Brisbane’s Melt Festival Development Program Returns to Support LGBTQIA+ Artists Across Queensland
The Melt Festival Development Program is back in 2025, offering vital funding and creative support for LGBTQIA+ artists and producers across Queensland. Set to take place as part of the Melt Festival — Brisbane’s premier celebration of queer arts and culture — the initiative will help elevate new and diverse voices on a national stage from 22 October to 9 November 2025.
Delivered by Brisbane Powerhouse and supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, the program provides two streams of funding:
- Up to $15,000 for regionally based Queensland artists to support travel, logistics, and accommodation.
- Up to $10,000 for South-East Queensland and metropolitan applicants based on project scale.
Following the record-breaking success of Melt Festival 2024, which reached 20 million people and showcased 280+ artists, the 2025 program aims to support around 20 artists from both regional and metro areas. Last year’s standout production Tina – A Tropical Love Story—featuring Queer First Nations artist Miss Ellaneous—set the benchmark for powerful, community-led storytelling.
Queensland Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek called the program a “dynamic opportunity” to amplify queer voices as the state looks toward Brisbane 2032.
Executive Producer Emmie Paranthoiene added, “This is a vital investment in Queer creativity. It empowers artists to take risks, share stories, and connect with audiences.”
Applications for the Melt Development Program are open now at melt.org.au and close on 14 July.
