The Women in Culture Awards are presented on 17 October 2026 at the Sydney Opera House — the UNESCO International Day of Intangible Cultural Heritage. They are the first national awards in Australia to formally recognise women’s cultural work as a professional field of national significance, assessed and recorded permanently in the CWA Heritage Skills Registry.
Founding partnerships for the 2026 Awards are open to organisations whose work aligns with the recognition of women’s cultural contribution, provenance, and the infrastructure that makes that recognition durable.
There are four partnership categories
Principal Presenting Partner
Full programme partnership including naming rights to the 2026 Awards, venue and production costs, regional nominee travel assistance, and permanent Heritage Skills Registry entries for all recipients. Includes co-branding across all communications, representation on the Awards Advisory Panel, and direct engagement with nominees and recipients.
Category Partner
Named sponsorship of a specific award category aligned to your organisation’s area of interest. Includes association with the award, inclusion in all ceremony materials, and engagement with nominees in your field.
Founding Endorser
Formal endorsement of the CWA Minimum Standards for Cultural Work and Provenance. Endorsers are listed permanently on the CWA register and associated with the Awards in all public communications.
Inaugural Endowment Partner
A contribution that ensures the Women in Culture Awards continue as a permanent annual programme beyond 2026. Founding endowment partners are recognised in perpetuity on the Awards charter.
The full Case for Support is available on request.