REVIEW OF THE AUSTRALIA COUNCIL MAY 2012 - Creative ...

Recommended Grants Application ProcessThe strategic direction of the organisation is informed by Advisory Panels which, as custodians of artform practice within the sector, are able to keepthe Board abreast of innovation, excellence, challenges and opportunities within artforms. The role of the Board is to take this advice from across itsPanels, balance this alongside its own commissioned research and the patterns it sees emerging from the peer assessment rounds, and to synthesizethis information into a clear vision and priorities for action for the organisation as a whole.This strategic direction is an integral part of the peer assessment process. When juries are formed, peers receive an induction which includes theCouncil’s strategic direction and information on general grant eligibility. Peers’ judgment of excellence is used to rank applications within a round, withreference to the Council’s strategic framework.Staff will identify potential peers from a pool to form juries each round. Final selection of juries will be determined by matching of available peers tothe types of applications received. If a high number of applications are received, the number of juries used to assess that round will increase to ensurea manageable level of applications per jury.There is active participation by the Executive in the jury appointment and management process to ensure consistency of approach.This process delivers flexibility to deal with all types of artform applications (including collaborations).It creates a truly contestable and dynamic funding model directly informed by the organisation's overall strategic direction.As the commitment and work load is reduced and the pool of peers increases, the breadth and diversity of peer assessors appointed to juries willincrease.As a result of the high turnover of peers, there is also greater education and engagement with the sector (through the peers passing on theirexperience) about the mechanics of the grant process.Higher turnover of peers also allows for high and more regular inclusion of peers from states which have expressed feelings of isolation from the grantprocess.32