Outline of program sessions and days

Across two in-person summit days, Creative Practitioners will come together to learn from subject matter experts, explore emerging leadership practices, and co-design bold futures.

The Commencement Summit (Term 1) sets the tone with vision-building, keynote provocations, and peer connection.
The Graduation Summit (Term 4) celebrates achievements and showcases inquiry outcomes from Australia’s first CEP cohort.

Discipline Days provide space for deep, focused exploration of real-world challenges and opportunities in each practitioner’s chosen field.

Participants engage in critical dialogue, creative problem solving, and evidence-informed workshops guided by Advisors and subject matter experts. These sessions support the development of practitioner inquiries and facilitate connection within discipline-aligned peer groups.

Each term, participants gather for CELC Days—regional or local learning communities designed to embed discipline learning into real practice and place.

These days support connection across disciplines and sectors, allowing participants to reflect, refine, and apply their learning with support from peers. CELC Days prioritise dialogue, co-creation, and collective insight grounded in context, community, and care.

Locations will be matched to participants’ regions wherever possible, with blended or hybrid options under consideration.

Creative Practitioners will complete two inquiries over the course of the program: one collaborative and one independent. These are practice-based, real-world investigations grounded in personal, organisational, or community contexts.

Through this process, practitioners learn to gather evidence, reflect critically, test new approaches, and evaluate their creative and cultural impact. Inquiry is central to the CEP model—it builds leadership, authorship, and applied capability.

To graduate from the Creative Excellence Program, participants must:

  • Attend at least 90% of scheduled learning sessions
  • Complete and submit inquiry documentation and reflection aligned with CEP quality indicators

Graduates will be recognised as part of the inaugural CEP alumni network and may be eligible to apply for the Creative Excellence Fellowship—a post-program opportunity to lead a funded, high-impact project that transforms creative practice and strengthens the creative economy.

Got Research?

Are you a researcher or expert reshaping how we understand art and culture? Submit your insights, case studies, or data-backed papers to Scientific Notebooks — and help turn evidence into impact.


Read More from The Gazelle

Why the Future Will Raise the Value of Being Human

Why the Future Will Raise the Value of Being Human

As headlines warn that AI will replace human work, new research suggests a more important shift is underway. This article …
What We Choose to Value

What We Choose to Value

As artificial intelligence reshapes the global economy, a deeper shift is emerging. This article explores why culture — not just …
What Cannot Be Replaced

What Cannot Be Replaced

As artificial intelligence reshapes the future of work, neuroscience reveals why the human hand remains central to thinking, learning and …
The Work of Our Hands

The Work of Our Hands

The work of our hands is more than production — it is how we think, feel and communicate. As modern …
More Than a Product

More Than a Product

Handcrafted goods are more than products—they carry history, skill and cultural identity. As global economies rediscover the value of artisan …
Heritage Skills in Practice

Heritage Skills in Practice

Australia’s heritage skills are at risk of disappearing within a generation. This article explores why these skills are critical economic …
Women in Culture

Women in Culture

The Women in Culture initiative by the Creative Women’s Association addresses the historical under-recognition of women’s cultural and intellectual contributions, …
That number is 76.

That number is 76.

Women perform 76% of all unpaid household and care work — not because of love alone, but because of a …
From Value to System

From Value to System

Australia stands at a turning point. As heritage and provenance gain economic value globally, the need for systems, standards and …