VCA50 Creative Development Grants
The VCA50 Creative Development Grants is a fund that has been established to provide crucial support for early career alumni in developing creative projects. Seven grants valued at $10,000 each, will be awarded to support new creative projects that are devised, developed and presented by recent graduates of any VCA discipline. The purpose of the Grants is to provide critical showcase platforms from which emerging artists can launch a career in the creative industries.
Previous recipients are not eligible to reapply.
To be eligible for one of these Grants, applicants need to:
- have graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) no earlier than TWO and no greater than FIVE years of application closing date.
- propose to develop a new creative work that will have a public outcome. This may take the form of a performance, exhibition, installation, film or presentation.
- All proposals will be considered, but preference will be given to those that incorporate multiple VCA graduates and/or span across artforms.
Note: Project Leads must meet all of the criteria above, collaborators do not. Preference will be given to projects involving multiple VCA graduates. However, projects may also involve others who are not associated with the VCA.
Awarding of Grants will be based on:
- The quality of the application
- Originality of the proposed creative project
- Evidence of ability to fulfill the proposed project’s aims and outcomes
- creative maturity of the applicant
- The potential for the Grant to impact applicants’ future development
Intended Outcomes
It is a condition of the Grants that the following outcomes are met:
- The final Creative Work must be presented in a public forum within 12 months of the Grant being awarded. See Note below.
- Recipients are asked to contact the Fine Arts and Music Scholarships office <fineartsmusic-scholarships@unimelb.edu.au> with information about any upcoming exhibitions/events/talks related to this project for which you have received funding support. This is so that the donors can be invited to attend.
Note: Any activity relating to your proposal, and the eventual delivery of this outcome must take place external to the University campus unless specific arrangements are negotiated and agreed to by the Director. It is not possible for alumni, or other non students to book rooms or event spaces on campus.
VCA50 Creative Development Grants Application and Selection Timeline:
November 30, 2025: Grants launched and applications open
End March 2026: Applications close
Start May 2026: Shortlisted will be determined
Mid May 2026: Selection Panel meets to assess
Late May 2026: Grantees announced
*Projects to be delivered by May 2027
This application consists of the following:
- Personal details
- Course details
- proposal and budget detail
- Document uploads
- Agreement and submission
You can save your application and return to it during the application period, however uploaded documents will not be saved for partial submissions. Applications will not be accepted or accessible after 5PM (Melbourne time) on the closing date.
