Local Audience Development Grants FAQs

Industry professional refers to an individual working in contemporary music. To be eligible for this program you need to have an active ABN (that’s your Australian Business Number).

Music business refers to a business that operates within the contemporary music ecosystem. To be eligible for this program business and organisations must have an active ABN (that’s your Australian Business Number) 

Regional NSW is defined as the areas outside Greater Sydney.

Sound 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

Western Sydney encompasses the thirteen local government areas:

• 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
• Wollondilly Shire

NSW Government priority groups include First Nations people, people who identify as women and non-binary, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, LGBTIQ+, young people (under 25), and people from Western Sydney and regional and remote communities.

Artists, acts, industry professionals and organisations with a primary focus in the below artforms are not supported through Sound NSW:

• experimental music and sound art
• contemporary classical, opera, choral and ensembles
• music theatre
• working in and with community music groups.

These applicants should refer to Create NSW’s Arts and Cultural Funding Program (ACFP) guidelines. 

Grants may be considered part of your income and may be subject to tax. You must determine your own taxation responsibilities.

We suggest you consult your financial adviser or contact the Australian Taxation Office on 13 28 66.

The NSW Government is committed to ensuring artists are paid fairly for live performance. If you are employing artists to perform live as any part of your grant, Sound NSW expects all artists to receive a $250 minimum payment for each artist. You can read more about this minimum fee for government funded shows at Musicians Australia.

Promoting NSW Music

• You are not eligible for Promoting NSW Music if you receive Sound NSW’s Contemporary Music Development Grants – Industry Development this financial year
• You are not eligible to apply to Promoting NSW Music for activity that has already received other NSW Government funding.

Live Music Events and All Ages Programming

• You are not eligible for Live Music Events and All Ages Programming if you received any other Sound NSW funding this financial year
• You are not eligible to apply to Live Music Events and All Ages Programming for activity that has already received other NSW Government funding.

You cannot receive both Promoting NSW Music and Industry Development this financial year. Nor will you be able to receive Live Music Events and All Ages Programming if you are successful in any other program.

Our advice is to start a Local Audience Development Grants application now. And if you don’t have an outcome on your other application before the 12 February closing date you should submit, and let both assessment processes play out. If you are successful across both programs you will be given the choice of which grant to accept.

We expect Local Audience Development Grants to be notified in late April 2026. We are unable to provide exact dates for notification across our funding programs, but outlined below are approximate timeframes for recently closed and currently open programs:

You can only submit one application to one of the Local Audience Development Grants programs per financial year.

No, you cannot purchase equipment with Local Audience Development funds.

Administration costs refer to expenses directly related to general coordination costs, financial management, and compliance of the funded activity. These costs support oversight and accountability but do not include location, production or delivery costs of the activity.

This includes:

• Proportionate salary costs
• Subscription fees for IT or marketing tools
• Finance management and bookkeeping fees
• Legal expenses
• Board or committee expenses
• Consultation fees.

It does not include:

• Operational costs such as rent, utilities, office supplies
• Staff salaries for project delivery
• Production or event-related expenses
• Equipment purchase.

Licensed venues hosting all-ages events are required to have the following, at a minimum: 

• a copy of their liquor licence
• risk management & crowd safety plans tailored to all-ages events
• child safe policies
• as well as working with children checks
• incident registers & RSA management plans for alcohol service where minors are present. Applicants working with a licensed venue should specifically request access to the relevant liquor licence if applicable – ie. A copy of the liquor licence as provided by the licensed venue / or licensed catering service.

Licence verifications can be completed here: https://verify.licence.nsw.gov.au/home/Liquor 

The licence will be able to help you verify if the relevant venue/vendor can sell/supply alcohol and in what circumstances this can be done, including any requirements regarding minors and minor authorisations.

Anyone needing Special event licence should refer to the Liquor & Gaming website.