The check-ins and showcase date are fixed as milestone deliverables, but you can plan everything else around your calendar. You will need to notify NIDA Future Centre as soon as possible of timeline alterations (eg workshop dates etc). Any additional equipment or space requests to NIDA will be met on an as-available basis. Please remember to submit your full availability with your application.

You must be able to deliver a Work-in-Progress presentation on the showcase date and be prepared for an audience Q&A about your project. The audience will be treated to all three projects on the same day, moving from one to the next. There will be bump in/out and rehearsal time available in the days prior to the delivery. As each project will be different, the project delivery itself can be anything from a demonstration, a discussion, a realised scene from a future full production, or something even more complete.

All entries will be reviewed by a small panel of judges at NIDA, who will create a shortlist of potential winners. If shortlisted, you will be required to participate in a one-hour Q&A with the selection panel on the 13th of August. The winners will be announced in the weeks following the selection meeting.

We will assign the mentors after the projects are selected, to ensure the expertise aligns with the project needs. We will discuss the possible type of mentor during the shortlist meetings.

Please note, the mentors will be asked to give a set minimum amount of time allocated to your project – they are consultants, not team members.

We’re looking for a great creative idea first and foremost. We would love you to think outside the box when it comes to live entertainment experiences. We are after something people have not experienced before.

The technology should support and enhance the story – not gimmicky or shoehorned in to get a project off the ground. We’re looking for ideas that explore a way of using technology that we haven’t seen before in live entertainment. The technology/ies should be integral to the project’s success.

NIDA alumni only.

We are aiming for three projects, but there is a possibility of more or less, depending on the applications chosen and the funding allocation.

In short, yes – but you must be able to fulfill your obligations to the NIDA X program and be able to participate in it fully without conflicting with your other funding sources. Please disclose any additional funding sources in your application.

Your idea can be a seed concept, an early-stage project, or one nearing completion that needs final investment to be realised. While the NIDA X program may not enable a fully realised version of your idea or project, you should have a good sense of how you might achieve your idea and the steps it would take to achieve it.

Yes—provided each idea or project is distinct.

If you’re elsewhere in Australia, we’ll do our best to connect you with a local mentor. For International and locations in Australia where a suitable mentor cannot be secured, the mentor sessions will be remote. All our facilities and equipment are based in Sydney, so you must factor in your own alternatives when applying. Alternatives to the final showcase delivery will be discussed on a case-by-case basis.

Up to $20,000 per winner will be disbursed in instalments tied to the project’s milestones. The check-ins will be used to determine the progress of the project and will trigger the release of the next stage of funding.

While NIDA X primarily supports project-related expenses, a portion of the funds may be used for reasonable living costs directly tied to the project. This must be outlined in the project plan and approved by NIDA.