IAF Grants
- The IAF provides funding for supporting South Australian arts and artists through its own small grants and a number of other awards listed below.The IAF welcomes organisations who wish to support young and emerging artists by providing a grant under their own business name and logo to be administered by the IAF
- The IAF Small Grants for Young or Emerging Artists, (individual and/or group) administered by the IAF:
- The June S. Tanner Memorial Scholarship, jointly funded between the Independent Arts Foundation and the Italia-Australia Association;
- The Neil Curnow Award, administered by the Helpmann Academy; and the
- IAF Award for Innovation, selected by The Adelaide Critics Circle
- Young South Australian Filmmaker Award (Under 24 years of age), run by Fleurieu Film Festival https://www.fleurieufilmfestival.com.au/submit
- Russell Starke Small Grant, Broadening access to the arts in country SA
IAF Small Grants for Young and/or Emerging Artists (individual and group)
The Independent Arts Foundation makes available funding for small grants up to a maximum of $1,000 for individuals and $5,000 for groups.
All art forms are eligible including (but not limited to): Creative Writing (fiction, non-fiction, screen plays, poetry), Music (composition, performance, recording & production), Performing Arts (acting, directing, circus, dance), Visual Arts (all media), Film & New Media, Multi Arts.
Two types of grants are available: Professional development grants for young or emerging artists to assist with the development of their artistic career through activities such as research and/or creative development (e.g. skills development activities such as an accredited course of study, master class, artist residency, mentorship program, internship. Project grants for young or emerging artists to assist them to develop new work, or present and promote their arts practice through public exhibitions, performances, etc. Note: An emerging artist may be any age, but is considered to be within the first five years of embarking upon a career as an artist.
Eligibility:Applicants must be current residents of South Australia and have been living in South Australia for a minimum of one year.Previous recipients of an IAF Small Grant are not eligible to re-apply for a period of three years. There are two grant rounds per year. Round 1: Open for submission of applications: 1st March.Round 1: Deadline for submission of applications: 1st May.Round 1: Notification of outcome: 15th June. Round 2: Open for submission of applications: 1st August.Round 2: Deadline for submission of applications: 1st October.Round 2: Notification of outcome: 15th November. Please note that only completed application forms submitted within the above dates will be considered.
All art forms are eligible including (but not limited to): Creative Writing (fiction, non-fiction, screen plays, poetry), Music (composition, performance, recording & production), Performing Arts (acting, directing, circus, dance), Visual Arts (all media), Film & New Media, Multi Arts.
Two types of grants are available: Professional development grants for young or emerging artists to assist with the development of their artistic career through activities such as research and/or creative development (e.g. skills development activities such as an accredited course of study, master class, artist residency, mentorship program, internship. Project grants for young or emerging artists to assist them to develop new work, or present and promote their arts practice through public exhibitions, performances, etc. Note: An emerging artist may be any age, but is considered to be within the first five years of embarking upon a career as an artist.
Eligibility:Applicants must be current residents of South Australia and have been living in South Australia for a minimum of one year.Previous recipients of an IAF Small Grant are not eligible to re-apply for a period of three years. There are two grant rounds per year. Round 1: Open for submission of applications: 1st March.Round 1: Deadline for submission of applications: 1st May.Round 1: Notification of outcome: 15th June. Round 2: Open for submission of applications: 1st August.Round 2: Deadline for submission of applications: 1st October.Round 2: Notification of outcome: 15th November. Please note that only completed application forms submitted within the above dates will be considered.
To access reports produced by past IAF grant recipient, click here
To download a pdf list of previous grant recipients, click here
To download a pdf booklet with photos containing the collected list of previous IAF small grant and award recipients up to 2022, click hereThis booklet is A4 in size with 40 pages
Additional Grants
June S. Tanner Memorial Scholarship
The June S. Tanner Memorial Scholarship is jointly funded between the Independent Arts Foundation and the Italia-Australia Association.
The June S. Tanner Memorial Scholarship will support a South Australian artist (aged 26 or under) working in any art form to further develop their practice through a professional development program (of choice) in Italy. The scholarship is offered at the value of $4,000.
The June S. Tanner Memorial Scholarship was established to honour the memory of a late Vice-President of the SA Branch of the Italia-Australia Association June Tanner, who accompanied groups of Australians on cultural tours of Italy and also taught mosaic-making. For more information and how to apply, click hereTo download a pdf of previous grant recipients, click here.
The June S. Tanner Memorial Scholarship will support a South Australian artist (aged 26 or under) working in any art form to further develop their practice through a professional development program (of choice) in Italy. The scholarship is offered at the value of $4,000.
The June S. Tanner Memorial Scholarship was established to honour the memory of a late Vice-President of the SA Branch of the Italia-Australia Association June Tanner, who accompanied groups of Australians on cultural tours of Italy and also taught mosaic-making. For more information and how to apply, click hereTo download a pdf of previous grant recipients, click here.
Neil Curnow Award
The Neil Curnow Award is administered by the Helpmann Academy and is available to final-year students and graduates under the age of 30 who have studied acting, theatre direction, technical production, or costume at Flinders University Drama Centre or TAFE SA’s Adelaide College of the Arts. The purpose of the award is to support an emerging artist to undertake further study or career development in acting/theatre performance or direction.
The award is made possible through the generous bequest of the late Neil Curnow, an extraordinary man of the theatre based in Adelaide. Following his impressive career as an actor, director, teacher and voice coach, Neil made a bequest through the Independent Arts Foundation to support emerging South Australian theatre people through this prestigious award.
Valued at up to $7,000 for interstate study and $10,000 for overseas study, the award supports the recipient to undertake further study or an internship at a recognised institution. The award is facilitated by the Helpmann Academy on behalf of the Independent Arts Foundation.
The Neil Curnow Award is available to final-year students and graduates under the age of 30 who have studied acting, theatre direction, technical production, or costume at Flinders University Drama Centre or TAFE SA’s Adelaide College of the Arts. The purpose of the award is to support an emerging artist to undertake further study or career development in acting/theatre performance or direction.
The award is made possible through the generous bequest of the late Neil Curnow, an extraordinary man of the theatre based in Adelaide. Following his impressive career as an actor, director, teacher and voice coach, Neil made a bequest through the Independent Arts Foundation to support emerging South Australian theatre people through this prestigious award.
For more information, and how to apply, click here.To download a pdf of previous recipients, click here.
Russell Starke Small Grant “Broadening access to the arts in country SA”
Russell Starke was an icon in the South Australian arts scene who passed away in 2022. He was an Independent Arts Foundation (IAF) member and a regular attendee at IAF functions. Russell’s daughters, Miranda and Petra, have again generously donated funds for an individual IAF Small Grant in Russell’s memory. To reflect on Russell’s background in regional and rural South Australia, two small grants, valued at $1,000 each, will be targeted at emerging artists who come from, or who intend to present their work in country South Australia.
Russell was born in Solomontown (Pt Pirie) and grew up in Whyalla and was always very mindful that South Australians in the regions did not have the same access to the arts, to theatre, and to the community of creative ideas, as those in the cities. This is something he kept in mind during his career as an art dealer, running Greenhill Galleries in North Adelaide and as an arts critic and media figure. He would do whatever he could to support and promote talented young artists who like himself, had come from the country. In his final years, he performed in a number of productions that he was extremely excited to take on regional tour for that same reason.
Applicants should use the existing IAF Small Grants application form. Please note on your application (in the Personal Details section) that you are applying for the Russell Starke Small Grant Round 1, 2024 - broadening access to the arts in country SA.
The inaugural winner of the Russell Starke Small Grant 2022 was Clementine Benson who used the funds towards a professional development opportunity, spending a month with distinguished UK-based choreographers and their companies. Clementine’s report can be read at https://www.iafoundation.org.au/pastrecipients/
See also https://www.adelaidecriticscircle.com/index.php/news/74-russell-starke-oam
Other Grants available to artists
Artists and arts organisations seeking funding through the IAF Small Grants program are eligible to apply for grants from more than one source and we encourage you to explore other sources of grant funding information which include:
• Arts SA - Individuals - https://arts.sa.gov.au/grants/project-grants-impp
• Arts SA - Arts organisations - https://arts.sa.gov.au/grants/arts-organisations
• Country Arts SA https://www.countryarts.org.au/grants-funding/grants/
• Helpmann Academy fellowships and grants (limited to staff, students and recent graduates of HA) https://www.helpmannacademy.com.au/fellowships/helpmann-fellowships/ and https://www.helpmannacademy.com.au/grants/regular-grants/
• Female post-graduate students - http://www.afuwsa-trust.com.au/postgraduate-scholarships/
• Guildhouse – grants listing available to members https://guildhouse.org.au/grants/
• NAVA – National Association for Visual Arts – extensive grants listing available to members. https://visualarts.net.au/nava-grants/
• The Freedman Foundation Travelling Scholarship for Emerging ArtistsFor more information visit the NAVA website.
In addition to regular rounds of funding, Quick Response Grants are also offered by Country Arts SA and Helpmann Academy. Here are some useful links to organisations supporting the arts in South Australia.
In addition to regular rounds of funding, Quick Response Grants are also offered by Country Arts SA and Helpmann Academy. Here are some useful links to organisations supporting the arts in South Australia.