A selection of publications recently supported by the Foundation

National Gallery of Australia
Cressida Campbell, 2022

Edited by Dr Sarina Noordhuis-Fairfax. Image: Cressida Campbell, Lotus (detail), 2019, Collection of Paul, Sue and Kate Taylor, Brisbane, image courtesy Warren Macris © Cressida Campbell.

Shepparton Art Museum
Lin Onus: The Land Within, 2022

Edited by Belinda Briggs and Dr Shelley McSpedden

Sydney University Press
Tiwi Textiles: Design, Making, Process, 2022

Authors: Diana Wood Conroy with Bede Tungutalum. Cover artwork: Bede Tungutalum, Blue Circles with Twin Birds and Sandpiper, experimental silk-screen on calico using paper stencils, 1974. Diana Wood Conroy Collection

Geelong Gallery
Clarice Beckett—Atmosphere, 2023

Published by Geelong Gallery to coincide with the exhibition Clarice Beckett—Atmosphere, 1 April to 9 July 2023. Essays by Jason Smith, Lisa Sullivan, Dr Rosalind Hollinrake and Denise Mimmocchi (AGNSW), and an illustrated list of exhibited works. Cover: Clarice Beckett, Rainy day, 1930, Geelong Gallery, Purchased 1973

National Art School
Colin Lanceley: Earthly Delights, 2022

Published on the occasion of his major exhibition at the NAS Galleries. Image: A midsummer night’s dream (detail), 1985, oil on carved wood and canvas, The Lanceley family collection.

Central Goldfields Art Gallery
Ladder to the Stars – Dean Bowen Sculptures, 2023

Published by Central Goldfields Shire, Maryborough, Victoria. Featured artwork on the catalogue cover: Photography: Viki Petherbridge, Sculpture by Dean Bowen, Ladder to the Stars 2020, bronze, 46.5 X 47 X 10.5 cm, unique cast

State Library Victoria
Handmade Universe: From craft to code and the spaces between, 2022

Published to coincide with the exhibition Handmade Universe: From craft to code and the spaces between, 24 June 2022 - 26 February 2023. Text by Linda Short and Bethan Johnson, cover design by Forde + Nicol.

Monash University Publishing
Victory Over Death: The Art of Colin McCahon, 2021

Authors: Rex Butler and Laurence Simmons. Cover image: Colin McCahon, Victory over death 2, 1970, synthetic polymer paint on unstretched canvas, 2075 x 5977mm, National Gallery of Australia

Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Noŋgirrŋa Marawili: Daughter of the Lightning Snake, 2022

Published by Maitland Regional Art Gallery for the exhibition held 19 February – 14 August 2022. Essay by Will Stubbs with contributions from Yirrmal and extracts from ‘Nongirrna Marawili: From my Heart and Mind’ reproduced with permission by Cara Pinchbeck

Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
Joe Furlonger: Horizons, 2022

Contributors: Michael Hawker, Simon Wright, Gillian Osmond and Ruby Awburn. Image: Joe Furlonger, Bathers (detail) 1987, Oil on canvas. Purchased 1988. Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. © Joe Furlonger

GLAAS Inc / Australian Scholarly Publishing
Lights Everlasting: Australia’s commemorative stained glass from the Boer War to Vietnam, 2023

Author: Bronwyn Hughes. First published 2023 by Australian Scholarly Publishing. Design: David Morgan; Cover Image: Alan Sumner, War Memorial window, 1966.

Aims, Guidelines and Application Procedures 2023

Aims

The Gordon Darling Foundation is a perpetual public charitable trust, established in 1991 to "support Australia-wide, activities of importance in the Visual Arts."

It will give priority to exhibitions of Australian, Asian, Pacific or other international art, or those of significant local importance.

It will assist with the costs of research, travel, publication, and the dissemination of knowledge and the enjoyment of all aspects of the visual arts to the widest possible audience.

The Foundation is normally prepared to support well-conceived projects of all kinds in the Visual Arts (other than capital works).

The Foundation encourages applications from all over Australia.

Who can apply?

The Foundation can only provide funding to Public Institutions in Australia. Applicant organisations must have Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.

Individuals wishing to apply for funding for projects must partner with a Public Institution which then takes on responsibility for the project.

The Trustees will normally award only one application per organisation in any twelve-month period. Darling Travel Grants are considered a separate funding stream and do not preclude an organisation from applying for or receiving a grant.

What we do

Funding may be provided for:

  • catalogues and publications:
    • that are scholarly, preferably with well-researched new information.
    • that provide a permanent record of an exhibition, collection, or work of an artist or movement.
  • marketing or promotional costs, if they aim to reach new audiences, especially young audiences.
  • professional education initiatives, including individual professional development.
  • collection management initiatives, including database development and conservation.
  • research projects leading to the recognition and publication of material of significance.
  • internationally known speakers for symposia.

In relation to catalogue projects, preference will be given to exhibitions which will tour a cluster of venues, sharing costs, staff and experience

Applications for international travel should only be made through the Darling Travel Grant / International program - see Application Procedures below.

What we don't do

The Foundation usually does not fund:

  • capital works, acquisitions, prizes or commissions.
  • general or core operational activities.
  • retrospective funding.
  • recurrent funding of a project or exhibition.

Guidelines for publication funding applications

In assessing applications for publication funding, several key factors will be considered, in addition to well-planned, scholarly content:

  • pricing should be as accessible as possible and suited to anticipated audiences.
  • print runs should be appropriate to reasonable anticipated demand.
  • plans for distribution beyond the applicant’s venue/s should be noted, and are encouraged.
  • circulating a large proportion of a print run as complimentary copies is usually discouraged, though gifts to a limited number of local, state and higher education libraries would be welcomed.

Grant reports received by the Foundation continue to show that publication print runs are often far in excess of sales, regardless of the quality of the publication. Applicants are encouraged to carefully consider anticipated sales when deciding on a print run.

The Foundation usually does not fund:

  • publications to be given away.
  • major publications which largely replicate existing publications.
  • catalogues for commercial exhibitions.
  • "vanity publications", whether of the institution, author or subject of the application.
  • souvenir or promotional publications.

Other funding criteria

The Foundation will consider funding projects that provide new or increased audience access to the visual arts.

Projects will be expected to attract considerable public exposure (applications should include details).

The Foundation may be the sole grant provider, the lead donor, or a participant in a collaborative funding with other private and/or public donors.

The Foundation will not normally support projects that have been almost fully funded from other sources.

By publishing these guidelines, the Foundation aims to encourage a high standard of application.


Application procedures

General Grant Program

  1. Read these guidelines to ensure that your project is a good fit.
  2. Contact the Gordon Darling Foundation to request the current year's application form:
    • Email: - a brief description of your project would be advantageous.
    • Phone: 03 9820 3168
    Administrators: Sherrie Antonio / Alister Shew
  3. Applicants should phone the Foundation to discuss their proposed application prior to submission.
  4. Applications must be made using the current year's form and emailed to by 5pm (AEST/AEDT) on the closing date. The main application form should be submitted in the original Microsoft Word format. Supporting material should be submitted in A4 PDF format.
  5. Receipt of applications will be acknowledged by email.
  6. Applicants will be advised of outcomes by phone, and then by post.

Submissions will be examined by the Trustees of the Foundation three times a year. Applications for 2023 have now closed.

The application closing dates for 2024 are:

  • Friday 5 January (outcomes advised in late February)
  • Friday 31 May (outcomes advised in early July)
  • Monday 30 September (outcomes advised in late October)



Darling Travel Grants / International

The aim of these grants is to provide visual arts professionals employed by Australian public institutions with the opportunity to undertake international travel. Travel must be for a specific purpose and deliver benefits for both the individual and the institution. Applicants should have written support from their Director or Board Chair to undertake the travel.

Applications for the 2024 Darling Travel Grants / International have now closed. Applications for 2025 will open in November 2024 - please check back for exact dates.