Regional Arts Victoria is excited to launch the Gippsland Emerging Artists Mentorships, a new opportunity supporting emerging and early-career visual and multimedia artists across Gippsland to develop ideas for new place-based, outdoor and placemaking projects.
The program is designed to give emerging artists the time, resources and guidance to take an early-stage idea and develop it into a strong project concept, building the foundations needed for future funding applications, partnerships and commission opportunities.
Up to six emerging artists will be selected through an expression of interest process. Each successful artist will receive $5,000 for their time, plus $500 for research and development materials, and will be matched with an appropriate mentor or advisor.
From an idea to a project
You don’t need to have a polished proposal ready to apply. Instead, the mentorship provides a structured development process to help artists explore and strengthen their ideas.
Through the program, artists can work on elements including:
- creative rationale and project development
- materials and technical requirements
- site identification
- timelines and project planning
- potential partners
- context and design
- other specific needs relating to their project.
The mentorships are about the development and planning stage, rather than the production or realisation of a finished work. The aim is to help artists build the detail, confidence and connections needed to take their ideas to the next stage.
Who can apply?
The opportunity is open to individual emerging or early-career visual and multimedia artists living in Gippsland. Applicants must have five years or less of professional artistic practice, have a current ABN and be a resident of one of the following local government areas:
Bass Coast Shire
South Gippsland Shire
City of Latrobe
Baw Baw Shire
East Gippsland Shire
Wellington Shire
Projects should be high-quality arts projects that benefit Gippsland audiences and/or communities, with a focus on outdoor or other placemaking projects.
Applications now open
Applications open at 9am Thursday 20 August 2026 and close at midnight Monday 21 September 2026.
Artists who would like to discuss their idea with a Regional Arts Victoria advisor can book an advice session. While this is optional, advice sessions are limited, so artists are encouraged to plan ahead. The deadline to speak with RAV staff about an application is 4pm Monday 14 September.
Successful applicants will be notified by 30 September 2026, with projects able to commence from 26 October 2026.
Ready to take your idea to the next stage?
The Gippsland Emerging Artists Mentorships are supported by the Regional Arts Fund, an Australian Government program that supports sustainable cultural development in regional and remote communities in Australia.