arnaud Silo Art Gateway Project, two steel grain silos to be painted by local artist Kyle Torney, reflecting the town's prospecting history. Once complete, the silos will act as the ‘gateway’ stop to the other six sites in the Wimmera Mallee Silo Art Trail.
Storyscape, Fitzroy, $300,000
Development and creation of Yalinguth, a sound-based Augmented Reality app that creates virtual walking tours, including of Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, through the lens of First Peoples. Tours provide audio at sites of cultural, political and historical significance to First Peoples. The app will feature recorded stories told by Elders, poets, musicians and other First Peoples artists including Archie Roach, Jack Charles and Kutcha Edwards.
Wedderburn Community House, Wedderburn, $40,000
Development and creation of Birds Eye View, an open-air gallery of five murals depicting the unique birdlife of the surrounding conservation area, a biodiverse habitat for 180 of Australia’s indigenous bird species, 20 of which are listed as endangered.