Mount Isa City and Flinders Shire Councils are set to benefit from the Queensland Government’s inaugural $1.8 million round of arts funding.
The two Councils are among 37 successful applicants for the Queensland Arts Project Fund, which has been established to help local creatives develop and deliver new arts and cultural work and enliven galleries, stages, studios, digital and community spaces.
Mount Isa City Council Owned Enterprise Pty Ltd will receive $70,000 to deliver the Maltha Waru Arts Celebration, a week-long event uniting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across the Mount Isa region to showcase culture, music, dance, and wearable art.
Flinders Shire Council has been awarded $43,485 to deliver the finale of Festival of Outback Skies in May 2026, a celebration of inclusiveness, musical diversity, and Yirendali culture.
The funding is being delivered through three streams – a general stream providing up to $70,000 for projects, an individuals stream providing up to $20,000, and two-year matched funding of up to $150,000 for exceptional large-scale projects.
Additional funding of up to $10,000 has been made available to applicants through the Fund to support access needs of artists and audiences with disability.
Queensland Minister for the Arts, John-Paul Langbroek said the inaugural round of funding was part of the Government’s plan to grow the State’s arts scene through its 10-year arts strategy Queensland’s Time to Shine.
“The first round of the Queensland Arts Project Fund showcases the true depth, diversity and originality of creative talent in Queensland,” Minister Langbroek said.
“The Crisafulli Government is delivering a plan to grow the sector and ensure arts experiences are accessible for all Queenslanders, after a decade of decline under the former Labor Government.
“The central role of our independent artists is recognised through the Fund, comprising a third of successful applicants, and a further seven applicants will share in additional funding of more than $45,000 to support artists and audiences with disability, ensuring projects are more inclusive.
“More than half of the successful applicants are based outside of Brisbane which will help boost creative opportunities across regional Queensland.”
Eligible project activities from Round 1 will commence from 2 March.
For more information and to view a full list of successful applicants in Round 1 of the Queensland Arts Project Fund, visit https://www.arts.qld.gov.au/funding-opportunities/funding/queensland-arts-project-fund.
