Arts & Cultural Funding Program - Glossary

This is Australian Business Number. You need one if you are successful before you can get the funding. You must have an active ABN with a nominated bank account. If you don’t have one you can apply online here.

The Nominated Bank Account must be a separate account at a financial institution used solely for the Grant, or an existing general account at a financial institution where adequate internal financial controls are in place to identify the Grant.

Driven by self-determination, Create NSW has developed protocols as a series of suggested questions within five key principles. Artists, arts and cultural workers and organisations should consider these protocols as a minimum standard when planning a project that engages in any way with Aboriginal arts and culture. The protocols follow the Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) 

You can find more information here (PDF 3.6MB)

Activities are the workshops/ performances/exhibitions/events that are part of the creative outcome the applicant is seeking funding for in a specific location, suburb or postcode. 

Please note you are not accessed on the number of activities. This data is to identify the number of activities at the different locations funded activity takes place in. This is a commitment of Creative Communities policy to ensure that all NSW citizens have opportunities to contribute to and experience arts and culture. 

A report on how the funding was spent and what happened. This includes information about where the project took place, number of artists involved and number of people who participated as participants or audiences. 

Artists must have a commitment to arts/cultural work as a major aspect of their working life, even if this work is not the main source of their income. The term is intended to indicate a degree of training, experience, or manner of working that allows their work to be assessed against the highest practiced standards in their relevant artform or discipline. 

These may include but is not limited to:

• Actors
• Artistic directors
• Choreographers
• Curators
• Community Artists
• Dancers 
• Digital artists
• Directors
• Editors
• Exhibition designers
• Illustrator
• Lighting designers
• Musicians
• Performing artists
• Producers
• Podcast creators
• Sculptors
• Set and costume designers
• Visual Artists
• Writers

The Artform Boards assess all project applications for the different artforms. Members are artists and arts and cultural workers. They include professional artists, producers, arts managers and independent company leaders. You can find more information about the Artform Boards here

The ACFP priorities are now called Strategic Priority Areas as identified in the Creative Communities Policy. 

Creative Communities is the NSW Government’s 10-year integrated policy for arts, culture and the creative industries 2024-2033. Further information and the policy can be found here - Creative Communities | NSW Government 

The Strategic Priority Areas are:

• First Nations stories and communities
• Western Sydney and/or regional NSW
• Next generation of creatives and audiences
• Broad and inclusive communities and content
• Accessibility and equity

Definitions are provided in the glossary under Strategic Priority Areas

People involved in the arts and culture sector as a major aspect of their working life, even if this work is not the main source of their income. This includes the production, technical, promotion, management, evaluation and administration of cultural and creative works. 

These may include but is not limited to: 

• Administrators
• Agent
• Finance
• General Managers
• Installer
• Marketing
• Museum worker
• Production Managers
• Promoter
• Publisher
• Researcher
• Technicians

Rates of pay prescribed by legally binding industrial awards and agreements. These are the rates organisations should be paying artists and creatives.

Create NSW wants you to pay the people who work on your art or culture project fairly. The following organisations can provide advice on payment rates for artists, including musicians and arts/cultural workers:

• Australian Museums and Galleries Association
• Australian Society of Authors
• Australian Writers’ Guild
• Live Performance Australia
• Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance
• Museums and Galleries NSW
• Musicians Australia
• National Association for the Visual Arts

Musicians - It is recommended events implement a $250 minimum fee per musician. This fee is based on a ‘3 hour call’ as set out in the Live Performance Award and endorsed by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Audience is paid and unpaid attendance at an exhibition, performance, or arts and cultural event. Digital and online audiences are recorded separately. (See also participants)

Infrastructure and building works. Includes renovations and building improvements. For this, connect with Create Infrastructure funding opportunities here.

The progression of an artist or arts worker from emerging (usually the first five year of their practice/role) to mid-career and then to established.

Stage of development/career

Starting out - early career, beginning an arts and/or cultural practice

Emerging - working towards an on-going arts and/or cultural practice

Mid-career - have developed an ongoing arts and/or cultural practice

Established - have achieved a sustainable, ongoing arts and/or cultural practice

Classical Music:

• This term most broadly refers to notated classical music in the western music tradition but may also extend to other non-western traditions.
• Classical music is characterised by its emphasis on formal structure, balance, and sophisticated instrumental and vocal writing and performance.
• It encompasses a wide range of genres including symphonies, concertos, sonatas, chamber music and solo works - both conducted and unconducted.

Opera:

• From the western classical music tradition, opera is a form of theatre in which music and particularly voice plays a fundamental role in storytelling.
• It combines vocal and instrumental music with staging and dramatic elements such as direction, acting, sets, and costumes.

Choral

• The term Choral relates to music designed for or performed by a choir, chorus or group of singers.
• Choral music encompasses a wide range of styles and genres.

Art and Ensemble Music:

• Art music encompasses contemporary classical music, contemporary jazz, improvised music, experimental music, and sound art.
• Art music comprises music often with a more experimental bent, performed by a group of musicians often in an ensemble setting.
• Ensemble music refers to music performed by a small to medium group of musicians. This can range from small groups, such as a percussion or string quartet (four musicians), to larger groups, such as a chamber orchestra.
• Ensemble music can be found within many genres, including classical and jazz music.

Community arts and cultural development (CACD) activities/services are engagement with, and participation in, arts and culture at the local and community level, with community decision-making and input at the heart of the project/program. CACD activities/services focus on collaboration between arts and non-arts practitioners to deliver strong community and arts outcomes particularly for sectors of the community that may be disadvantaged.

The establishment of Sound NSW in 2023 allowed for an expansion of programs to increase support for contemporary music beyond the NSW government funding that existed through the Arts and Cultural Funding Program (ACFP).  

Create NSW, through the ACFP, continues to support contemporary music with a focus on contemporary classical, contemporary opera and ensembles, experimental and sound art as well as community arts projects. (See definitions below) 

Sound NSW now provides funding across more genres within the contemporary music industry to support activity for NSW artists, businesses, live music venues, organisations and professionals. As a contemporary music development office, Sound NSW works with the broader music industry ecosystem to embed long-term sustainability within music businesses and artists' careers, as well as increasing the profile of NSW talent locally and globally.

For funding related to contemporary music please contact Sound NSW at General Enquiries: (02) 9372 8700 or email: soundnsw@create.nsw.gov.au or the Sound NSW website 

Definitions

Sound NSW defines contemporary music as new and original music. 

Artists creating all kinds of new and original music are eligible to apply for support, except for creators of contemporary classical, contemporary opera, work for ensembles, experimental and sound art, or community arts projects. Artists creating or presenting these sorts of works are eligible to apply for support via the Arts and Cultural Funding Program (ACFP). More information about the ACFP can be found here [Arts and Cultural Funding Program | NSW Government].  

Experimental music or sound

Applicants seeking support for experimental music or sound activity should direct their applications to the ACFP - Digital, Experimental, Immersive and Light Art assessment board. This board considers applications that focus on the use of experimental approaches, artistic risk-taking and includes the development of cutting-edge contemporary practice. Digital artforms includes application of new forms of technology and existing forms such as podcasts. It includes activity which utilises and manipulates digital and/or analogue sound as the primary medium. It may be interdisciplinary (incorporating more than one media). It may include, but is not limited to: electronics, interactive work, generative music, environmental sound, installations, soundscapes, electroacoustic music and intermedia works.

Contemporary Classical and Ensembles

Applicants seeking support for contemporary music projects that involve notated composition and ensemble work should direct their applications to the ACFP - Classical Music / Opera / Choral / Ensemble assessment board. This board considers applications from composers, soloists and ensemble groups including percussion.

Working in and with Community

Applicants seeking funding support for contemporary music projects with community organisations and groups should direct their applications to the ACFP - Community Arts and Cultural Development assessment board. This board considers applications that focus on working collaboratively with communities through art and culture and could include activity from creation of new works, recordings, performance and skills development.

The Creative Communities whole-of-government arts, culture and creative industries policy expands the range of support provided by government to include the broader creative industries as well as the state’s traditional arts sector.

The breadth of the NSW Government’s policy is reflected in a new, more expansive definition of arts, culture and creative industries. It includes but is not limited to:

• Broadcasting and digital media  
• Design, architecture and fashion  
• Built and physical heritage  
• Creative and arts education  
• Creativity in the food and beverage sector  
• Creative innovation in the technology sector 

A term used to describe people who speak a language other than English (LOTE) – also referred to as people from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB), spanning diverse languages, nationalities, traditions, societal structures, and religions. 

This funding is designed to support individuals and organisations that are led by and/or support strategic priority areas to develop and deliver a range of arts and cultural experiences for artists, arts workers, communities, and audiences that reflect the diversity of people in NSW.

Led by and/or support 

It is recommended your project be led by and has at least 50% (more than half) artists, arts and cultural workers who identify as belonging to a strategic priority community the work is relevant to.

Or is led by and has at least 50% (more than half) artists, arts and cultural workers living in a target population area (Western Sydney or regional NSW) for at least 12 months. 

A grant provided by, or received from, a funding program delivered and managed by another organisation on behalf of Create NSW.

Digital & Experimental

• Combining or involving two or more artforms using experimental approaches, artistic risk-taking, and including the development of cutting-edge contemporary practice. Encompasses new artform development, Sound Art and Experimental Music. Digital artforms includes application of new forms of technology and existing forms such as podcasts.

Immersive 

• Artforms that envelop the participant in a total experience, engaging multiple senses and often blurring the lines between the artwork and the real world and could include virtual reality and Infinity rooms.

Light Art 

• A visual art form in which light is the main if not sole medium of creation. It includes projection mapping using projectors to create images and videos on surfaces, often buildings or landscapes.

   

Create NSW uses the Social Model of disability. This identifies the barriers in society as being the disabling factors that prevent or limit opportunities. Disability may be permanent or temporary and may not be visible. Mental health and Neurodivergence is included in this definition. This definition is different to using the condition, illness, or loss/lack of function as the way of defining people. d/Deaf and hard of hearing people are eligible to apply as artists living with disability.

The ‘uppercase D’ Deaf is used to describe people who identify as culturally Deaf and are actively engaged with the Deaf community. Deaf with a capital D indicates a cultural identity for people with hearing loss who share a common culture and who usually have a shared sign language.

The ‘lowercase d’ deaf refers to the physical condition of having hearing loss. People who identify as deaf with a lowercase ‘d’ don’t always have a strong connection to the Deaf community and don’t always use sign language. They may prefer to communicate with speech.

Financial partners provide financial benefit/s for the applicant organisation to diversify income and support organisational sustainability. The financial contribution may be from a range of sources, such as partnerships, philanthropy, sponsorship, grants of financial donorship or Local Government. For more information on eligible sources, please see FAQs.

First Nations is a broader term that is used when referring to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia. It emphasises the diversity of cultures, languages, and nations, and it honours the original people of the land who have thrived here long before colonisation and endured through times of great dispossession and dispersion. Within the Create NSW context, "First Nations NSW" in state-level funding is not exclusionary but rather prioritises and encompasses both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups to support the cultural preservation and artistic expression that is specific to NSW.

Create NSW funding is for First Nations peoples residing in NSW for at least 12 months. They identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person and is accepted by the artistic and cultural community in which they live or have lived. Successful applicants may be asked to provide a reference letter from First Nations peers or community groups prior to contracting, if appropriate.

Create NSW recognises there are many different types of artistic and cultural practices and the importance of self-determination that will help artists and communities to make networks and connections that will sustain culture.

This can be an Independent Aboriginal organisation, an Independent Aboriginal Arts and Cultural organisation, a NSW Local Aboriginal Land Council, an Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal Medical Service and/or an Aboriginal Community organisation that focuses on cultural expression, arts, and community development. The organisation must be First Nations led to apply to the First Nations Arts and Culture Artform Board. This means the board of management and senior leadership must have a majority of at least 51% First Nations members. 

If you don’t want to manage the funding yourself, you can engage an external organisation to do it for you. A funds auspice or administrator is a body/third party (such as a manager, agent or producing organisation) that can receive and administer funds on your behalf. You may be asked for a fee for this service, and it is recommended that you include that fee in your activity budget.

Group/Cooperative/Ensemble

Two or more individuals working together on a project. These entities do not usually have legal status.

It is recommended the members have a written agreement about roles, responsibilities and budget management.

Unincorporated groups, cooperatives, ensembles, unincorporated associations, or other entities that do not have legal status, must be contracted by an individual or a funds administrator on behalf of the group or association. 

All funding requests and budgets should be EXCLUSIVE of GST. (Do not include GST)

For financial questions in relation to GST or taxation we recommend you contact a financial expert or Australian Tax Office (ATO) 

ICIP is all the rights that Aboriginal people have, and want to have, to protect their traditional arts and culture. The idea of ICIP is based on the principle of self-determination. More information is at Home - Arts Law Centre of Australia

In-kind support/ income/ expenditure

Non-cash support from partners or suppliers who provide goods or services for free, or in exchange for sponsorship or recognition, instead of payment.

This can include services, venue hire, donated materials and equipment or products.

In-kind income and expenses can be included in budgets.

These contributions must be measurable and provable.

It should not include artist fees. Create NSW wants you to pay artists, arts and cultural workers fairly. For artist fees see Award rates.

Note: In-kind income must always equal in-kind expenses in your budget.

Individuals who play a key part in the planning, delivery, implementation, and reporting of a project or program. 

This is an abbreviation that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and the plus (+) sign represents a spectrum of other sexual orientations and gender identities. It's a term used to describe a diverse community of people whose sexual orientations or gender identities differ from the heterosexual and cisgender majority.

The creation of a new art or cultural work. This can include basing the work on another existing work. However, to be competitive you will have to demonstrate in your application that what you are planning to do is significantly original and new. 

An organisation that does not distribute its profit to its owners or members. The organisation can still make a surplus but it is added to retained earnings to further support the objectives of the organisation.

Currently living in NSW (for a minimum of 12 months)

A legally constituted entity with an ABN. These may have a range of structures including company, associations and cooperatives.

A participant is paid and unpaid attendance at a workshop or other activity where they are actively engaged in making, creating, or learning. Digital and online participants are recorded separately. (see also audiences)

Two or more organisations or individuals working together to use the expertise and resources provided by each partner to develop and/or deliver a project. A partnership has a clear benefit to the partners.

Note: A Partnership can also be a legal entity. 

A professional artist or arts and cultural worker must have a commitment to arts/cultural work as a major aspect of their working life, even if this work is not the main source of their income. The term professional is intended to indicate a degree of training, experience or manner of working that allows their work to be assessed against the highest practiced standards in their relevant artform or discipline.

Skills and knowledge for both personal development and career growth, including all types of formal and informal learning opportunities including workshops, mentoring, residencies, courses and creative sector conferences and networking events. 

A series of activities delivered by artists and arts and cultural workers, defined by a strong artistic rationale or curatorial premise. It includes an organisation’s principal artistic program to be delivered over the term of the funding agreement.

The activities you are asking to be funded. This can be a one-off or time-limited activity, or series of events with specific goals and conditions. The project will have defined responsibilities for all artists, arts and cultural workers, a budget, a plan, and a specific start date and end date.

Outlines the steps and resources involved in the delivery of a project. It is a description of the steps to be taken to achieve the proposed outcomes. It should include primary activities, a timeline, key personnel and locations, and other Key Milestones relating to the project.

Regional NSW is defined as the areas outside Greater Sydney.  Create NSW defines Greater Sydney as including the local government areas of the Northern Beaches and Hornsby Shire to the North, Hawkesbury City to the North-West,  City of Blue Mountains to the West, Wollondilly Shire to the South-West and Sutherland Shire to the South.

The ability and power to make decision that impact people’s social, personal and cultural activities.

Service Organisations are those with a primary purpose of providing services and expertise to members of the arts and cultural sector of NSW. Organisations predominantly developing and delivering arts and cultural programs should not apply as a Service Organisation.

Applicants can apply for 

• Small or Large budgets

This is the amount of funding you are requesting from Create NSW.

This should reflect the scale of the tour/project.

These will be assessed separately to ensure equity and fairness. If successful, you may be required to provide a more detailed budget prior to contracting.

The strategic plan’s core element of vision, mission, and goals provide a high level “roadmap” for an organisation. It outlines where the organisation currently is, where it intends to go, how it intends to get there, and the resources required over the life of the plan.

First Nations stories and communities

Australia proudly acknowledges and holds the heritage of the oldest continuous living cultures, with a significant population of First Nations people living in Sydney and across NSW. "First Nations" is a broader term that is used when referring to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia. It emphasises the diversity of cultures, languages, and nations, and it honours the original people of the land who have thrived here long before colonisation and endured through times of great dispossession and dispersion. 

Within the Create NSW context, "First Nations NSW" in state-level funding is not exclusionary but rather prioritises and encompasses both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups to support the cultural preservation and artistic expression that is specific to NSW. It ensures that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of NSW receive focused support for their cultural continuity and artistic endeavours and is used to acknowledge and focus on the diverse Aboriginal nations within the state of New South Wales (NSW). It carries a lot of respect and recognition and should be used when specifically referring to the Aboriginal nations within NSW, Australia. 

When collaborating and engaging with First Nations artists or organisations it requires a deep respect for and adherence to Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) rights.  It is essential that we respect First Nations peoples sovereign right to control how their creative expressions and traditional knowledge are used, shared, and celebrated.

Western Sydney and regional NSW

Western Sydney encompasses the thirteen local government areas of Blacktown City, Blue Mountains City, Camden Council, Campbelltown City, The City of Canterbury Bankstown, Cumberland Council, Fairfield City, Hawkesbury City, Liverpool City, The City of Parramatta, Penrith City, The Hills Shire and Wollondilly Shire.

Regional NSW is defined as the areas outside Greater Sydney.  Create NSW defines Greater Sydney as including the local government areas of the Northern Beaches and Hornsby Shire to the North, Hawkesbury City to the North-West,  City of Blue Mountains to the West, Wollondilly Shire to the South-West and Sutherland Shire to the South.

Next generation of creatives and audiences

The next generation of creatives and audiences includes young people aged between 18-25. It also includes emerging artists, and arts and cultural workers who are generally in the first five years of their creative practice or profession, regardless of age. The creation of sustainable career pathways for both young and emerging artists, and arts and cultural workers is a key priority for the ACFP. The next generations of audience can include those who are yet to engage with your artform or practice.

Broad and inclusive communities and content

Broad and inclusive communities refers to the wide diversity of NSW people including First Nations communities, people of non-English speaking background, those from cultural and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities, and those who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. It also refers to our regional communities outside the cities as well as the unique communities in our urban environments. You can also consider the diversity of audiences, artists, and arts and cultural workers.

Broad and inclusive content refers to existing and traditional artforms and practice such as visual arts, museums, literature, performing arts as well as new and emerging digital and experimental artforms and practice.

Accessibility and Equity

Accessibility and equity refer to the inclusion of people with disability or who are d/Deaf. When considering equity, you may wish to include areas of accessibility (physical, financial, economic and social), inclusion, reach, to ensure there are as few barriers as possible to engagement with your program. 

 Choose the most relevant and strongest samples of work. Assessors have limited time to review support material.

Samples can be submitted as:

• 10 pages of written material – best provided as one document
• 10 still images -best provided as one pdf document
• Audio/visual - limit: maximum 5 minutes in one file, in electronic format
• If web site links are provided it is advised to direct the assessors to the most relevant pages.

Restrictions on Attachments

• Each file uploaded must not exceed 25MB
• Please provide attachments in .pdf format where possible
• Zip files cannot be accepted

An exhibition, presentation, or performance of work by artists, arts and cultural workers in which activities are delivered in a place or places other than the original location. 

A variation is a request to make changes to a successful funding application. Further information for funding recipients including variations can be found here - Info for funding recipients - Create NSW | NSW Government

Covering almost 9,000 square kilometres and home to around 2.7 million people, Western Sydney is one of the largest economic areas in Australia. Western Sydney encompasses the thirteen local government areas of Blacktown City, Blue Mountains City, Camden Council, Campbelltown City, The City of Canterbury Bankstown, Cumberland Council, Fairfield City, Hawkesbury City, Liverpool City, The City of Parramatta, Penrith City, The Hills Shire, and Wollondilly Shire