Indigenous Languages and Arts program

COVID-19 update

With the COVID-19 (or Coronavirus) pandemic affecting all of Australia's arts and cultural sector, including organisations active in the Indigenous cultural languages and arts, the ILA program wants to update you on what is happening with the 2020–21 Open Competitive Grant Opportunity.

Up to date information about COVID-19 and how it relates to the arts sector, can be found on the COVID-19 update page.

After careful consideration, the decision has been made to extend the current closing date for grant applications to the 2020–21 ILA Program Open Competitive Grant Opportunity—GO3720.

The new closing date for applications is TUESDAY 30 JUNE 2020.

It is recommended that you monitor the ILA program website regularly for updates about the 2020–21 Open Competitive Grant Opportunity.

If you have any questions or need further information, please email the ILA program at ila@arts.gov.au or call 1800 006 992.

About the program

The Indigenous Languages and Arts program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to revive and maintain languages, and to develop and present art.

Language and art form a large part of culture and are essential to the wellbeing and identity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and are integral to maintaining the vitality and strength of Indigenous communities.

The Indigenous Languages and Arts (ILA) program invests around $20 million annually to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to express, preserve and maintain their cultures through languages and arts activities around Australia.

The ILA program includes operational funding support to a network of 21 Indigenous Language Centres across the country working on capturing, preserving and maintaining over 150 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. The ILA program also supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to develop, produce, present, exhibit or perform Indigenous arts projects that showcase Australia's traditional and contemporary Indigenous cultural and artistic expressions.

Funding

The ILA program supports community-led organisations with grant funding administered through an annual open competitive grant opportunity or a restricted competitive grant opportunity which is by invitation only.

To apply for funding through the Indigenous Languages and Arts program, organisations must submit an online application. The application form is designed to assist applicants to demonstrate how their proposal meets the objectives of the program and addresses the assessment criteria. All eligible applications will be competitively assessed against the assessment criteria.

The Indigenous Languages and Arts program guidelines include eligibility criteria and information about the application and funding process. The guidelines can be accessed at the Australian Government's GrantConnect website.

Grant applications need to demonstrate they meet one or more of the following ILA program objectives:

preserve, revive and maintain Indigenous languages
develop, produce, present, exhibit or perform a diverse range of traditional and contemporary Indigenous arts.
support new and innovative forms of Indigenous expression through art
support the transmission and development of Indigenous cultural heritage and knowledge through languages and arts projects.