The Indigenous Languages and Arts (ILA) program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to express, conserve and sustain their cultures through languages and arts activities around Australia.
Who can apply
Organisations that support participation in, and maintenance of, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures through community-led Indigenous languages and arts activities.
When to apply
Applications for the 2026–27 open competitive grant opportunity is expected to open around October 2025.
Funding available
The ILA program will invest over $45 million in 2026–27 for Indigenous languages and arts projects which includes a component of funding specifically for an annual open competitive grant opportunity.
About the program
The Indigenous Languages and Arts (ILA) program will invest over $45 million in 2026–27 to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to express, conserve and sustain their cultures through languages and arts activities around Australia.
Funding
The ILA Program Grant Guidelines include objectives, eligibility criteria, grant opportunities and assessment criteria. The Guidelines can be accessed on the Australian Government's GrantConnect website (search for Indigenous Languages and Arts under grant opportunities). Please note the Guidelines are updated annually and published on GrantConnect.
To apply for grant opportunities through the ILA program, organisations will need to apply using the department's SmartyGrants online portal before the grant opportunity closes. The application form is designed to assist applicants to demonstrate how their proposal meets the objectives of the program and addresses the assessment criteria. All eligible applications will be competitively assessed against the assessment criteria.
Open competitive grant opportunity
The ILA program supports community-led organisations with grant funding administered through an annual competitive grant opportunity.
The 2026–27 ILA program open competitive grant opportunity is expected to open for applications around October 2025.
The open competitive grant opportunity is designed to support one-off Indigenous languages and arts projects. There is a cap on the amount of funding available and the duration of the project.
Closed non-competitive grant opportunity
The closed non-competitive grant opportunity is by invitation only from the ILA program and is designed to assist community-led organisations with a demonstrated strong track record of delivering high quality ILA program outcomes over the long term as well as ad-hoc projects identified as having a strategic, urgent or specified need aligning with the objectives of the ILA program.
Further information
- ILA program website
- ILA program fact sheet
- ILA program frequently asked questions
- ILA funded Indigenous Language Centres
- Interactive map of Indigenous Language Centres
Contact
Phone: 1800 006 992
Email: ila@arts.gov.au
Who we've funded
The following organisations received funding in 2024–25:
The following organisations received funding in 2023–24:
The following organisations received funding in 2022–23:
The following organisations received funding in 2021–22:
The following organisations received funding in 2020–21:
The following organisations received funding in 2019–20:
The following organisations received funding in 2018–19:
The following organisations received funding in 2017–18:
The following organisations received funding in 2016–17:
The following organisations were funded in 2015–16: