Frequently asked questions

What is Culture Makers?

Culture Makers is an initiative, guided by an independent Creative Advisory Panel, in which Museums Victoria invites creative ‘Culture Makers’ to create experiences and programs that engage and connect public audiences with our museums and spaces.

For Season One, artists were invited to respond to an Expression of Interest in October 2022. Seven artists were then selected to create art and programming at Museums Victoria.

What type of programs can participants create?

In Season Three, Culture Makers can apply for audience categories at Melbourne Museum:

• Education Experiences
• Family Experiences 
• Adult Experiences 

How can I apply to become a Culture Maker?

Submit your idea via our online Expression of Interest (EoI) portal.

What is required in the application?

Applicants will respond to the questions in the online form, including responding to selection criteria, providing a short biography and providing links to any websites or online works.

When do I need to submit my Expression of Interest by?

Expressions of Interest close 5.00pm, Friday 12 April 2024.

When will the programs be delivered?

Season Three will be delivered from 1 July 2024 – 1 July 2025.

What are the benefits to the artists?

Participants gain insight and experience working in the GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) sector through collaboration with museum staff.

How will artists be compensated for their work?

Culture Makers will be given a fee for their work, along with a budget to execute their vision in collaboration with museum staff.

How will artists be supported?

Participants will be supported by Museums Victoria's team of producers throughout the project period, working closely with museum teams to refine and deliver the experience.

Who decides which applications are successful?

Members of an independent Creative Advisory Panel will review applications and select successful Culture Makers based on responses to the Expression of Interest and alignment with Culture Makers values and principles.

When will successful applicants be notified?

Successful applicants will be contacted during May 2024.

How many successful applicants will there be?

There are six opportunities available across Museums Museum; one artist or collective will be selected for each opportunity.

What selection criteria will applicants be judged by?

Applicants must provide responses to the below selection criteria:

1. Share an artist bio. This could include past experiences of delivering public programs, education programs, exhibitions, curation or anything else you think is relevant.
2. How is your work aligned with the Culture Makers principles?
3. How does your way of working align with the Culture Makers values?

What is Museums Victoria looking for in Culture Makers?

All selected Culture Makers will have work which aligns with the values and principles of Culture Makers.

Principles of Culture Makers are:

• Respect for ownership, authority and responsibility of First Peoples,
• Shared responsibility to place First Peoples at the core of Museums Victoria’s practice, and that
• Social cohesion is a foundation for social harmony

Culture Makers values are:

• Inclusivity
• Visibility
• Collaboration
• Change
• Reciprocity

What is the eligibility?

To be eligible to be a Culture Maker you must: 

1. Identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander 
   AND/OR 
   Identify as culturally or linguistically diverse / person of colour 
   AND/OR 
   Be collaborating with those identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander or culturally or linguistically diverse / person of colour.
2. Reside in Victoria.
3. Be willing to develop your creative ideas with the Museums Victoria team to deliver an experience at the Museum for a negotiated period from July 2023 – June 2024. 

What opportunities are available?

Applicants apply to deliver their experience within three audience categories – Adult, Education and Families: 

Adult category

Adult experiences and events such as Nocturnal. Adult audience events can be multi-artform and include elements of music, visual art, workshops, speakers and installation.

Melbourne Museum offer adult events and experiences which are as varied as the audiences that engage with them.

With thousands of people visiting Melbourne Museum each month, and 43% of audiences aged between 18 and 34, our experiences are designed to cater to a large number of young adults.

Education category

Education programs and events at Melbourne Museum provide innovative learning experiences for young people.

Our younger audience appreciates contemporary idea-making explored through many creative forms. As an education audience Culture Maker, you will be supported by a Museum Educator to design and develop a program exploring your creative practice. Whilst some facilitation experience is beneficial, you do not need to be an educator to apply.

Culture Makers Lab can build cultural understanding and human connection, inviting young people to explore contemporary ideas about identity, social history and culture through self-expression and creative forms. Culture Makers Lab could be a performance, workshop, panel or participatory moment for young people to engage with and learn through. These events can also activate galleries and spaces to enable a safe place for courageous ideas and the sharing of stories.

Families category

Melbourne Museum family experiences and events include school holiday programming - onsite and online activations that enable child and adult learning and entertainment experiences.

Most family visitors have pre-school (0-5) or early primary school-aged children. Museums Victoria has a strong emphasis on intergenerational learning; when children and adults engage together, it enhances the experience for all participants.

With tens of thousands of people coming through Melbourne Museum every holiday, experiences are designed to cater to large numbers of visitors.

Who is the supporting partner for Culture Makers?

Culture Makers has been made possible thanks to the generous support of The Scanlon Foundation. The four-year philanthropic partnership between the two organisations was formed in 2022 to advance participation, diversity and belonging within Museum Victoria’s workforce and across creative programming outcomes for all three of its museum sites.

The partnership builds on Museums Victoria’s commitment to breaking down participation and engagement barriers for diverse audiences and aligns with core aspirations of the Scanlon Foundation.

Where to get in touch with additional questions?

Please get in touch with the team at [email protected] or phone 13 11 02.