Creative Australia is working with the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF) and Regional Arts Australia to offer 8 scholarship and mentoring packages for emerging arts and cultural leaders with at least 5 and no more than 10 years' experience who live and work in regional or remote Australia.

The scholarship and mentoring package will take place from August 2026 to June 2027 and includes:

• participating in Artlands, Regional Arts Australia's 3-day gathering on the Sunshine Coast, QLD from 23-25 September 2026.
• participating in the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation's TRAIL Emerging Leaders Program (7-days) in early March 2027.
• a tailored mentoring program with support from Regional Arts Australia.

This scholarship supports you to connect with diverse networks and perspectives, grow your personal leadership capability and contribute your voice to conversations about the future of regional Australia.

Creative Australia will cover the costs of the Artlands conference ticket, mentoring program with Regional Arts Australia, and program fee for the TRAIL Emerging Leaders Program.

Scholarship recipients will need to cover the cost of travel to and from in-person activities in the Sunshine Coast, QLD for Artlands, and to Canberra for the TRAIL Emerging Leaders Program.

The opportunity is only open to:

• individuals living and working in regional and/or remote Australia
• Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents
• practising artists or arts workers with at least 5-years of experience in the arts and cultural sector
• applicants primarily working in First Nations Arts and Culture, Community Arts and Cultural Development, Emerging and Experimental Arts, Multi-Arts, Music, Dance, Theatre, Visual Arts or Literature and the intersections of these artforms
• applicants who are available to attend all of the program's activities.

• Email: leadershipprogram@creative.gov.au