Creative Australia has revealed the shortlist for the 2025 Asia Pacific Arts Awards, which recognise and celebrate Australian creatives engaging with the arts and audiences in the Asia Pacific.
The awards recognise achievement across six categories, with the recipients to be announced on 3 March 2025 during a ceremony at the Arts Centre Melbourne as part of Asia TOPA.
The shortlist was selected with advice from an independent panel of industry experts, and includes artists, collectives and organisations engaging in creating, presenting and sharing work across the region.
Executive Director of Arts Investment, Alice Nash, said:
"We are excited to announce the 30 finalists of these awards, who uniquely demonstrate artistic excellence, innovation and the power of arts and culture to connect communities. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and look forward to honouring their contributions in March."
Shortlistees represent a wide region of engagement across the Asia Pacific, including but not limited to India, Indonesia, China, the Pasifika diaspora in Australia, Timor Leste, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Singapore and the Asian diaspora in Australia.
2025 Shortlistees:
Impact: Awarded to an Australian artist, collective or arts organisation to recognise significant impact on communities and/or audiences in the Asia Pacific:
- Belvoir St Theatre/Kurinji
- Daniel Boyd
- Latai Taumoepeau
- Liminal Magazine
- James Mangohig
Innovation: Awarded to an Australian artist, collective or arts organisation to recognise a unique method of practice, engagement and/or process to build creative links in the Asia Pacific.
- Arts House (Okkoota ಒಕ್ಕೂಟ)
- Bábbarra Women's Centre with Tharangini Studio
- Footscray Community Arts Centre (The Saison Foundation and Footscray Community Arts First Nations Art and Cultural Exchange)
- Pari and Arab Theatre Studio, with Gudskul (Lumbung)
- RMIT University's non/fictionLab (Connecting Asia-Pacific Literary Cultures: Grounds for Encounter and Exchange)
Connect: Awarded to an Australian organisation for delivering an intersectional program to diverse audiences over the last 18 months.
- Blacktown Arts
- Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre
- PacifiqueX
- Refugee Art Project
- un Projects
Inspire – Individuals/Groups/Collectives: Awarded to an Australian artist or group/collective for a project of artistic merit that was co-presented, co-produced or co-developed in the Asia Pacific.
- Abdul Abdullah
- Léuli Eshrāghi
- Taloi Havini
- Crossing Rivers (Roselle Pineda and Paschal Daantos Berry)
- Angela Tiatia
Inspire – Organisations: Awarded to an arts organisation or cultural institution for a project of artistic merit that was co-presented, co-produced or co-developed in the Asia Pacific.
- 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art - 4A.I.: Elsewhere in India
- Arts House, Campbelltown Arts Centre, PICA - BLEED Biennale 2024
- Indian Ocean Craft Triennial (IOTA) - IOTA 2024
- National Gallery of Australia with National Gallery of Singapore - Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia
- Wantok Musik Foundation - Hamoris Lian Timor (Reviving the Sound of Timor)
Legacy: Awarded to an individual or arts organisation that has demonstrated leadership and commitment to working interculturally and internationally, building the capacity of communities and audiences, or opening pathways for a new wave of diverse artists, over 10+ years.
- Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan
- Leo Tanoi
- Yumi Umiumare
- Grace Vanilau
- Alexis Wright
