Cultural Access – Priority Area Projects FAQs

Cultural Access supports arts and cultural projects that are led by and/or significantly support priority communities to develop and deliver arts and cultural experiences for artists, arts workers, communities, and audiences.

This grant can fund research and development, creation, presentation, community-led activities, partnerships, access initiatives and leadership-building projects by individuals, groups or organisations who identify with one of the ACFP Strategic Priority Areas or have a project that will deliver outcomes for one of the Strategic Priority Areas. 

To be eligible for this grant, your project must be led by and/or significantly support at least one of the following priority areas:

• First Nations stories and communities
• Broad and inclusive communities and content
• Accessibility and equity
• Western Sydney
• Regional NSW
• Next generation of creatives and audiences.

Yes. It is not enough to mention a priority area briefly - your application needs to clearly show how the project is connected to, shaped by, or is supporting specific community in a meaningful way.

Eligible applicants include:

• individuals aged 18+ who have lived in NSW for at least 12 months
• unincorporated groups
• organisations with legal status
• local government business units.

A comprehensive explanation of eligibility requirements is provided on the Guidelines page.

Yes. Applicants need an ABN, or an auspice/funds administration arrangement in place by the time of contracting if successful.

No. An applicant can only submit one application across the current ACFP Project Funding round streams. You can also be included as a group member in another application as long as you are not the lead applicant.

Yes. You can apply again if you were unsuccessful in the previous round, as long as the project is eligible and the activity dates fit this round.

Multi-year funded organisations are not eligible to apply for this funding, however can provide support for an individual artist or organisation who is the lead applicant. Support may include auspicing, providing space or equipment to make the work, or providing mentorship, training, partnership, or collaboration.

Applicants who are partnering or engaging with a multi-year funded organisation are encouraged to demonstrate that their project is distinctly led by the lead applicant, and that the planned activity does not form part of the multi-year funded organisations core program.

You can submit an application, however if you are successful, a contract will not be issued, and payments will not be made until all Create NSW / Sound NSW acquittals have been submitted.

No. To be eligible for funding applicants must be based in NSW for at least 12 months prior to applying.

• Individuals and groups: $10,000 to $75,000
• Organisations: $20,000 to $100,000.

Applications open on 13 April 2026 and close on 25 May 2026 at 2:00 pm.

Projects must start after 1 September 2026 and be completed by 31 December 2027.

No, there is only one round of Project funding planned for 2026. If you are planning a project that is taking place in 2027 you should apply for this current round.

Upcoming rounds will be published on the Funding Calendar when confirmed.

Create NSW is unable to offer extensions to the published application period. Applications will close at 2:00 pm on Monday, 25 May 2026. Applicants are advised to submit their applications well before the round closing to avoid any last-minute issues.

If troubleshooting or general assistance is required, please contact arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au.

Cultural Access funding can support:

• research and development of new work
• creation and presentation of work
• community-led cultural activity
• collaborations and partnerships
• projects that build capacity, leadership, access and participation.

Eligible costs can include:

• artist and arts worker fees
• venue or space hire
• travel and accommodation
• mentorships and workshops
• materials
• marketing and promotion
• accessibility costs
• First Nations protocol and ICIP costs
• administration directly related to the project.

Cultural Access funding does not support:

• course requirements relating to an accredited course
• retrospective costs that take place prior to the eligible project start date (1 September 2026)
• equipment that is not directly related to the project
• Infrastructure or capital works
• fundraising or donations
• awards or prize money
• loan repayments
• films, TV shows or film festival projects, as these artforms are funded by Screen NSW
• contemporary music projects, as these artforms are funded by Sound NSW.

New work is the development and/or creation of a new art or cultural work and can include remounted works, or works based on previous/existing projects. However, to be competitive you will have to demonstrate in your application that what you are planning to do is significantly original and new.

Activities related to films, TV shows or film festivals is not supported under this grant. Applicants working in these artforms should consider Appling to Screen NSW’s funding programs.

Professional development related to contemporary music is not funded under this program, and applicants working in these artforms should consider apply to Sound NSW’s funding opportunities.

Applicants working in contemporary classical, contemporary opera, ensemble music, experimental and sound art, or community arts projects are eligible to apply.

Your application must include:

• an online form completed via SmartyGrants
• work samples (up to 25MB)
• letters of invitation, collaboration or partnership, where relevant
• outcome information such as location, audience or employment estimates, where relevant.
   

No. General support letters are less useful than confirmation letters. If a partner, collaborator, venue or community relationship is important to the project, confirmation of that arrangement is stronger evidence.

Applications are assessed against three criteria:

• Idea (40%)
• Diversity, Participation and Connection to Place (30%)
• Planning, Experience and Financial Management (30%).

“Idea” looks at the strength and clarity of your proposed activity. Describe your project, clearly summarising what the activity is, as well as its aims and purpose.

You may want to consider the following:

• What will your project involve?
• Who is it for and why is it important for the artform/area of practice and the Strategic Priority Area?
• What impact or benefit will the project have for the artist/s, arts and cultural workers, community and/or audience?
• Will the project have positive impacts on the career or skills of those involved?

Applicants should demonstrate that:

• The vision, aims and purpose support the development, creation and/or presentation of an arts and cultural project that is designed, led by and/or supports NSW artists, arts and cultural workers, communities and audiences included in the ACFP Strategic Priority Areas.
• The activity is relevant and significant to the chosen artform / area of practice.
• The activity contributes to career and skill development of artists, arts and cultural workers and/or organisational capacity building.
• The activity contributes to personal and/or community wellbeing, and economic development.
• The collaborations and partnerships are well aligned and relevant.
• outcomes of the activity are commensurate with the scope and scale of the proposal (does the project demonstrate value for money).

In this section, describe who the project is for and what the impact will be. You may want to consider the following:

• Who is the project relevant to?
• Who will it benefit? For example, artists, communities and/or audiences?
• Which Strategic Priority Areas will your project address?
• How does the project reflect perspectives of diverse communities in NSW?
• What results do you want to see at the completion of your project?
• Will your project increase access and participation in arts and cultural experiences?
• Does the project have connection to First Nations people/communities?

Applicants should ensure that they demonstrate that the project:

• is designed, led by and/or significantly supports NSW artists, arts and cultural workers, groups, organisations and/or audiences included in the Strategic Priority Areas.
• strengthens communities through inclusion and equitable access to arts and cultural experiences. 
• strengthens the diversity of cultural leadership within the NSW arts and cultural ecosystem.
• demonstrates Connection to Place – the project is meaningful to the people and place where it is happening.
• if using First Nations content or working with First Nations people, supports First Nations self-determination and cultural practice.

This criteria looks at how the activity supports you and, where relevant, how it connects to Create NSW priority areas, including:

• First Nations stories and communities
• accessibility and equity
• Regional NSW
• Western Sydney
• broad and inclusive communities and content
• next generation of creatives and audiences

For definitions of the Strategic Priority Areas, see the ACFP Glossary.

Explain why the project is happening in that location, how it connects to the local community or environment, and why it is the right place for the work.

You can find more information about ‘Connection to Place’ here.

Applicants should demonstrate that:

• The project is meaningful to the people and place where it is happening.
• If using First Nations content or working with First Nations people, supports First Nations self-determination and cultural practice.

You may want to consider the following:

• Where will the project take place?
• Why did you choose this location (or these locations)?
• Have you engaged with the local community? Do they support the activity?
• How is the project meaningfully connected to the place where it will happen?
• If you are working with First Nations artists or communities, how are you connecting with First Nations people/communities? What connections have you already established? How do you understand and use the protocols for First Nations engagement and ICIP?

Planning and Financial Management is the third assessment criteria. This criteria looks at whether the activity is well planned, achievable, costed realistically and has the right people involved to deliver the project successfully.

Applicants may want to consider the following:

• What activities will you undertake to deliver the results you described in the ‘Idea’ section?
• Do the activities align with the intended outcomes you described for the artists, arts and cultural workers, communities and/or audiences?
• If the project includes partnerships or collaborations, how will they each contribute and what will they deliver and when?
• Consider why the outlined activities are appropriate for the project. Are they sequenced at the right time with the right people to achieve the project goals?

Applicants should demonstrate that:

• The project has been planned appropriately with clear steps and activities.   
• The budget is realistic and well planned.
• The artists, arts and cultural workers, collaborators and/or partners have the right experience, skills and expertise to deliver the activity/ies.
• If applicable, provide evidence that First Nations Protocols and Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) have been adhered to.    
• If applicable, has considered accessibility costs or requirements.
• The scale of the project is commensurate with the funding amount requested (demonstrates value for money).

A strong application is clear, specific and well planned. It should show alignment with the program objectives and should include relevant support material, realistic activities and outcomes, and a reasonable budget that matches the written proposal.

When writing your application you may wish to consider the following:

• Ensure the rationale for your proposal is appropriate to the funding round and that your project sits within the eligibility criteria.
• Consider how your proposal aligns with the Program Objective and clearly addresses the relevant assessment criteria.
• Ensure each response directly addresses the question being asked.  and clearly responds to the specific criteria assessed in that section.
• Use plain English and avoid flowery language and jargon. If you are using AI to help draft your application ensure that you retain your voice and that the responses are clear, concise and specific to your project.
• Substantiate your claims with clear examples, evidence, and relevant support material.
• Confirm that your timeline, budget, and proposed activities are consistent, realistic, and aligned.
• Be specific about the activities you will undertake as well as the expected outcomes.
• Avoid assuming prior knowledge of your work and ensure your application clearly explains your proposal without leaving gaps for interpretation.
• Remember that applications are assessed by the Artform Boards. More information on the Artform Boards, including definitions for each Board, and the members' biographies can be found here.

Additional tips and tricks:

• Having a third party look over your application before it is submitted can be helpful to see the application from a fresh perspective.
• Consider your proposal through the eyes of an assessor who may not be familiar with your past work; ensuring that the rationale and projected outcomes are easily understood.

A strong budget is:

• realistic
• clear
• aligned with the project and matching the scale of the activity
• supported by notes where needed, especially when clarifying larger items.

It should show:

• how the money will be spent
• where income is coming from
• how the project is being co-contributed to
• Balanced income and expenditure (a break-even budget without a surplus or deficit).

Yes. The budget should clearly reflect the project described in your written answers. 

Yes. Budget notes are useful for showing:

• how figures were calculated
• how artist fees were worked out
• how ticket income or other revenue estimates were reached 

Yes. Your budget must break even, meaning total income (including the Create NSW request, your cash contribution and any in-kind support) must equal total expenses. Budgets should not show a surplus or a deficit and must clearly reflect the project described in your application.

Key principles to keep in mind

• Create NSW does not fund 100% of a project’s total income.
  • The amount requested from Create NSW must be no more than 90% of the total project income.
  • This means applicants must contribute at least 10% of the total project income from other cash and/or in‑kind sources.

Total project income is made up of two parts:

• Total project income = Create NSW amount requested + applicant contribution (cash and in‑kind).

Your budget must break even:

• Total project income = total expenditure = total project cost.
• The income you list must exactly match what you plan to spend on the project.

These requirements work together and must all be met for an application to be eligible.

In summary

Always calculate percentages using total project income, not just the Create NSW request.

Ensure the Create NSW amount is no more than 90% of total income (or, equivalently, that the contribution is at least 10%).

Make sure total income equals total expenditure, so the budget breaks even.

Support material should be recent and relevant. Most importantly it should clearly support the project you are proposing.

Keep it focused. Only include material that is directly relevant and easy for assessors to review. 

Support material can include documentation of current or previous work, project mock-ups or images, video/audio or text excerpts that help to outline the work that you have done or are proposing. If relevant, you may wish to supply biographies/CV's for relevant parties engaged in your project.

Yes. The inclusion of fees that enable the artist/arts workers directly involved in the project to do their work can be included in your budget. This may be a percentage based on the number of childcare hours per week or ad hoc childcare required for them to participate.

Create NSW does not fund 100% of the project.

Demonstrating a diversity of income sources, such as cash or in-kind support, or additional funding sources for larger projects can help to substantiate the viability of the project.

Yes. Travel and accommodation can be included if they are directly related to the project.
 

Yes. Marketing and promotion costs to promote the project, reach audiences and share outcomes are eligible and could include costs like design, printing and digital promotion.

Yes. Accessibility costs should be included where relevant. These could be any costs that remove barriers so all people, including people with disability or who are d/Deaf can participate, such as Auslan, captioning, access support or access equipment. 

Access costs could include the cost of childcare for the artist or arts worker to participate in the activity.

Paying wages and fees of artists and arts/cultural workers should be based on relevant awards and industry rates. For example, events or activities receiving funding from Create NSW must pay at least $250 fee for musicians. This fee is based on a ‘3 hour call’ as set out in the Live Performance Award.

Additional information regarding sector specific award rates can be found in the Glossary.

Yes, all wages and fees should be subject to on costs, superannuation and workers comp. For further details see  Australian Taxation Office.

Not necessarily, however confirmation of activities, partners or collaborators can help to strengthen an application.

Not necessarily, however confirmation of activities, partners or collaborators can help to strengthen an application.

Applications submitted to Create NSW’s Arts and Cultural Funding Program (ACFP) are assessed by 10 Artform Boards with up to 20 members on each board. Applicants can learn more about the Artform Boards via the Artform Board FAQs.

No – applications from individuals and groups will be assessed separately from organisations.

Create NSW supports applicants working across a broad range of artforms and mediums. Further information about the specific artforms that each Artform Boards support can be found in the Artform Board FAQs.

Choose the Artform Board that best matches the main focus of your practice and development activity.

If your work crosses disciplines, select the board best placed to understand the context of what you are proposing.

If your work is cross-disciplinary, focus on the board that is most aligned to your:

• long-term practice
• main purpose of the activity

Yes. Previous funding recipients are listed on the guidelines page of each round and can be found via the Funding Calendar.

Grants are generally considered to be income and may affect your tax. Create NSW is unable to offer tax advice, so applicants are encouraged to speak to a financial professional or contact the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) directly.

If applicants are seeking a large funding request it is highly recommended that they understand the tax implications of receiving funds prior to contracting.

No. Budgets should be exclusive of GST. If you are successful you can include GST on your invoice if required.

Before you start

We encourage you to review the eligibility and assessment criteria before starting your application. This will help you understand the requirements of the program and determine whether your project is suitable.

Accessing SmartyGrants

• If you are a new user, you will need to register and create a password before starting your application.
• If you are already registered, you can log in using your existing username and password.

Viewing the application form

Please note that SmartyGrants uses conditional logic. This means:

• You are unable to view all sections of the application when you first begin.
• Additional pages and questions will become visible as you complete earlier sections and depending on your responses.

Yes. Applicants can request:

• a Word version of the form
• dictation support
• translation support
• the option to answer some questions by audio or video.

No. Applications must be submitted via SmartyGrants.

No. Create NSW staff can provide information on the guidelines and eligibility, but they cannot give feedback on draft applications.

If your project is not suitable for this grant round we encourage you to explore current and future funding opportunities listed on our Funding Calendar. To keep up to date with Create NSW opportunities we encourage you to sign up to the Create NSW E-News.

Create NSW staff can provide information on the guidelines, but cannot provide feedback on draft applications.

If you have a question, please check the online resources posted at: nsw.gov.au/acfp.

This webpage includes links to:

• FAQs, continuously updated with answers to common questions throughout application period;
• Glossary of definitions and common terms;
• Webinar recordings for information on each of the ACFP Project programs; and
• Information on the Artform Boards.

For technical assistance, or if you have a question that is not in the FAQs, you can contact Create NSW via:

• Email: arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au
• Phone: (02) 9228 4578

Applications go through:

• an eligibility check
• assessment and scoring by the relevant Create NSW Artform Boards
• board recommendations
• approval by the NSW Minister for the Arts.

Outcomes are expected in August 2026. Applicants will be notified of their outcome via email once the results are finalised. 

Successful applicants will receive a funding agreement outlining payment arrangements, reporting requirements and acknowledgement requirements. All recipients must complete an acquittal at the end of the project.

Create NSW does not provide individual feedback on unsuccessful applications. General feedback from your Artform Board will be provided with your outcome notification.