Strengthening arts collaboration between Australia and the world

The Albanese Labor Government is delivering more than $800,000 to support closer artistic and cultural connections across the region and the world, with five new grants under the International Cultural Diplomacy Arts Fund.

The funding includes support for exceptional Australian theatre company Back to Back Theatre who were able to travel to the Venice Biennale and accept the 2024 Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre.

The other grantees are:

  • Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Ltd – support to present a First Nations fashion industry event at the Expo Osaka 2025 in Japan, showcasing unique Australian designs in front of a global audience.
  • Adelaide Festival Centre Trust – funding to support the development of a joint performance project through a series of collaborative workshops at OzAsia Festival, in partnership with the Hong Kong Arts Festival.
  • Belvoir St Theatre Limited – support to tour critically acclaimed play Counting and Cracking, which follows the journey of a Sri Lankan-Australian family across two countries and four generations, to New York. 
  • Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art – funding for five projects to be presented at the 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art from December 2024, facilitating First Nations cultural exchange and collaborative projects within Asia and the Pacific.

Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said creative collaboration across international borders makes the Australian arts scene richer.

“Whether it’s showcasing Australian creativity overseas or bringing the best of the region’s art and culture to our shores, this funding helps to build ever closer cultural links between Australia and the world.

“We’re particularly excited to have been able to support Back to Back Theatre as they travelled to Venice and accepted their well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award – doing Australia extremely proud on the global stage.”

“This funding is another way in which we’re delivering on our National Cultural Policy, Revive, ensuring there’s a place for every story, and a story for every place.”