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Our Fringe Fund Grants are NOW OPEN! Apply HERE

Key Dates

June 3 - Grant Applications OPEN
August 1 - Grant Applications CLOSE
Mid-September - Notification of Successful Applicants
30 October - Show Registration Deadline for Successful Applicants 

Below is the most important information regarding the Fringe Fund Grants. Please refer to our Applicant Guide for more in-depth information and FAQs. 

Contents

Grants Available 

Get Involved Grants
Open to Australian and International applicants across three categories:

  • Artist, Collective, or Community Group - $5,000.00
  • Producer - $5,000.00 to $7,500.00
  • Venue - $5,000.00

Australian First Nations Grants
Open to Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants across three categories:

  • Artist, Collective, or Community Group - $5,000.00
  • Producer - $5,000.00 to $7,500.00
  • Venue - $5,000.00

Early Career Producer Mentorship
This opportunity offers additional funding of up to $2,500.00 to support mentorship costs. See more here


More funding opportunities will open after Fringe Fund applications close on August 1. Stay tuned for more information about future Venue & Digital Marketing Grants. 

What will we fund? 

Applicants can apply for funding across all three categories:

1. Operational Costs: Costs related to the development, staging and promotion of your venue, show or program including:

  • Venue Hire
  • Marketing & Advertisting
  • Artist / Staff Wages
  • Venue Operational Costs
  • Capital Purchases and Equipment Hire (directly related to Adelaide Fringe shows)

2. Artist & Audience Access: Initiatives to remove barriers to participation for both artists and audiences. See access provider contacts here

  • Audience access provisions including Auslan interpretation, audio description, relaxed sessions, tactile tours, captioning services and equipment hire. 
  • Access provisions for show participants including interpretive services and assistance from carers and support workers.
  • Physical accommodations such as access ramps and chair lifts.
  • Creating temporary sensory spaces and providing sensory equipment and toys.
  • Digital resources for audiences, such as Social Stories and venue access videos. 

3. Regional Touring - Costs associated with taking your event to South Australia’s regional and remote areas. 

Applicants can apply for funding within all three of these categories. See the full list of what we will fund here

Who can apply? 

  • South Australian, Australian and international creatives, producers and programmers presenting an Adelaide Fringe Show
  • Adelaide Fringe Venues
    • Venues must be hosting a minimum of three events, with a minimum of twelve sessions to be eligible

Eligibility 

  • You are not eligible to apply for a Fringe Fund grant if the proposed show was a successful recipient of a 2025 Fringe Fund grant, unless you are applying solely for Artist & Audience Access or Regional Touring funding. This condition does not apply to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants. 
  • Applicants can apply for funds to cover Operational, Artist Access, Audience Access and Regional Touring costs, a selection of these, or a single category.

  • Submissions from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants are strongly encouraged.
  • Applications from South Australian emerging creatives will be prioritised in this funding round. 

What will you need? 

  • Team Roles and Biographies - You will need to provide a one-page document listing the key contributors to your show and their roles.
  • Budget - We are looking for evidence that your project has a strong financial plan
  • Marketing Plan - We want to know who the audience of your show is, and what marketing you will use to reach those audiences. 
  • Venue Confirmation or Evidence of Communication with Potential Venues - We will need to see a list of three potential venues and, if possible, correspondence with those you’ve already approached. 

Assessment Criteria 

In assessing grant applications, we will consider the following criteria: 

  • Is this something we’ve never seen before? 
  • Will this concept find an audience at Adelaide Fringe?
  • Is best practice accessibility and inclusivity considered?
  • Does this show add something unique to the Adelaide Fringe program? 
  • Is this concept creatively ambitious and exciting? 
  • Are the creative ambitions, logistical requirements and budget clearly articulated, realistic and achievable? 
  • Does this creative team have the capacity to effectively carry out this show? 
  • How will this project impact the careers and artistic and cultural practices of those involved?
  • Does the project amplify voices from diverse communities? 

While applications may meet the assessment criteria, applicants are not guaranteed an Adelaide Fringe Fund grant. 

Early Career Producer Mentorship

This funding opportunity offers additional funding of up to $2,500.00 to support mentorship costs.

These self-directed mentorships are intended to support professional development for Early Career producers presenting an Adelaide Fringe Show in 2026. Areas of focus can include building creative, administrative and logistical skills.

Applicants choose their own mentor, and can choose to engage with mentors located locally, nationally and internationally.

Who can apply: 

  • Emerging and mid-career producers presenting at least 1 show in Adelaide Fringe 2026
  • Applicants must be linked to a ‘Get Involved’ or ‘Australian First Nations’ Grant application.
  • Artist, Collective, Venue and Community Group applicants can apply on behalf of a producer involved in their project

How to apply:

  • Applicants will be prompted to apply for this additional funding opportunity within their ‘Get Involved’ or ‘Australian First Nations’ grant application.

What you’ll need:

  • A letter of support from your mentor, confirming their willingness to participate and outlining the contact hours they are committing to.
  • An outline of how the mentorship funds will be spent, including a budget of paid hours for both mentee and mentor, and any other costs directly related. 

What we will fund: 

  • Mentor Wages - Your budget should include the total number of hours the mentor has committed to, along with the hourly rate they will be paid. 
  • Mentee (Producer) Wages - Please ensure that you detail how much the mentee (producer) will be paid per hour of their time and the total hours budgeted.
  • Other costs directly related to the Early Career Mentorship - These costs can include: Travel costs to meet with your mentor in person, Facility Costs: Renting a meeting space, Communication Costs: Costs related to keeping in touch with your mentor

When completing your mentorship budget, any pay rates should be in line with relevant Live Performance Award or NAVA rates of compensation. We recommend a minimum rate of $80 per hour for the chosen mentor and $40-$50 per hour for the mentee. 

Adelaide Fringe has collated a list of potential mentors for 2026. Please reach out to the Artist and Venue team if you need guidance on choosing a mentor.

Your Early Career Mentorship budget should not include details of any funding you are applying for as a part of either a ’Get Involved’ or ’Australian First Nations’ grant application. 

Are you a mentor able and keen to take on a mentee for the 2026 Fringe season? See our Early Career Producer Mentorship resource. 

Support

If you have any questions on the application process please contact the Adelaide Fringe Artist & Venue Team:

E: artists@adelaidefringe.com.au

P: +61 8 8100 2022

Need help filling out the form? Book a time with the Artist & Venue Team to help you either in person, over the phone, or online by calling the number above or booking in a session here: https://calendly.com/adlfringeartists/artist-chats-with-adelaide-fringe