Across Canberra, older people are quietly and powerfully shaping our cultural life. They are painters, singers, dancers, storytellers, photographers, gardeners, makers and mentors. They are the keepers of memory and the spark for new ideas. In March 2026, that creativity will take centre stage with the launch of UPSTAGEING Canberra, the ACT’s first large-scale Creative Ageing Arts Festival.
To help community ideas come to life, UPSTAGEING Community Grants, sponsored by Arcare Aged Care, are now open. Applications close on Thursday 29 January 2026, and local groups are encouraged to think boldly about how creativity can connect people, celebrate later life, and strengthen community.
Proudly presented by COTA ACT, UPSTAGEING Canberra will run from Friday 20 March to Sunday 29 March 2026, offering ten days of performances, exhibitions, workshops and shared experiences created by and for older Canberrans. The festival spans theatre, visual arts, music, dance, film and hands-on making, with a strong emphasis on participation, accessibility and joy.
Grants designed to remove barriers
One of the most exciting aspects of the UPSTAGEING Community Grants is how accessible they are. These are small seeding grants of up to $250, designed to spark ideas rather than weigh people down with paperwork.
You do not need an ABN, incorporated status or a long organisational history. You simply need a good idea that:
- Takes place in the ACT
- Happens during the festival period (20–29 March 2026)
- Encourages participation, creativity and connection
- Celebrates creative ageing and older people
Grants are open to ACT-based organisations and informal groups alike, including neighbourhood networks, Community Sheds, schools, sporting clubs, aged care providers, retirement villages, multicultural associations and arts collectives. If people gather, create and share together, your idea belongs here.
Why creative ageing matters
Research from Australian universities consistently shows that creative participation in later life supports wellbeing, social connection, cognitive health and a sense of purpose. Creative ageing is not about “keeping busy”. It is about expression, agency and belonging.
UPSTAGEING Canberra places older people at the centre of the story, not as audiences but as creators, leaders and collaborators. With the support of Arcare Aged Care, these grants help ensure that cost is not a barrier to participation and that ideas from all corners of the community can flourish.
What could your $250 support?
While the grants are small, their impact can be significant when ideas are grounded in community. Here are some ways groups might use the funding.
Neighbourhood creativity pop-ups
A local street or housing complex could host a morning of shared creativity: poetry readings, sketching sessions, craft tables or music circles led by residents. Funds could cover art materials, printing, or light refreshments to encourage people to linger and talk.
Intergenerational arts workshops
Schools or youth groups could partner with older community members to co-create something together. This might be a short performance, a shared mural, a zine of stories, or a filmed conversation across generations. Grant funds could support materials, venue hire or simple recording equipment.
Cultural storytelling and heritage projects
Multicultural associations might use the grant to host language, music or dance workshops led by older community members, sharing traditions with family and neighbours. Funds could be used for costumes, instruments, or translation and accessibility supports.
Creative movement and wellbeing sessions
Dance, gentle movement, singing or rhythm workshops tailored for older bodies can be deeply empowering. The grant could support facilitator fees, space hire or adaptive equipment to ensure everyone can participate safely.
Exhibitions in unexpected places
Community Sheds, libraries, clubs or aged care facilities might curate small exhibitions of work by older artists: photography, woodwork, textiles or painting. Funding could cover display materials, signage or an opening event that invites the wider community in.
Memory and place projects
Groups could invite older residents to share stories about a local park, suburb or building, turning those memories into short performances, audio walks or visual displays. The grant could support printing, audio equipment or facilitation costs.
Simple process, clear timelines
Applications are submitted online and close on 29 January 2026. Receipt of applications will be acknowledged by automated email, so applicants are encouraged to check spam or junk folders if they do not receive confirmation immediately.
Successful applicants will be notified by Friday 20 February 2026, giving plenty of time to plan activities ahead of the festival. All funded activities must take place between Friday 20 March and Sunday 29 March 2026, during the UPSTAGEING festival period.
A festival shaped by community
UPSTAGEING Canberra is not about a single venue or a central stage. It is a festival shaped by community, unfolding across neighbourhoods, halls, studios, sheds and shared spaces throughout the ACT. The Community Grants are a key part of that vision, ensuring the festival reflects the diversity, creativity and lived experience of older Canberrans.
If you have an idea that brings people together, honours creativity in later life and invites participation, this is your invitation to step forward.
Applications are now open. To apply, visit the website.
Sometimes, all it takes is a small amount of support to turn a good idea into a moment of connection that people remember long after the festival ends.
