The ideas or projects can be performative, apps, social experiments, immersive storytelling, installations, events, radical reimagining of art forms and techniques, or something that can’t yet be categorised. Ideas should be bold and transformative, presenting new ways of reimagining, creating, or engaging with the arts. We are not interested in conventionally styled projects.

The award is open to emerging artists and creative thinkers aged 16–30 as of April 30, 2025, who are:

• Permanent residents or citizens of Australia, or
• Citizens of countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

NIDA alum, (Production, 1965) Jim Sharman has created over 80 productions, many of which had a transformative effect in Australia and internationally. His groundbreaking work has traversed stage and screen, including opera and musicals. His productions include three era-defining musicals – Hair (Sydney, Tokyo, Boston), Jesus Christ Superstar (Australia, and 9 years in London’s West End) and The Rocky Horror Show (UK, USA, Australia) – as well as countless premieres and radical interpretations of classics, including works by Shakespeare, Mozart, Strindberg and Brecht. Jim was Artistic Director of the influential Lighthouse (State Theatre of South Australia) and the 1982 Adelaide Festival, bringing Pina Bausch to Australia. Jim revived and premiered plays by Patrick White and directed the premiere of Richard Meale’s opera Voss, based on White’s novel. Among his film work, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the longest running film in the history of cinema. He is the recipient of the JC Williamson Centenary Lifetime Achievement Award and the Sydney Theatre Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. His memoir, Blood and Tinsel, was published in 2008.

The award is designed to empower emerging artists and creative thinkers during the formative stages of their careers. The age range of 16–30 has been selected to align with the challenges often faced by individuals in this demographic, who often have limited access to professional networks, funding, and institutional support. The Award seeks to address the specific needs of this group, fostering opportunities for young creatives to experiment, collaborate, and launch transformative projects.

This age group also represents a generation that has grown up in a world defined by the internet and digital technology, which have profoundly shaped how they think, create, and engage with ideas. From early childhood or adolescence, they have experienced the rapid evolution of digital tools, global connectivity, and diverse cultural influences, enabling them to offering fresh insights to artistic and cultural transformation.

Applicants under 18 are eligible to apply. However, as minors (under 18 years of age), the following conditions apply:

• A parent or legal guardian must co-sign all award agreements and progress reports.
• If selected as a winner, the award funds will be disbursed into a joint account held by the recipient and their parent or legal guardian. This ensures oversight while empowering the recipient to participate actively in managing the project.
• The parent or guardian must approve any individual expenditure exceeding AUD$1,000 to ensure alignment with the project’s objectives.
• The parent or legal guardian is not personally liable for project outcomes unless they choose to take on such a role.

Applicants must meet the primary eligibility criteria:

1. Be aged 16–30, and
2. Either
   • A permanent resident or citizen of Australia, or
   • a citizen of an Asia-Pacific country.

Dual nationals are eligible if one of their nationalities is from an Asia-Pacific country. Temporary residents of Australia are only eligible if they hold citizenship in an Asia-Pacific country.

Yes, if you meet the eligibility criteria and are the leader of the project.

Yes, groups or collectives can apply, provided that the lead member meets the eligibility criteria and serves as the primary applicant.

Yes, if you and your idea or project align with the award criteria, and you disclose other funding sources in your application.

Yes, applications are welcome in any language. Submissions in English are preferred, but we will provide translations if needed. Finalists will receive additional accommodations as required.

Your idea can be a seed concept, an early-stage project, or one nearing completion that needs final investment to be realised. While this award money may not enable a fully realised version of your idea or project, you should have a good sense of how you might achieve your idea and the steps it would take to achieve it.

You can submit your pitch in any format, including video, written documents, audio, animation, or interactive media. You can use a combination of modes. Your application must answer all questions posed in the application form.

Yes, but only if your ideas or projects are distinct.

No, applicants retain full intellectual property rights. NIDA recommends that applicants review Australian copyright and patent laws to safeguard their concepts.

Basic ideas are not subject to copyright under Australian law, but specific formats or expressions of your idea might be automatically protected. For product-based ideas, consider obtaining a patent before your pitch. NIDA encourages applicants to familiarise themselves with Australian copyright and patent laws to ensure their work is protected.

Finalists who cannot travel to Sydney for the final pitch on April 29 or 30, 2025 can deliver their pitch via live stream. Reliable internet access and a suitable device will be required. Pre-recorded pitch submissions will be considered as an alternative for regions with poor connectivity.

The AUD$50,000 award will be disbursed in instalments tied to the project’s timeline and milestones. The specific disbursement schedule will be determined in consultation with the recipient.

Recipients must submit brief progress reports detailing how the funds have been used and how the project is progressing. Reports will be required at agreed-upon intervals, typically every three to six months. For recipients under 18, these reports must be co-signed by their parent or legal guardian.

While the award primarily supports project-related expenses, a portion of the funds may be used for reasonable living costs directly tied to the project. This must be outlined in the project plan and approved by NIDA.

NIDA and those acting on behalf of NIDA, including the judges, reserve the right to choose not to award the Jim Sharman Future Award and its funding in 2025.