Professional Development - Next Steps - 2026

This funding focuses on professional development for individual artists and arts and cultural workers to enable participation in skills development opportunities, workshops, courses and creative sector conferences and networking events.

This funding could: 

• enable career development for artists and arts and cultural workers 
• support opportunities that develop cultural leadership capacities, skills and knowledge 
• promote professional networking and collaboration 
• helps individuals build the skills, wellbeing and resilience needed to thrive in their work. 

Who can apply

Individuals:  

• Applicants must be 18 years or above  
• Have an active Australian Business Number (ABN) or be administered at time of contracting (if successful)  
• Currently living in NSW (minimum12 months). 

If successful, all applicants must provide details of an active ABN with a nominated bank account or provide details of a funds administrator.  

• Individuals must have a sole trader ABN or private company ABN (only if the individual is the sole director) or a funds administrator and a nominated bank account.  

Funding requests must: 

• not be more than 95% of project income 
• be realistic and supported by the application and budget. 

Types of projects funded under this grant

The project is your professional development activity. It must be a clearly defined arts and cultural activity. It must benefit individual NSW artists or arts and cultural workers. It must provide professional and/or skills development opportunities to advance their careers. 

These activities might include: 

• research, training, coaching, or mentoring, or 
• attending workshops, conferences, nationally or internationally.