Young Arts Projects
ArtsNational Young Arts
ArtsNational Young Arts philanthropy enhances arts opportunities for young people in Australia.
ArtsNational Societies offer opportunities to students, young artists and performers in their local area, through grants to individuals, schools and community-based groups. From pre-school to tertiary, city to regional and remote, already skilled or just beginning, in literature, music, dance, photography, design, two or three dimensions, traditional culture and more, ArtsNational helps ensure young people have avenues to discover and develop their abilities, to participate and appreciate the arts by being involved in a variety of ways.
Current ArtsNational Young Arts Projects Fund:
- Scholarships to a conservatorium
- Provision of musical instruments
- Exhibitions showcasing secondary school student achievements in Visual Arts education
- Workshops and masterclasses
- Arts experiences for young people with sensory impairment
- Arts related opportunities for young people suffering financial disadvantage or geographic isolation
- Initiatives to preserve the cultural skills and language of indigenous Australians
- Excursions to museums, galleries and historic buildings
Image: Charlotte Robinson, a 24-year-old emerging expressionist painter who won the 2022 Young Adult Prize from ArtsNational Perth.
Young Arts Funding Makes a Difference
For over 20 years, significant financial support has been contributed to Young Arts projects from ArtsNational member Societies across the continent, with total annual contributions often exceeding $100,000 per annum.
Most ArtsNational Societies offer a Young Arts program supporting a mix of both individuals and community groups. Young Arts programs are selected by each individual Society to support programs delivered in their local communities.
For information about supporting or selecting a Young Arts recipient for your local ArtsNational Society, please contact your Society Chair, or email info@artsnational.au
ArtsNational Young Arts Awards
The Pauline Hopkins Cup, plus a $300 bursary, is awarded annually in recognition of an ArtsNational Society that has provided an exciting initiative or outstanding Young Arts program in their local community.
The AICCM Innovation Award of $300 will be awarded annually in recognition of an ArtsNational Society judged to have a unique activity featuring advanced and original ideas with creative thinking. AICCM, Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material, is acknowledged as an ArtsNational Associate.
Every ArtsNational Society with a Young Arts program is encouraged to enter the awards. Please complete the ArtsNational Young Arts Application Form obtainable from: info@artsnational.au
ArtsNational Societies are encouraged to enter the Pauline Hopkins Cup each year and showcase specific programs that they are offering to young arts within their local communities. Scroll down to check out some of the entries from previous years.
Pauline Hopkins Cup 2025 Entrants
| Society Name | Supported Organisation | Amount Funded | Brief project description |
|
Armidale
|
Armidale Waldorf School, New England Regional Art Museum’s Toddler Art Play, New England Conservatorium of Music, HSC Arts. | $8,000 | Support Winter Solstice festival, support for children under five in creative art play, support Chamber Music in Schools and the Armidale Youth Orchestra, bursaries for two HSC students in the fields of Photography and Fine Arts |
|
Blue Mountains
|
Leura Public School, Ellison Rd Public School, Katoomba Public School | $4,000 | Support of local public schools writing competitions, art supplies and more. |
| Brisbane | Flying Arts Alliance, Queensland Symphony Orchestra young instrumentalist prize | $4,500 | Young instrumentalist prize and Queensland Regional Arts Awards |
| Brisbane River | Queensland College of Art and Design, Griffith University, Milperra State High School, Doomadgee State School, Bedourie State School | $5,000 | Queensland College of Art and Design, The HEAL Program (Home of Expressive Arts in Learning), The Dead Puppets Society towards a residency at the Doomadgee State School, Bedourie State School “Splash ‘n Arts Camp” for the Isolated Children of the Diamantina Shire |
| Murray River | BRIGHT BIRDS Studio | $1,000 | BRIGHT BIRDS Studio to assist in the purchase of art supplies that lead to the 2025 Taking Flight Exhibition at Gateway Gallery Wodonga |
| Narrabri | Narrabri High School | $1,400 | Graeme Compton, a local visual artist hosted a 2-day workshop titled “Literally Illustrating” for year 12 Visual Arts HSC students from Narrabri High School. |
| Noosa | Peregian Dance Company, Sunshine Butterflies, Sunshine Beach State Highschool, Noosa Alive Festival | $4,800 | PEREGIAN DANCE CENTRE, SUNSHINE BUTTERFLIES not-for-profit disability support centre, SUNSHINE BEACH STATE HIGH SCHOOL , Noosa Alive Festival |
| Canberra | Canberra Glassworks | $3,000 | support two students who were recipients of scholarships for the 2025 Glass Blowing Master Class |