About
UPSTAGEING Community Grants sponsored by Arcare Aged Care
Online applications open Thursday the 4th of December 2025 and close on Monday the 2nd of February 2026
Local organisations, neighbourhood groups and creative community members are invited to take part in UPSTAGEING Canberra, our first large-scale Creative Ageing Arts Festival, launching in March 2026.
Proudly presented by COTA ACT, the festival celebrates the bold, brilliant and diverse creative expression of older Canberrans. From theatre and visual arts to dance, music, film and hands-on workshops, UPSTAGEING is all about amplifying creativity in later life – and giving every older person the chance to shine.
To help bring community-driven ideas to life, the festival is offering a series of small seeding grants of up to $250, generously sponsored by Arcare Aged Care, for activities and events held between 20–29 March 2026. You don’t need an ABN or a formal organisational structure – just a great idea that connects people, celebrates creative ageing and takes place right here in the ACT.
Grants are open to ACT-based groups and organisations, including schools, retirement villages, aged care facilities, multicultural associations, arts collectives, sporting clubs, Community Sheds and informal neighbourhood networks. Activities should promote participation, creativity and community spirit.
With Arcare’s support, UPSTAGEING Canberra is ready to help your idea flourish.
Receipt of applications will be acknowledged by automated email to the Contact Person indicated on the application.
NB: If you do not receive an immediate email acknowledgement, please check your Spam or Junk email folder. If still no response, please try again and email us at festival@cotaact.org.au
Successful grant applications will be notified by Friday the 20th of February 2026.
Criteria for Community Grants
- Grants are only available to organisations based in the ACT for events / activities being held within the ACT.
- Activities must be held within the eligible time period: 20th to 29th of March 2026
- Activities should assist in increasing awareness of celebrating the bold, brilliant, and diverse creative expression of older people.
- Activities should promote community involvement and cooperation.
- Activities must not be intended to promote commercial interests.
- Events / activities may fit into more than one of the categories below, or have a different focus.
Community Grant Ideas
- The Window Gallery Walk, A facility uses its street-facing windows to display art created by residents, creating a walking trail for locals to enjoy from the footpath.
- The Memory Garden Installation, Participants paint terracotta pots with bold designs and plant seedlings, arranging them as a temporary, colourful art installation in a shared garden.
- Sit Down Disco, An accessible dance party for those with limited mobility, using chair-dancing techniques and upbeat music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s.”
- The Portrait Swap, An art class where a student is paired with a senior. They spend time talking, then sketch or paint each other’s portrait.
- The Living Library, Students borrow a senior for 15 minutes to hear a specific story or memory from their life.
- The Five-Minute Memoir, A guided writing session teaching participants how to quickly capture vivid, meaningful, and short stories from their lives
- Digital Scrapbooking 101, A session teaching participants how to scan old photos and documents and use basic software to create a digital memory book.
Thanks to our supporters
UPSTAGEING Canberra would not be possible without the support of our sponsors and partners
