- New grants to back WA artists and emerging arts workers
- $640,000 committed each year over three years for fellowships and internships
- Part of the Cook Government's plan to grow our creative industries
Two new grant programs will soon open to support the next generation of Western Australian artists and arts workers, as part of the Cook Government's plan to grow our creative industries.
The Creative WA Fellowships and the Creative WA Internships are new initiatives, aimed at strengthening and supporting the arts sector.
Over the next three years, $640,000 in funding will be available per year, supporting fellowships for individual artists developing their creative practice, and to internships for emerging arts workers to gain real-world experience in creative organisations.
The fellowships program includes two streams, with up to 11 fellowships awarded each year:
- Arts Fellowships for Young People - $26,000 grants for artists aged 18-25 to support skills development, mentorships, new work or residencies; and
- Arts Development Fellowships - $50,000 grants for emerging, mid-career and established artists with at least five years of professional practice.
The internships program will provide up to three grants each year for WA-based creative organisations to host paid internships for emerging arts workers or recent graduates. Each grant is capped at $70,000, with a minimum of $50,000 paid directly to the intern.
These internships can take place in arts organisations, galleries, theatres, festivals, or creative businesses.
The program is part of the Cook Government's Creative WA strategy - a 10-year vision to grow and sustain the State's creative sector.
The program was developed in response to extensive consultation with more than 1,300 people across the sector and is designed to address key gaps in WA's creative workforce.
Applications open on 22 July 2025 and close on 28 August 2025. Fellowships and internships will begin in January 2026.
As stated by Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk:
"Creative WA is about building a strong, sustainable future for the arts - and that means investing in the people at the heart of it.
"These new fellowships and internships will give talented individuals the time, support and recognition they need to take their creative careers to the next level.
"Whether it's a young person starting out, or an arts organisation looking to grow the next generation of talent, this program will help strengthen our creative workforce across the State."
