The Guide: August 2026
August seems to have one foot out the door already — winter's still technically here, but you can already sense spring waiting just around the corner and it feels like a good moment to get ahead — grant rounds are closing, exhibitions are opening, and the festival calendar starts to pick up from here. By the time September rolls around the arts calendar seems to explode.
If you are looking for something to sink your teeth into and are interested in how Queensland’s night-life economy is tracking, John "JC" Collins (Queensland Night-Life Economy Commissioner) recently released his independent report Moonside: The Queensland Night-Life Economy Commissioner's Report 2026. To enhance Queensland's night-life economy for everyone, everywhere - 62 proposed actions are listed to revitalise our $37.6 billion night-life economy.
If that doesn’t interest you, read on to find out what's opening, closing and worth applying for locally and further afield.
Remember - this is just a taste of things and SCCA has some pretty exciting program announcements coming to you soon - so stay tuned.
NEW26
Sunshine Coast based artist Amanda Bennetts has been announced as one of the seven emerging artists selected for NEW26 at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA).
Alongside Amanda, the exhibition brings together new and ambitious commissions by Amanda Bell, Nicholas Currie, Naveed Farro, Caesar Florence-Howard, Diego Ramírez and EJ Son, selected from across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia for the strength and ambition of their early-career practices.
NEW26 opens 18 September 2026, Naarm/Melbourne.
Australian Performing Arts Exchange (APAX)
APAX is the national market and professional development gathering for performing arts workers across Australia and in 2026 APAX returns to Meanjin/Brisbane for the first time in 22 years.
Presented alongside Brisbane Festival, this national gathering unites performing arts workers, producers, artists, and presenters for a week of arts markets, pitching sessions, conferences, and the IMPACT Awards.
APAX takes place from 7 - 11 September 2026, Meeanjin/Brisbane.
Register here to attend.
National Venue Platform
The Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN) has launched the Australian Music Touring Network (AMTN). This free national digital platform is designed to map and connect live music venues, artists, tour managers, and industry professionals across Australia.
Developed by the Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN), the initiative is supported by the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia.
Sign up now to create your own unique profile.
OPPORTUNITIES
PHOTOGRAPHIC PRIZE
HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast, is calling for entries to the 2026 Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award.
As Queensland’s richest acquisitive photographic prize, the $25,000 award (total prize pool $30,000) and exhibition platforms artists from across the country working within the broad field of contemporary photography.
The winner’s work enters the prestigious HOTA Collection.
FUNDING
Grant applications now open for established live music venues and music festivals through the 2026-27 round of the Revive Live program.
The program provides essential support to our nations live music venues and music festivals to assist them to continue to operate in the current operating climate.
ART AWARD
The Koori Mail Indigenous Art Award 2026 is a national award, open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists working in any medium. Artists at any stage of their career are encouraged to enter this non-acquisitive award.
First launched at Lismore Regional Gallery in 2021 in partnership with the Koori Mail Newspaper, this nationwide award focuses on the innovation and vibrancy of contemporary Indigenous art across Australia. The award aims to collapse the hierarchies between artists and arts organisations and is a chance to discover new talent and synergies between creative practices.
FUNDING: Creative Australia Arts Projects for Individuals and Groups
ART PRIZE: Kilgour Prize
WRITING PRIZE: Nature Writing Prize 2026
WHAT’S ON
CONFERENCE
The biggest week in music is back - BIGSOUND 2026. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, BIGSOUND is renowned as the Southern Hemisphere's largest music industry gathering and showcase festival. This year the event is set to take over 15 iconic venues across Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. Explore the full program here.
INDUSTRY CONNECT
Join QMusic at Nortons Music Factory, Caloundra, for an afternoon of insight and connection. Hosted by RASN’s Alex Henriksson (Regional Arts Advisor, Music - QMusic), with presentations from Songwriting Circle, Christian Patey, and Sean Foran (SAE), followed by networking.
Whether you're an artist, industry professional, or just curious about the business side of music, this is your chance to connect with the people shaping the regional music landscape.
FESTIVAL: Gympie Music Muster
EXHIBITION: Sue Gill, The Door, ca Gallery Coolum
FESTIVAL: Brisbane Festival
Image credits (from top): Amanda-Bennetts portrait by Ketakii-Jewson-Brown / Image: Riverfire Brisbane Festival by JD Lin / Image: Cahli-Blakers-(Teenage-Joans) performing at-Bigsound Brisbane 2022 by Will Johnstone / Image: Eliza and the Delusionals by Darcy Goss Media / Image: Alex Henriksson. Courtesy of QMusic/ Image: Clare Jaque Vasquez, Sky palette (detail) 2024, acrylic and impasto on canvas, 200 x 200 cm. Courtesy the artist, Umbrella Arts Studio, and Vivien Anderson Gallery.
The Guide is your essential source for information on opportunities, grants,
events, and professional development programs for creatives.
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