The Fellowship Program is an investment in the sustainable development of professional and creative practice in regional and remote Australia.

The National Regional Arts Fellowship Program is a strategic project supported by the Regional Arts Fund and delivered by Regional Arts Australia. Fellowships provide guaranteed income for regional artists and arts workers to develop work, skills, networks, or research. In 2026, they are seeking Fellowship proposals with a focus on economic, cultural and/or environmental sustainability.

Fellowships available

Eight fellowships will be awarded in 2026 with a total funding pool of $140,000. At least fifty percent of the fellowships provided will be targeted to cohorts that Regional Arts Australia has identified as being under-funded or under-represented through the Regional Arts Fund competitive grants program.

Two streams of fellowship funding are available:

• Creative & Professional Development - $20,000
• Early Career Development - $10,000

The application process is split into two stages: an expression of interest, followed by an expanded proposal for shortlisted applicants.

Eligibility

To be eligible you must: 

• Be an individual with an active Australian Business Number (ABN) that is registered to your name and location. If you are under 18, you must be auspiced by a person over 18 with an active ABN. 
• If required by the Australian Tax Office, be registered for the purposes of GST. 
• Not have any outstanding reports, acquittals or serious breaches relating to any Australian Government funding. A serious breach is one that has resulted in, or warrants, the termination of a grant agreement. 

You are not eligible to apply if you are: 

• An organisation, partnership or trust. 
• An individual based outside of regional or remote Australia (see Location Eligibility below, section 5.3).
• An employee directly involved in the delivery of the Regional Arts Fund. 
• An individual who has already received a National Regional Arts Fellowship within the past five years. 
• A current member of Regional Assembly

Your primary address must be in a regional area in order to be eligible for funding.

• Phone: 02 5999 1204
• Email: rafmanager@regionalarts.com.au