The Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grants Program (ACDGP) supports international projects that tell Australian stories, amplify First Nations voices, deepen bilateral partnerships and build cultural understanding and connections overseas.

Cultural diplomacy plays a vital role in international relations, offering unique opportunities to foster mutual understanding and build relationships. Through cultural diplomacy initiatives, DFAT strengthens Australia's influence, reputation, reach and relationships overseas.

The objectives of the ACDGP are to:

• support collaborative and innovative projects that tell Australian stories and amplify First Nations voices overseas.
• influence perceptions of Australia abroad by building cultural understanding and connections
• build international people-to-people and/or institutional partnerships
• align withAustralia's Cultural Policy 'Revive' [PDF]as set out in the pillars: First Nations First; a Place for Every Story; Centrality of the Artist; and Engaging the Audience.

Eligible activities must directly relate to the project and can include: 

• research, design and development of grant activity/project 
• consultations with stakeholders and partners 
• promotional and outreach activities 
• communications and translations 
• performances, exhibitions, webinars, seminars, workshops, publications, recordings and films.

Who is eligible to apply for a grant?

To be eligible you must be one of the following entity types:

• have an Australian Business Number(ABN)
• be registered for the purposes of GST  
• be a permanent resident of Australia  
• have an account with an Australian financial institution and be one of the following entity types:
  • a company incorporated in Australia
  • a company incorporated by guarantee
  • an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
  • an incorporated association
  • a partnership
  • a joint (consortia) application with a lead organisation
  • a registered charity or not-for-profit organisation
  • an individual
  • an Australian local government body
  • an Australian state or territory government body
  • an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006

Who is not eligible to apply for a grant?

You are not eligible to apply if you are:

• not an Australian, a permanent resident of Australia or an Australian organisation.
• a previous applicant who has failed to provide a full and proper acquittal of an earlier ACDGP grant.

What can the grant money be used for?

You can use the grant to pay for costs detailed in your budget and grant agreement, including:

• economy flights
• modest accommodation costs
• meals and travel allowances
• ground transport
• artist/ performers fees
• freight costs
• venue hire
• catering
• advertising and promotion
• graphic design
• photography
• printed material

What the grant money cannot be used for?

You cannot normally use the grant for:

• purchase of land
• wages (including for research assistants or administration staff)
• major capital expenditure
• purchase of equipment (for example, musical instruments, computers, videos, photographic or printing equipment)
• covering retrospective costs or recurrent funding of activities
• subsidy of general ongoing administration of an organisation such as electricity, phone and rent
• activities for which other commonwealth, state, territory or local government bodies have primary responsibility
• activities undertaken by primary or high schools, including study tours, where travel by a significant number of students is the principal element of the proposal
• scholarships to individual students.

• Email: cultural.diplomacy@dfat.gov.au