Apply for an arts grant with us, learn about our application process and upcoming opportunities for artists.
We fund arts and cultural activities in Yarra through a range of grant programs and activities.
Small Project Grants
The Small Project Grants (SPG) respond to funding requests throughout the year. They allow you to engage with us and learn about the grants process.
They usually give organisations and artists access to funding within four weeks of the submission.
These categories are currently available in the SPG program:
- Climate Action (up to $2,000)
- Sustainability Arts Grants (up to $1,000).
Our Community and Arts streams have closed and will reopen in July 2025.
To find out more visit our small projects grants page. Apply for the three categories listed above at our SmartyGrants page.
Annual grants
Grant applications for projects taking place in 2025 closed on July 31 2024.
The grants outcomes will be announced on 27 November.
View our 2024 Annual Grant Guidelines.
Yarra Arts Fellowship 2024
Yarra is a creative city bustling with live music, street festivals, galleries and studios, which all contribute to its unique ecology.
Our Arts and Culture Strategy 2022-2026 [ PDF, 928.69 KB] recognises that artists are essential to a thriving Yarra.
The Yarra Arts Fellowship is a $10,000 grant which aims to reduce the financial pressure of maintaining a creative practice. This will allow you to focus more easily on your craft.
You can spend the grant on costs related to the development of a creative practice. This includes:
- studio and equipment hire
- art materials
- training and skills development.
We award one Yarra Arts Fellowship per year. In 2024 the fellowship was awarded to Kate Beynon.
For more information on the grant and its eligibility criteria, read our Yarra Arts Fellowship Guidelines [ PDF, 189.67 KB] .
Room to Create Responsive Grants
All of the funding for the Room to Create Responsive Grants for 2024-2025 has been allocated. The grants will reopen in July 2025.
Room to Create Responsive Grants help creative spaces and live music venues to stay in Yarra.
You can receive one Room to Create Responsive Grant per financial year.
For standalone grants, funding is capped at $2,000.
For matching grants - where you make a matching contribution - funding is capped at $5,000.
You can use the funds for goods and/or services that will help your space to operate in Yarra. This includes:
- a studio fit-out
- installing insulation or sound absorbing materials
- advice or advocacy from town planning consultants
- consultant fees to improve the accessibility of a space
- measuring devices and equipment
- building surveyors fees
- materials or services that may help you to manage complaints.
We prioritise applicants who were not funded in previous rounds.
For more information, read our Read the Room to Create Grant Guidelines [ PDF, 353.1 KB] (PDF 354KB).
Apply at our SmartyGrants page.
Submit an expression of interest to one of our arts programs. We offer support to develop or exhibit your work, or make creative use of our venues at subsidised rates.
To apply for any of our grants, visit our SmartyGrants page. You need to create an account if you don't have one.
To be notified about upcoming grant opportunities, subscribe to our monthly Yarra City Arts newsletter.
If you have a question about our grants programs, you can ask us online, or call us on 9205 5555.
For information about our current grants and funding priorities, visit our community grants page.