Major ‘Boost’ for the independent arts sector as we announce our 2026 ACF Boost cohort!
The Australian Cultural Fund is thrilled to announce the funding of $150,000 to 32 recipients of the 2026 ACF Boost grant program.
This capacity building, matched funding program encourages participants to leverage private sector support raised through an ACF campaign with a small, matched funding ‘boost’ from Creative Australia.
The cohort will start fundraising in February in order to fund their projects, with up to $5,000 being matched by the ACF. With a cohort from across artforms and across the country, we are so excited to share the projects and artists who will be participating in ACF Boost 2026:
from New North Artist Run Initiative Inc.
Apparent Light transforms Peregian Beach, Kabi Kabi Country, into an open-air exhibition of projection, light, sound and performance, reimagining public space for contemporary art and community.
ArtsLab is Shopfront Arts Co-op’s flagship emerging artist residency program. A six-month laboratory that offers free space, masterclasses, networking opportunities and professional mentorship.
Blue Joy Theatre’s 2026 Season
from Blue Joy Theatre Company
Two new creative developments nurturing diverse stories, bold ideas, and brave connections for Blue Joy Theatre Company’s 2026 Season of new Australian work.
C.Moore Hardy: Documenting Queer History
from Madeleine Sherburn
Help us publish a photobook of C.Moore Hardy’s archive; celebrating powerful and playful moments in Australia’s queer history as social documents.
Community, Culture, Movement and Connect
from AUSTI. Dance and Physical Theatre
Bringing the community together through dance, movement and connection. Creating safe, inclusive spaces for all ages and abilities to connect, grow, and enhance wellbeing.
Future Creatives: Support Regional Youth
from Goulburn Regional Art Gallery
‘Future Creatives’ will fund free and subsidised youth art programs at Goulburn Regional Art Gallery, ensuring young people can access workshops, school tours and creative experiences.
from Barayamal Limited
An interactive digital story map of Indigenous-led enterprises, with multimedia pins starting designed so new stories.
Low Socio-Economic Tickets & Touring
from Come you Spirits Theatre Incorporated
Subsidising access of low socio-economic audience, particularly youth, to our enriching performances.
from Na Djinang Circus
A First Nations-led growth and development program that seeks to provide mob with the space, resources and independence to create opportunities and build pathways into the circus sector
Melbourne Rainbow Band ’26 Concerts
from Melbourne Rainbow Band Inc
Your Melbourne Rainbow Band is Australia’s largest LGBTIQA+ large ensemble. Your support will help us produce and perform three major concerts in 2026. Help us empower harmony through diversity.
from Dax Carnay-Hanrahan
Fresh from a sold out development season at The Tower, Malthouse, MR BIG aka Tatay, A Transwoman and That Tiring Tune! is the Filipino family dramedy that Melbourne is talking about.
Ngarra-Burria concert and collaboration
from Canberra International Music Festival
Fundraising to support collaboration and performance of new compositions by Australian indigenous composers.
from Nongkrong Arts Inc.
Nongkrong Festival 2026 is a community cultural arts festival run for and by the Indonesian diaspora that celebrates Australian-Indonesian cultural identity through music, dance and food.
Outbound! International Touring 2026
from Lewis Major
A major 2026 national and international tour of our acclaimed work Triptych, showcasing dynamic Australian contemporary dance on stages at home and across the world.
from Palette Session Australia
Championing the future of experimental dance in Australia with an experimental dance battle, jam session, talk and masterclass series at the Sydney Opera House.
from Sarah Ogden
June 2026 MO is packing the prams in the van and taking PRAMKICKER to regional Qld audiences. Before the rubber hits the road we need to whip the old gal into lean, mean FEROCIOUS touring shape.
from El Ritmo Productions
A 4-part animated children’s series blending live-action, 2D art and Spanish learning as Latin American music characters explore Ritmolandia. Developed with support from Channel 44 Adelaide.
from Golden Thursdays
Golden Thursdays undertakes third-stage development and presents full-length showing of major work ‘Scenes from a Swan Lake’ – a reimaging of the iconic ballet by disabled and neurodiverse artists.
from Writers SA
Splinter is a literary journal that is sharp and hard to ignore. It is created for writers and for readers and publishes twice a year out of Tarntanya (Adelaide).
Street Dance community events program
from Cypher Culture
A creative program showcasing and supporting diverse street-dance events, empowering community artists and celebrating Australia’s vibrant street-dance culture.
from Play on Stage
‘The Bookshop Clique’ is an original play for young people written by Harry Fritsch and produced by Play on Stage. It tells the story of a group of lonely kids who find purpose through literature.
from Carmen Alcedo
A photographic diary exploring everyday Australian life through the eyes of an immigrant, capturing families, towns, and campgrounds with an intimate, artistic perspective.
from Ali Griffin
The ELDERHOOD Project is a powerful art project focussing on looking up to older women… and offering the word elder, rather than elderly. It celebrates the strength, wisdom and visibility of older women through storytelling, portraiture and community arts events.
The Legato Orchestral Experience
from Orchestra Legato
The Legato Orchestral Experience is an annual event that has been held in Darwin for the past ten years. Young musicians (ages 10-18) participate in a three-day skills development program.
from The Mill
Support our 2027 Adelaide Fringe season, ensuring independent emerging and mid-career artists have access to an affordable and professional venue.
from Enneagon Movement
Threads is Enneagon Movement’s bold new annual program, giving 2 emerging choreographers the support to grow first-stage ideas into powerful mid-length works culminating in a double-bill production.
from TILDE – Trans & Gender Diverse Film Festival
TILDE 2026 is Australia’s annual trans & gender diverse film festival. The program will include shorts, features, panels, performances, and multiple opportunities for professional industry networking.
from Sally Richardson
TROPHY is about women, sport and competition. Following the award-winning success of JULIA, choreographer Natalie Allen & director Sally Richardson again collaborate on a dynamic new dance theatre performance.
Universal Access for A Glimmer of Hope
from Fi Peel
Donations will directly fund disabled artists to co-design a universally accessible audience experience for A Glimmer of Hope, ensuring lived expertise shapes how the work is created and experienced.
from Voxalis Opera
Voxalis Opera’s 2026 Season marks our fifth annual concert series and celebrates five years of nurturing talent, creativity, and community.
from Williamstown Literary Festival
The Willy Lit Fest brings together readers, writers and book creatives for an annual celebration of storytelling, author talks, panel discussions and writing workshops at an historic seaside town.
from What Were You Wearing Australia
A visual installation using replica outfits and survivor stories to challenge victim-blaming and show that sexual assault is never caused by clothing.
Find out more about the ACF Boost grant program here.