Building on the successful rollout of the inaugural Experience Gold Coast (EGC) Arts Fund in 2025, Expressions of Interest are now open for 2026.
Gold Coast based artists, collectives, and organisations are invited to apply for support to bring their creative projects to life, with a total of $1.5 million available.
The announcement follows an extraordinary first round of EGC Arts Fund’s grants with another $1.5 million distributed in 2025 to support the city’s arts and cultural sector, supporting over 15 arts and cultural projects across a wide range of disciplines.
The EGC Arts Fund supports projects that demonstrate innovation and strong community engagement across all artforms and will be showcased across Experience Gold Coast’s signature festivals and events including Blues on Broadbeach, Wonder, BLEACH*, Cooly Rocks On, Groundwater Country Music Festival, Kids Take Over at HOTA and HOTA Outdoor Stage.
“Investing in our artists is an investment into the cultural heartbeat of our city,” said Experience Gold Coast Head of Arts and Culture, Yarmila Alfonzetti.
“The success of the 2025 round has shown the incredible talent and ambition of our creative community, and we’re proud to continue backing local emerging and established artists with the resources they need to make their ideas a reality.”
The Arts Fund will focus on three Grant Categories with funding outcomes primarily for:
Gold Coast Stories - Development of new content by Gold Coast artists, companies, and community for presentation across EGC platforms, festivals, events, and stages; Create culturally significant work that’s uniquely Gold Coast.
Gold Coast Creates - Attracting high calibre artists with strong connection to the Gold Coast back to the city to make work. Develop big, bold work for EGC stages; partnerships encouraged; and
Gold Coast Presents - Presentation of readymade high quality local creative content.
•Local Works – Theatre, dance, installations, digital projection
•Local Music – Perform alongside headline acts (Tier 1 only)
2025 Arts Fund recipient Lann Levinge said receiving the funding made his creative dreams for Gawrehma Jungan (The Story of Clouds) to become a reality.
“Through the funding we could also engage community, gifting the opportunity for young performers to experience the creative process and develop their performance skills at an advanced level.”
Recipients of the EGC Arts Fund Program 2025 included:
•Gold Coast Music Network | Wonder
•IKONIX | Wonder
•Lann Levinge | Wonder
•The Big Kids Production – Goldy’s | Wonder
• Fibra Entertainment | Wonder
• SELVE | BLEACH* Festival 2025
• Melissa Spratt & Tal Fitzpatrick | BLEACH* Festival
• Merinda Davies | BLEACH* Festival
• Wright Music School | BLEACH* Festival
• Barry Poulter, RW Promotion | Kids Take Over
• Art For Earthlings | Kids Take Over
• Elite Media | Kids Take Over
• Michael McCartney | Groundwater Music Festival
• Joel Archard - Deathwish Hotrods | Cooly Rocks On
• Film Fantastic - Gold Coast Film Festival | HOTA Presents
Expressions of Interest will close on 15 October 2025 midnight (AEST).
For more information on guidelines for submissions please visit:
https://corporate.experiencegoldcoast.com/egc-arts-fund
ENDS
CONTACT
Danielle Ford | 0487 002 022 | danielle.ford@experiencegoldcoast.com
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Experience Gold Coast acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are situated, the Kombumerri families of the Yugambeh Language Region.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise their continuing connections to the lands, waters and their extended communities throughout Southeast Queensland.