2026-27 Western Sydney Community Festivals Program

Program objective

The Western Sydney Community Festivals Program involves growing local, national and international audiences and amplifying Western Sydney’s creative identity by investing in programming, platforms and partnerships, supporting place-based activations to encourage community vibrancy and more live performance and entertainment.

This program will strengthen the region’s profile as a vibrant cultural destination, and ensure artists and communities are seen, heard and celebrated at home and on the global stage.

The purpose of the program is to support existing Western Sydney arts and/or cultural festivals to strengthen their creative and cultural programming by supporting new or enhanced programming on top of the core festival activity already being delivered.

It will support existing Western Sydney festivals to:

• develop and present enhanced and more diverse arts, culture and creative industries programming
• grow and diversify audiences
• facilitate new partnerships with arts and cultural organisations
• provide opportunities for Western Sydney artists and creative workers to showcase their work, reach new audiences and strengthen connection with peers, communities and industry
• support the development of sustainable, place-based creative ecosystems that foster collaboration and community engagement
• celebrate and activate Western Sydney’s communities and strengthen the region’s profile as a vibrant cultural destination.

The intended long-term outcomes of the program are:

• Western Sydney festivals build their capability to program ambitious and diverse programs of arts, culture and creative experiences
• Artists, performers and culture makers build ongoing relationships with local councils and/or festival organisers 
• Artists, performers and culture makers achieve more sustainable careers
• Audiences see Western Sydney as a leading cultural destination 
• Attendance at arts and cultural events increases across the Western Sydney creative sector.

The Program will be administered in accordance with the NSW Grants Administration Guide.

To support a distribution of activity, only one Festival per local government area (based on location of activity, not the applicant address) will be supported through this program. Where a festival is delivered across multiple local government areas, it is recommended the applicant contact Create NSW in advance of applying.

These Grant Guidelines (Guidelines) contain information about the Western Sydney Community Festivals Program (the Program). You must read and understand these Guidelines before applying for the grant.  

• Purpose, outcomes and objectives of the grant  
• Application and assessment process  
• Governance arrangements  
• Operation of the grant.

The Grant Guidelines may be updated by the Department at any time. Should there be an update to the Guidelines and your application is already submitted, you will be notified and be provided with an opportunity to modify your application.  

The Western Sydney Community Festival Program is funded and administered by Create NSW.

Image: Diwali Street Festival Wentworthville. Image credit - "Destination NSW"

This program is administered by Create NSW.

Eligibility

What your application needs to include

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: Executive Director, Create NSW.

Applications must be received no later than 2:00 PM on Wednesday 9 September 2026.

You will receive an automated email from SmartyGrants when your application is received. Check your spam/junk folder. If you don't receive a confirmation email, assume your application hasn't been submitted. You should keep a copy of your application and any supporting documents.

You have the option to create a SmartyFile profile for your organisation. SmartyFile allows organisations to collaborate with team members, pre-fill information into forms, manage, view, search and sort submissions across multiple funders in one spot. To learn more, go to About SmartyFile

Number of applications

One application per applicant will be assessed. If more than one application is submitted an applicant will be asked to nominate which application is progressed for assessment and all other applications will be withdrawn from consideration.

Note: for the purposes of this program, where an applicant may be a local government authority, each business unit would be considered a separate applicant.

Late applications and additional information

If we find an error or information that is missing, we may ask for clarification or additional information from you that will not change the nature of your application.

If you find an error in your application after submitting it, contact us as soon as possible via arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au and quote your application number.

If applications are still open and there is sufficient time before the closing date, we may be able to reopen your application to allow updates. You must resubmit your updated application form before the closing time.

If applications have closed, Create NSW may, at its discretion, consider late applications, corrections, additional information or supporting material where technical difficulties or extenuating circumstances have affected submission. This will only occur where doing so would not disadvantage other applicants or compromise the integrity of the grants process.

To request consideration, you must contact Create NSW via arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au by 3pm on the closing date and provide supporting evidence. Create NSW is not obliged to accept late submissions, corrections or additional information received after the application closing time.

Applicants must not lobby the NSW Government on an issue related or seen to be related to the Program that may or may be perceived to give an unfair advantage to the applicant. Applicants are required to comply with all applicable laws including the NSW Lobbyists Code of Conduct.

 Assessment of grant applications

This grant program is an open and competitive grant program. All applications are to be submitted and assessed through the process below.

1. Eligibility Assessment

All submitted applications are initially reviewed against the eligibility criteria set out above in the program guidelines. Eligibility assessments will be conducted by Create NSW staff.

If further information is required to determine the applicant’s or application’s eligibility, a request will be made to the applicant in writing before the eligibility assessment is completed. Where an application’s eligibility on one or more criteria remains uncertain, a final eligibility determination will be made by the Director, Program Development and Delivery and presented to the Executive Director, Create NSW for approval.

If an application is deemed ineligible, applicants will be notified by email within 14 days of the round closing.

Eligible applicants will proceed to the next stage of the assessment process.

2. Application Assessment

All applicants proceeding to this stage will be assessed against the assessment criteria.

Assessments will be conducted by an assessment panel comprising a minimum of 3 qualified and experienced members, including representative/s from Create NSW, the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner and Destination NSW. Other expert advisors may be engaged to provide support to the assessment panel as necessary.

Assessors will score each application individually. Scores are then amalgamated and presented and discussed at an assessment meeting.

The assessment panel will make their final recommendations. In making recommendations the panel may consider geographic and artform distribution, range, and scale of the initial recommendations. This may include prioritising applications and activities with outcomes that better meet the program objectives or address and ensure equity and the best outcomes for NSW Government investment.

The panel will also consider the program restriction that limits the number of Festivals supported within each local government area as part of its recommendations. If there are not enough suitable applications to meet this distribution requirement, the panel may recommend that more than one application in any one LGA be funded.

Note: Create NSW may contact applicants during the assessment process to request further information or clarification. 

3. Due diligence and other checks

At any time during the assessment process, Create NSW may undertake due diligence or other checks on an application. This may include, but is not limited to:

• financial checks such as ASIC searches to confirm the financial status or financial viability of the applicant
• criminal checks
• internal conflict checks
• commissioning or completing research, analysis and modelling to support assessments
• contacting identified project participant organisations.

4. Recommendation and decision making

The assessment panel makes their recommendations to the decision maker, who is the Executive Director, Create NSW.

The Executive Director, Create NSW makes the final decision to determine successful grant recipients. Where applicable, advice from a probity advisor may be considered in making the final decision.

5. Assessment process considerations 

Applicants should note that:  

• The NSW Government typically receives far more applications than it can support. 

Create NSW may, at its sole discretion and at any stage of the application or assessment process, do all or any of the following:  

• Require additional information from an applicant. 
• Request applicants to provide clarification or additional information regarding the eligibility criteria. 
• Change the scope of the requirements of these guidelines. 
• Vary, amend (including by replacement), or terminate the application process. 
• Re-open an application after the closing date, provided it doesn’t give the applicant an advantage over other applicants. 
• Consider any non-conforming or late application.  
• Request further advice and/or clarification from applicants during the assessment process
• Reject, refuse or cease assessment of an application.

Notification of application outcome

We will advise you of the outcome of your application in writing via email.  

Applicants will be notified of the outcome within 8 weeks of applications closing.

If you are successful, we will advise you of any specific conditions attached to the grant. This could include a request to keep the grant confidential for a specified period due to an announcement being made by the NSW Government in relation to the grant.

Feedback on applications

Unsuccessful applicants may request a feedback session. Feedback sessions will be delivered by Create NSW. To register for a feedback session please contact westernsydney@create.nsw.gov.au  

The Department’s decision is final.

Publication of grants information

The Grants Administration Guide (Guide) requires that certain information is published in relation to grants awarded no later than 45 calendar days after the grant agreement takes effect (see section 6.5 of the Guide and Appendix A to the Guide). This information is also open access information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act), which must be made publicly available unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the information.

In accordance with these requirements, relevant information about the grants awarded will be made available on the NSW Government Grants and Funding Finder as soon as possible after the funding agreement is executed.

All records in relation to this decision will be managed in accordance with the requirements of the State Records Act 1998.

Successful grant applications

Grant agreement 

The NSW Government makes no funding or other commitment to the successful applicant until all parties have signed a grant agreement. You must not make financial commitments reliant on this grant until the grant agreement is signed and executed by all parties. 

Amendments to the grant agreement template are not encouraged. However, where you cannot accept any terms, conditions or clauses in the grant agreement template, you must notify the Department in writing of your proposed amendments to the template and qualify the reasons for your proposed amendments. The Department may or may not accept these proposed amendments at its discretion.

The grant agreement can only be signed by authorised officers or delegates of your organisation.

All applicants must provide the contact details (email address, phone number, name, and position) of the relevant authorised signatories, or their delegates, in the pre-contracting form that will be provided to you.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure signatories have the capacity and availability to understand, complete and sign documents, to carefully read the terms and conditions of their grant agreement, and for it to be signed by the correct authorised signatories. Important terms and conditions associated with the funding are attached to the grant agreement.

Create NSW may not issue a grant agreement and/or make payments until all outstanding Create NSW acquittals have been submitted.  

Grant payment

An invoice template is provided with the grant agreement. The grant will be paid to the nominated bank account only after the grant agreement has been executed by the relevant parties. The grant agreement will set out the milestones and conditions required for payment.

Variations to the grant agreement

Any variations to the funding agreement, including project scope or activities, location or timeframes outlined in the application form and Grant Guidelines must be submitted for approval by the Department. Failure to do so may result in the withdrawal of the grant offer.

The Department has the discretion to approve or reject any variation request from a grantee where the grant agreement has already been executed.

All requests for a variation must be submitted in writing to Create NSW. To request a variation, or if you are unsure if your enquiry qualifies as a variation, contact arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au and quote your application number.

Unspent funds

All grant funds are required to be spent on the approved project, and any unspent funds must be returned to the Department in accordance with the funding agreement.

Indicative reporting and acquittal requirements

You must submit reports as set out in the grant agreement. We may provide sample templates for these reports in the funding agreement.

We will expect you to report on:

• progress against agreed project milestones and outcomes
• contributions of participants directly related to the grant
• expenditure of the grant.

Acknowledgement

All recipients of NSW Government funding should acknowledge the financial support in accordance with the Funding Acknowledgement Guidelines for Recipients of NSW Government Rebates available at nsw.gov.au/branding/sponsorship-and-funding-acknowledgment-guidelines.

You must seek our written consent prior to any significant public announcement, marketing, press announcements, or official launch in relation to the grant.

The NSW Government logo should be used on all materials related to grants provided to the funded activity. Whenever the logo is used, the publication must also acknowledge the NSW Government.

Additional Information and Resources

Evaluation 

The Department regularly evaluates its initiatives to determine the effectiveness of implementation and to examine the extent to which outcomes and objectives have been achieved. Evaluations are conducted and published in line with requirements from NSW Treasury and the NSW Grants Administration Guide.

Information from your application, grant activities and reports you have submitted may be used for this purpose. Create NSW may seek to interview you or ask you for more information to further understand your experience with the grant program, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in achieving its objective(s) and outcomes. All applicants, whether successful or unsuccessful, may be contacted to participate in interviews or surveys for evaluation purposes.  

You consent to the use of your information for this purpose by:

• the Department
• NSW Treasury
• the Minister for the Arts office
• the NSW Ombudsman and Audit Office of NSW
• consultants and advisers
• any agency or body of the NSW Government, or any other organisation or individual considered by the office to have a need or an entitlement to know that information (including any federal, state or territory agency or body), where that need or entitlement to know that information arises out of or in connection with the purpose above.

Complaint handling

Details on how we handle complaints, access to information and your private information is available at: https://www.create.nsw.gov.au/about-us/feedback-complaints-privacy-and-government-information

Access to information

The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA) provides for the proactive release of government information by agencies and gives members of the public an enforceable right to access government information held by an agency (which includes Ministerial offices). Access to government information is only to be restricted if there is an overriding public interest against disclosure.

The NSW Legislative Council has the power to order the production of State papers by the Executive Government. Standing Order 52 provides that the House may order documents to be tabled by the Government in the House. The Cabinet Office coordinates the preparation of the papers – that is, the return to order.

The return to order may contain privileged and public documents. Privileged documents are available only to members of the Legislative Council.

Note that documents submitted as part of a grant application may be subject to an application under GIPA or an order for papers under Standing Order 52. 

Further information on how DCITHS holds information, and how to access it, is available at https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/dciths/policies-plans-and-procedures/access-to-information/agency-information-guide

Conflict of interest management

Conflicts of interest are any factors that could compromise the judgement, decisions, or actions of a person or group of people.

Conflicts may arise if a party in the grants administration process, whether it be Department staff, assessment panel members, the applicant or staff employed by the applicant: 

• has a professional, commercial, or personal relationship with a party who can influence the application selection process
• has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation which is likely to interfere with or restrict the applicants from carrying out the proposed activities fairly and independently
• has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation from which they will receive personal gain because the applicant received a grant
• are involved in any other situations which could lead to unfavourable advantage.

Conflicts of interest for the Department will be handled as set out in the Department’s Code of Ethics and Conduct.

Applicants must disclose any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest as part of their application or, if successful, as they arise during project implementation.

You must inform us as soon as you identify an actual, apparent or perceived conflict of interest.

NOTE: You are advised to contact us if you are unsure whether something constitutes an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest.

Risks are managed in accordance with Department’s risk management framework. Risk management, including fraud controls, will occur throughout the grant life cycle.

Confidentiality 

Successful applicants may be required to keep the outcome of the application process confidential until the Government makes a public announcement. The Department follows all requirements of confidentiality required as part of the grants administration and assessment process as outlined in the NSW Grants Administration Guide.

Unless otherwise stated, any commercial-in-confidence provisions (as defined under the GIPA Act) provided by you as part of, or in connection with, a registration, application or negotiation process will be treated confidentially by the office. We may disclose commercial-in-confidence information provided by you to the following parties:

• The Minister or Minister’s office;
• the NSW Ombudsman and Audit Office of NSW;
• consultants and advisers engaged by the Department;
• any agency or body of the NSW Government, or any other organisation or individual considered by the office to have a need or an entitlement to know that information (including any federal, state or territory agency or body), where the need or entitlement to know that information arises out of or in connection with the office’s assessment, verification or due diligence of any aspect of your application; and
• where authorised or required to by law.

If we disclose commercial-in-confidence information to any of the above parties, we will inform the party that the information is strictly confidential. We will otherwise only disclose commercial-in-confidence information provided by you with your consent.

Privacy

The Department will collect and store the information you voluntarily provide to enable the implementation of this grant program.

The Department is required to comply with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (PPIP Act). The Department collects the minimum personal information to enable it to contact an organisation and to assess the merits of an application. Applicants must ensure that people whose personal details are supplied with applications are aware that the Department is being supplied with this information and how this information will be used.

The Department treats your personal information in accordance with the PPIP Act and the Department’s privacy policy. This includes letting you know:

• what personal information is collected;
• why your personal information is collected; and
• who your personal information is given to.

The personal information will only be used for the purpose for which it was collected unless an exemption applies.

Anticipated assessment outcome date is November 2026.

Anticipated date for funding deed execution with successful applicants is within one month of notification.

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