Puppetry in the Pilbara and high-fashion catwalks led by older Australians are among the projects funded in the latest round of investments from Creative Australia, which directs $7.8 million into 20 creative projects across every state and territory.

Spanning theatre, science, music, fashion and storytelling, the selected projects explore new frontiers in both subject and form. They range from immersive outdoor spectacles to intimate language reclamation works, with a strong emphasis on First Nations-led initiatives and intergenerational engagement.

All The Queens Men: Coming Back Out Salon (Sydney WorldPride 2023). Photo © Bryony Jackson

Among the headline works: Strong Is the New Pretty, a new play by Prima Facie playwright Suzie Miller, will explore the rise of women’s AFL as a lens on Australian identity; Tales from the Inner City, based on Shaun Tan’s award-winning book, will be transformed by Perth Festival into an interactive urban adventure through Perth’s CBD, and Hobartica, a collaboration between art and science organisation Beaker Street, CSIRO and the University of Tasmania, will reimagine Hobart as the gateway to Antarctica, blending tourism, climate science and creative storytelling.