First awarded in 2011, the Sidney Myer Creative Fellowships provide unrestricted, tax-free grants over two years to individual Australian artists, creatives and cultural leaders. Specific outcomes for the Fellowships are not required. The Fellowships currently represent the largest single-program contribution to Australian individual artists, creators and cultural leaders in the country.

From 2011 to 2022, a total of 100 Fellowships were awarded, each worth $160,000. Following on from this $16 million investment and an evaluation of the program, Sidney Myer Fund Trustees resolved not only to continue the program from 2023 but to increase the value of each Fellowship to $200,000.

The two criteria used to select Fellows are: outstanding talent and exceptional courage. Specifically, this talent and courage relates to the creative practice of the Fellows and not to cases of personal hardship.

Nominations are welcome for artists, creators and cultural leaders across the entire spectrum of the visual, performing, interdisciplinary, new media and literary arts, as well as the humanities. Applicants to the program may not self-nominate and must include two referees who are not the nominator.

The Fellowships are intended for individuals in their ‘early mid-career’ – to be eligible, nominees must be at least seven years into their creative practice. They are also intended for those who will primarily be resident in Australia for the two years of their Fellowship.

Applications: Open

Submit by Sunday, 27 August 2023