2025 Aboriginal Arts Grants

Applicants are advised to read the 2025 Guidelines on our website carefully before proceeding with an application.

Aboriginal arts grants support artists at all career stages and across all art practices to develop and present ideas in 2025. Grants are available to Aboriginal artists and arts organisations.

IMPORTANT: Please check that your public presentation venue or location is located within City of Melbourne boundary:

• The City of Melbourne's municipal boundary does not include the broader Melbourne metropolitan area.
• Our local government geographic footprint encompasses Docklands, East Melbourne, Fishermans Bend, Jolimont, Kensington, North Melbourne, Melbourne’s central business district, Parkville, South Wharf, West Melbourne and parts of Carlton, Carlton North, Flemington, Port Melbourne, South Yarra and Southbank.
• If you are unsure about the Melbourne Council suburb boundary, go to our interactive maps at City of Melbourne municipal boundary page

About the application form: your responses to each question will determine which further questions you will need to answer.

In submitting an application I/we confirm that I/we are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander or led organisation 

In submitting my application, I agree to have complied with the following:

• I have read and understood the City of Melbourne 2025 Aboriginal Arts Projects guidelines and my proposal complies with the conditions, application and eligibility requirements.
• Only one application may be submitted to the Aboriginal Arts grant program.
• I have viewed and understood the City of Melbourne municipal boundary requirements. 
• My application will not be accepted if a proposed outcome venue or location is not within the City of Melbourne boundaries.
• I understand that the proposed activity must occur in 2025.
• My application will not be accepted if it is not lodged by the stated close date through SmartyGrants or does not have all the required materials.
• I/my organisation have no outstanding acquittals or debts to the City of Melbourne.
• Applications for online presentation or a creative development only, must demonstrate a relationship to the City of Melbourne.
• I understand that I must contact City of Melbourne staff if my proposed activity occurs in a City of Melbourne manged outdoor space.
• I or the activities proposed in this application do not denigrate, exclude or offend parts of the community or breach Commonwealth and State anti-vilification laws.

Within this application you can choose either a written response or uploading a file/ URL for describing your idea. Please note that other questions in this form regarding contact details and data do not have the option for a file upload.

We want you to tell us about your project idea in the format that is easiest for you. You can describe your idea through a:

• written response
• video
• audio message