Lord Mayor's Creative Fellowships
The Lord Mayor's Creative Fellowships support individual talented emerging and early-career Brisbane-based creatives wishing to develop and expand their careers in the arts and cultural sector by participating in structured career and professional development opportunities that may include:
- skills development
- masterclasses/workshops
- residencies
- conferences
- short course training
- defined mentorships
- structured learning experiences.
Opportunities to participate in rigorous educational/learning opportunities may come from recognised peak body organisations or arts and cultural experts with recognised professional standing. Self-led professional development projects will not be considered.
The purpose of the program is to attract, develop and retain our creative workforce to build creative sector sustainability, increase global cultural exchange and promote Brisbane’s creative profile.
Council strongly encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, artists who identify as having a disability, identify as being culturally and linguistically diverse, or who are LGBTIQA+, and/or who are under 25 to apply.
Applications for the Lord Mayor's Creative Fellowships are now open.
For more information about the Creative Fellowships Grant program, including how to apply, please read the guidelines.
Funding
Applicants may apply for up to $10,000 per application to support individual Brisbane based artists, arts workers, cultural workers or creative producers to undertake professional development opportunities.
2024-25 funding round dates
Applications for this program are open and close on 15 January 2025 at 3pm.
Grant Information Sessions are available, and bookings are essential.
| Date | Time | Location | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 November 2024 | 5pm | Our Meeting Place, Inala Wangara, 67 Poinsettia Street, Inala | Book now |
| 26 November 2024 | 6pm | Chermside Library, 375 Hamilton Road, Chermside | Book now |
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by late-April 2025. Project activities must commence after 30 April 2025.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- be an individual emerging or early-career professional artist, arts worker, cultural worker, or creative producer residing in the Brisbane Local Government Area (LGA)
- demonstrate exceptional talent, initiative and passion for their work
- be a permanent resident or Australian citizen
- have an active Australian Business Number (ABN) or be auspiced by an incorporated Auspice Organisation that is based in the Brisbane LGA
- have a structured professional development opportunity between 1 May 2025 and 30 April 2026
- have other sources of funding as the program will not support 100% of the proposed activity or project costs
- not exceed the Limitations on Funding of up to 50% of travel, accommodation and living expenses of the total project budget requested. Travel can include local, intrastate, interstate and international activities.
- not utilise the grant funds to earn the individual recipient an artist fee
- be 17 years of age or over at the time of submitting an application
- hold appropriate insurance(s) to cover the applicant.
Applicants can only submit one application for either this grant or the Creative Sparks Grant and must not have any overdue Council grant acquittals or outstanding debts with Council.
Preference will be given to applicants who did not receive either a Creative Sparks Grant or Lord Mayor’s Creative Fellowship in the previous financial year. This does not apply where the organisation is acting as an auspice.
Acquittal reports for successful applicants
If your application is successful, you will be required to complete an online acquittal form within 12 months of grant approval notification.
Grant recipients with overdue acquittal reports are not eligible to apply for other Council grants.
If you believe you or your nominated organisation may have an outstanding report from a previous grant funded project, phone Council on 07 3403 8888 and ask to speak to the Grants Unit for advice.
Grant recipient stories
Brisbane City Council has produced this video where a recipient of the Lord Mayor’s Creative Fellowships talks about their journey and experience applying for and receiving a Council grant and how that grant has helped their professional development for their career.
Video transcript
Creative Sparks Grant recipient story - Tyrone Noonan
Hi there, my name is Tyrone Noonan – I am the front man of the multi-platinum selling, Aria-Award-winning, Brisbane band, George.
I am grateful to be the first adult recipient of the Lord Mayor’s Creative Fellowship, which afforded me the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles for a two-week research, mentoring and networking expedition.
With a focus on the effects of COVID on artists in America and how they survived, thrived or pivoted, I found myself discovering great music, amazing art and a thriving creative culture in the city that will host the Olympics just before we do. The people who contributed to my experience are too numerous to mention but the mentorships I received in LA from expat Hollywood composer, Bryce Jacobs multimedia guru, Andrzej Liguz, were invaluable.
I also spent some inspiring time at The Brewery, which was established in 1982 by the Carlson family and is now the largest artist colony in America with over 600 artists living in 450 live-work studios.
One of the most extraordinary places I visited was the recently-opened Future Factory – a sprawling venue across several old warehouses and open spaces in downtown Los Angeles. The Future Factory has successfully fused art galleries, live music, dance parties, fashion and hybrid art exhibitions into a symphony of cultural expression.
Immersive events like these can transform and bind multiple art forms as well as the surrounding communities that support them. They can also recalibrate the experience of artists operating in their silos.
These experiences have been absolutely enlivening for me, and already there are great business opportunities arising from the experience so I totally and highly encourage everyone to get out there and apply for this grant because it’s a wonderful opportunity for all creatives in Brisbane. Thank you.
More information
For more information, read the grant guidelines and the creative and history grant application tips.
Alternatively, phone Council on 07 3403 8888 and ask to speak with a Creative Sector Development Coordinator or the Grants Unit.