Apply for the 2026 ACMI + Artbank + MAF Commission

Overview:

The inaugural ACMI + Artbank + MAF Commission will support an artist or collaborative to break new ground in their screen practice through the creation of a new moving image work for exhibition at ACMI in 2026.

With three commissioning partners, this $60,000 opportunity represents a unique and exciting collaboration. The commission will premiere at the 2026 Melbourne Art Fair, ahead of a dedicated exhibition at ACMI, and be acquired by both the Artbank and ACMI Collections.

By exploring new territory in screen practice, artist(s) may be incorporating new technologies, working with new collaborators, working at a larger scale, adapting existing practice to moving image, or creating in new formats.

The commission will be selected by representatives from ACMI, Artbank and Melbourne Art Foundation.

Applications close at 5pm on Monday 7th April 2025

Selection Criteria:

• An engaging project idea which demonstrates innovation in the artists’ own practice.
• Project viability: a realistic budget, including other confirmed funding partners if relevant, collaborating team and timeline for production, previous experience.
• Consideration of ACMI and MAF audiences alongside Artbank’s collection and leasing program.
• Australian living artists with citizenship or permanent residency.
• Projects that are ready to enter production in May 2025 and can be completed by February 2026 for presentation at Melbourne Art Fair followed by the exhibition opening at ACMI in May 2026. Artists need to be able to fully commit to the production period and it must be possible for ACMI to maintain regular contact throughout the production process.
• Projects that are moving image centric, and suitable for exhibition as a preview at Melbourne Art Fair and in ACMI’s Gallery 3 or Gallery 2 spaces.

Eligibility – Who can apply?

1. Demonstrated innovation in own practice and in screen culture

This could take a number of different forms, pertinent to the artist or collectives’ history of making and to the chosen medium. It may be that the proposed project represents growth either in the artists’ or collectives’ practice (new technologies, new form, new collaborators, new medium, larger or smaller scale, longer duration, etc). It may be that the artist or collective has an established practice in one medium, and is working in screen for the first time. It may be that they are deploying new technologies or techniques, or there is an unusual or innovative way that the viewer is considered in relation to the work.

2. Project viability: budget including other confirmed funding partners if relevant, collaborating team and timeline for production, previous experience.

Please include a detailed production timeline and budget for the project. Please also include a list of collaborating creatives and any project managers or producers you anticipate working on the commission. It is important to demonstrate the project is realistic in terms of the time and budget available.

3. Consideration of ACMI and MAF audiences alongside Artbank’s collection leasing program

• Artbank is a lending collection and works should be suitable for broad public access and display in non-museum environments.
• ACMI’s audiences are diverse, passionate about the intersection of technology, art, and storytelling, and eager to engage with the evolving landscape of digital culture.
• Melbourne Art Fair attracts a diverse audience of art lovers, collectors, and professionals. The Melbourne Art Fair is a forum for contemporary art and ideas. It features leading galleries from the region and attracts both serious collectors and the general public.

4. Australian living artist/s with citizenship or permanent residency

• Born in Australia.
• An Australian citizen.
• Living in Australia as an approved temporary resident for a minimum of two years, and/or a permanent resident of Australia.

5. Project must be delivered in 12 months with a preview ready in 9 months for Melbourne Art Fair. It should be ready to commence development in May 2025, a preview delivered in February 2026 for Melbourne Art Fair, followed by full delivery for exhibition in May 2026 at ACMI, with delivery of the artwork presented to ACMI no later than April 2026.

• Artists need to be able to commit to the production period and it must be possible for the commissioning partners to maintain regular contact throughout the production process.
• We are not able to fund completed projects retrospectively, however the works can be in development or initial concepts with the commission further extending and developing it into a new work.

6. Projects that are moving image centric and suitable for exhibition as a preview at Melbourne Art Fair and ACMI’s Gallery 3 or Gallery 2 space.

• Preview for Melbourne Art Fair must be single channel.
• Artbank will require a single channel and multi-channel version of any multi-channel works for acquisition. The work(s) exhibited in ACMI’s galleries can be multi-channel and incorporate other objects and design materials.
• Appropriate for display in public spaces and for a general audience.
• In intrinsically sound condition and reasonably resistant to deterioration in the routine operations of ACMI including display, packing and transportation.

Key dates:

24 February 2025 Applications open
7 April 2025 Applications close
1 May 2025 Successful applicant notified
May 2025 Project commences
February 2026 Single channel preview presentation at Melbourne Art Fair
May 2026 Exhibition opens at ACMI

Please direct enquiries to commissions@acmi.net.au

FAQs:

What exactly does the recipient receive?

The successful artist or filmmaker will receive $60,000 + GST to make a new screen-based work which will preview at the 19th edition of Melbourne Art Fair 19th – 22nd February 2026, be exhibited at ACMI and enter the ACMI and Artbank Collections. The recipient also receives technical and production support from ACMI.

What should I include in the budget?

You must ensure your budget realistically covers the cost of making the project and paying contributors appropriately, as there is no capacity for an increase in the Commission sum of $60,000.

MAF will cover the cost of your project’s single-channel preview presentation. These costs do not need to be included in the budget.

ACMI will cover the cost of your project’s presentation where it includes standard audio-visual gallery equipment and infrastructure. These costs do not need to be included in the budget.

It is expected that commissioned artist(s) pay themselves an artist fee. The artist fee is not fixed, however this will be looked at in the context of the budget, the scale of the project, the amount of time you need to allocate to making the work and the number of roles you will be taking on as part of the project. It is recommended that the National Association for Visual Arts (NAVA) fee schedule is used as a guide. The commission funds cannot be spent on arts training, study or conferences.

Will the commissioned work be exhibited?

Yes. The exhibition will take place in ACMI’s Gallery 2 or 3 in May 2026, with a preview at Melbourne Art Fair in February 2026. These dates are subject to change.

What does Gallery 3 and Gallery 2 at ACMI look like?

See images below.

Does the commissioned work have to debut at ACMI?

Yes. The work will premiere at ACMI and should not have been shown elsewhere during its development aside from its single-channel preview at Melbourne Art Fair.

How many proposals can I submit?

Applicants can only submit one proposal. You can however, submit one application as the principal artist and be included as a collaborator on another artist’s proposal.

When does the commissioned work have to be completed?

The project must be able to be completed within 12 months of receiving the Commission, with a preview ready to be screened at Melbourne Art Fair within 9 months. The deadline for delivery is February 2026 for the preview and April 2026, ready for the ACMI exhibition in May 2026.

How will my application be assessed?

Applications will be assessed by a judging panel. This year, the panel will be made of Keri Elmsly, Executive Director of Programming ACMI, Gavin Somers, Director First Nations, Equity & Social Policy ACMI, Melissa Loughnan, Fair Director for Melbourne Art Fair, and Paul Adair, Curator for Artbank.

Each application will be scored by the panel according to the following selection criteria:

• Demonstrated innovation in own practice and in screen culture.
• Project viability: budget including other confirmed funding partners if relevant, collaborating team and timeline for production, previous experience.
• Consideration of ACMI and MAF audiences alongside Artbank’s collection and leasing program.
• Australian living artist/s with citizenship or permanent residency.

Can I get feedback before I apply?

ACMI’s curators can provide general advice on a project idea, but they will not read applications before they are submitted. Decisions regarding short-listed artists and selected artists are at the discretion of the judges.