Government Launches $2 Million Fund to Boost Australian Independent Publishing and Support Local Writers

In a major boost to the nation’s literary landscape, Writing Australia has officially opened applications for the Australian Publishing and Promotion Fund 2026–27.

Established under the Australian Government’s landmark National Cultural Policy, Revive, the initiative will inject $2 million into the local independent publishing sector to foster a more viable, innovative, and competitive domestic market. Eligible Australian independent publishers can apply for co-investment grants ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 to support their operations, administration, and promotional activities.

In a move designed to directly support creators, Writing Australia has announced that successful applicants will receive an additional 10% financial top-up on top of their base grant. This bonus funding must be passed directly to authors and illustrators as non-recoupable payments.

According to Writing Australia, these bonus payments acknowledge the significant editorial and personal costs incurred by creators during the publication process. The top-ups are slated to prioritize First Nations authors, creators from underrepresented communities, writers of niche or high-cultural-value titles with limited commercial potential, and those working on collaborative or long-term projects like children's picture books.

To ensure the fund supports genuine human creativity and local business viability, Creative Australia has set strict eligibility criteria.

Applicants must be majority Australian-owned, have operated in the country for at least three financial years, and primarily publish physical trade books. Furthermore, the guidelines explicitly target emerging technologies: books wholly or substantially created by generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are ineligible for funding. Publishers must transparently disclose any instances where AI was used to assist in the creation or publication of a work.

The fund is open exclusively to trade publishers of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction who have a proven history of paying standard advances and royalties to creators. Educational, spiritual, self-help, and purely electronic/e-book publishers are among those excluded from applying.

Publishers must register in Creative Australia’s application management system at least two business days prior to the closing deadline. Applications will be assessed by a panel of industry peers based on the viability, impact, and strategic alignment of the proposed publishing programs. Supported activity must start between 1 July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027. 

For full guidelines and eligibility details, visit the official Creative Australia Portal.