Arts Organisations Program 2023-2026

Introduction

The Arts Organisations Program (AOP) provides funding to a diverse portfolio of small-to-medium organisations that contribute to a sustainable and thriving arts and cultural sector in South Australia.

AOP funding enables arts organisations to:

deliver arts experiences for South Australians as audiences through performances, exhibitions, and publications
commission and develop new work, in collaboration with artists and other organisations
create jobs, employment and income for artists, creatives, other arts workers (e.g. technical, administrative) and allied areas
offer career pathways and development opportunities for artists
offer access to the arts and participation opportunities for South Australians, including targeted communities
build national and international profile
leverage income from other sources, e.g. earned revenue (including touring and export), development and philanthropic income, other government (e.g. Federal) funding.

Purpose and Goals of the AOP

Purpose

To support a thriving ecology for arts and culture, which empowers South Australia’s makers and creators, and enables arts and culture to enrich the lives of all South Australians.

Goals

The program contributes to an ecology that:

enriches the lives of South Australians with arts and cultural experiences
empowers our makers, creators and presenters
champions Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and culture
amplifies the signature strengths that define the character of the arts in the state.

Organisations deliver the purpose and goals of the AOP through one or more of the following key focus areas:

artistic development (creating and presenting artistic outcomes of the highest calibre with vision and imagination)
sector development (industry-wide initiatives, arts advocacy and supporting artists’ careers)
access to the arts for the broader South Australian community (opportunities for audiences, community engagement and participation)
national and international leadership and profile.

2024 Program overview

AOP funding is designed to support organisations at different stages of their development by offering three funding categories.

Program Support (Up to $50 000 per annum)

Provides the capacity for smaller project funded organisations to realise their artistic ambitions.

No new applicants will be invited in 2023 to apply for Program Support in 2024.

Annual Funding (Up to $100 000 per annum)

Supports established small arts organisations that make up the South Australian arts ecology.

Applications for 2024 will only be accepted from organisations already in receipt of AOP Annual Funding.

Multi-Year Funding ($70 000 to $400 000 per annum)

Not open for 2024.

Information about the program for 2024, including eligibility, assessment criteria, application requirements and reporting requirements, can be found in the Arts Organisations Program 2024 Guidelines.

Arts Organisations Program 2023-2026 Guidelines.