Hey Mate x You: The Co-Create Callout 2026
At Hey Mate, we’ve always believed that the best creative projects aren’t just about what gets made — they’re about how we make them.
When creativity and care come together, people thrive, ideas deepen, and the work feels better for everyone involved.
That’s why we’re launching something special for 2026:
Hey Mate x You — The Co-Create Callout.
We’re inviting artists, collectives, and organisations across Australia to collaborate with us on creative projects that champion wellbeing, connection, and psychosocial safety in the arts. Whether you’re producing a festival, developing a new performance, running a workshop series, or designing a professional-development program — if your project puts people first, we want to hear from you.
Between January and June 2026, Hey Mate will work with a number of creative projects nationwide as their wellbeing partner. Each collaboration will be unique — from tailored workshops and Mental Health First Aid training, to wellbeing strategy, debrief sessions, or psychosocial-safety design.
How it works
Each selected project will engage Hey Mate as a paid wellbeing partner, with services tailored to the scale and needs of your activity. We’ll provide a clear proposal and quote for each collaboration to ensure it’s accessible, transparent, and designed for impact.
One finalist, chosen through a community vote in January 2026, will receive a $5,000 in-kind Hey Mate partnership, valid for the duration of their project.
Who can apply
Applications are open to individuals, collectives, organisations, councils, and other creative ventures across the arts, screen, festivals, GLAM, and creative industries. You don’t need to have everything figured out — we’ll help you shape the wellbeing component together.
If your project runs later in the year, you can also opt in to hear about future collaboration opportunities from July–December 2026.
📅 Applications close Saturday 30 November 2025.
✨ Bring your idea. We’ll bring the care.
Together, we can make creativity a little kinder.
