Applications for the Sydney Festival 2026 Arts Industry Program are now open. 

Arts Pass is designed to provide greater Sydney Festival opportunities for practicing artists, arts students and arts workers in Australia.

The benefits include:

1. Access to a limited number of discounted Arts Pass tickets to most Sydney Festival events
2. Access to exclusive artist and industry events
3. Membership is free and lasts for the duration of the Festival
   
   

We use the following definitions in assessing applications:

• A professional performing or visual artist is a person who creates works of performing or visual arts, who is paid for their artistic practice, whose practice contributes to the development of art and culture, and who is recognized as a professional artist by their peers.

• A tertiary arts student is a person currently enrolled in a recognised Australian tertiary education institution, undertaking studies in a performing or visual arts-related field. Students must be able to demonstrate an active commitment to developing a professional arts practice.

• An arts worker is a person who works professionally in the performing or visual arts and contributes directly to the processes of making art – but is not necessarily an ‘artist’. Examples of eligible professions include: paid stage managers, production managers, lighting, sound, set and costume makers and designers, arts marketers, producers, curators and programmers.

To qualify for the program, artists and arts workers must be currently practicing – this means having at least one work professionally funded, developed or produced in the past 12 months.

Please note: Teachers, ushers, hospitality staff and students are not automatically eligible. You must also demonstrate an active commitment to developing a professional arts practice outside of your work or studies.

The Arts Industry Program is open to Australian residents only, although work undertaken overseas is eligible for qualification.

Arts Pass discounts are only available on selected full priced General Admission or A Reserve tickets, exclusions apply.

Apply now