Arts and Cultural Funding Program

24/25 Creative Steps - New Work Round 2

24/25 Creative Steps - New Work Round 2
This funding supports creative development and presentation of new work by individual artists, arts and cultural workers. Applicants are encouraged to drive and develop partnerships with arts and cultural organisations to support their new works.
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Key information

  • Status: Closed
  • Grant amount: From $10,000 to $100,000
  • Application opened: 24 March 2025
  • Application closed: 30 April 2025, 5:00 pm

Program objective

In response to Creative Communities, the NSW arts, culture and creative industries policy, the purpose of this funding is to strengthen communities equitable access to vibrant arts and cultural experiences.

This funding will:

  • enable the creation and presentation of new work and access to resources and expertise for artists - facilitate engagement and access to new work for NSW audiences
  • strengthen the creative ecosystem through collaborations and partnerships
  • amplify diverse voices and increase equitable opportunities for NSW artists
  • contribute to personal and community wellbeing and economic development.

Image credit: James Hazel and Kristina Chan in Reconfiguration – 2023 Regional Fellowship Sharing at Critical Path. Photo by Ira Ferris

This program is administered by Create NSW.

Eligibility

1

Who can apply

Individuals:  

  • Applicants must be 18 years or above  
  • Currently living in NSW (minimum 12 months)  

Groups or other entities that do not have legal status: 

  • Applicants must be 18 years or above  
  • Currently located in NSW (for the past 12 months) 

If successful, all applicants must have an active ABN with a nominated bank account or provide details of a funds administrator.  

  • Individuals must have a sole trader ABN or private company ABN (only if the individual is the sole director) or a funds administrator and a nominated bank account. 
  • 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.  

For more information on ABN and entities 

2

Types of projects funded under this grant

The project must demonstrate it has a focus on arts and culture and directly benefits NSW artists, arts and cultural workers and/or NSW communities and audiences.  

 It must be a creative development and/or the presentation of new work.  

3

What costs you can apply for

Costs you need to cover to make sure your project is a success:

  • Renting or hiring of space for workshops, rehearsals, shows, exhibitions or presentations  
  • Travel and accommodation costs related to your professional development activity  
  • Fees for development opportunities, mentorships, workshops, and courses  
  • Marketing and promotion expenses 
  • Costs or materials for the creation of new work  
  • Costs to support First Nations protocols 
  • Costs to support accessibility 
  • Paying artist fees based on awards and appropriate industry rates  
4

Who can’t apply

Ineligible applicants:   

  • Have received funding before from Create NSW or Sound NSW for the same part of their project  
  • Have already started their project  
  • Will start or finish the project before the funding period starts  
  • Want funding related to films, TV shows, or film festivals. For this, you should contact Screen NSW.  
  • Want funding related to contemporary music (please refer to the glossary for this definition). For more information on this, you should contact Sound NSW
  • Are employed by Create NSW or were employed in the last 12 months  
  • Organisations (legally constituted establishments with an ABN)  
  • If you were successful in receiving funding from the previous project round (Creative Steps, Cultural Access and Creative Nations Projects), you can’t apply or be successful in this round of project funding. 
    • Note: You can apply if you were successful in Next Steps – Professional Development. 
5

What costs you can't apply for

  • Projects or activities that directly support the delivery or course requirements of an educational institution’s program or course  
  • Projects or activities that are led by people who aren’t professional artists, arts and cultural workers, or creatives  
  • Paying back money for items you’ve already bought  
  • Buying equipment that isn’t directly used in your project  
  • Capital Works (infrastructure/building works). For this, contact Create Infrastructure 
  • Fundraising and donations  
  • Awards, prizes, competitions, or prize money  
  • Paying back loans  
6

Example projects

Some examples of what may be funded under this grant are but not limited to:

  • A Western Sydney visual artist who has developed a partnership with a local Council managed gallery seeks to develop a body of work exploring climate impact and the way it has changed the local ecology.
  • A playwright who has approached a theatre company to develop a work with the inhouse team to support the development of their script with a presentation outcome at the end of the project.
7

What co-contributions are required

Create NSW does not fund 100% of your project’s income. You must contribute at least 5% from other cash or in-kind support towards your project. The definition of in-kind can be seen in the glossary.

8

Additional eligibility requirements

Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria. Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion. This includes: 

  • The project must start after 1 September 2025 and be completed by 31 December 2026.
  • You can only submit one project application in this Project Funding round (ACFP funding with the same closing date).

Most recent recipients

Grant recipients

This overview is based on the period between August 2025 and August 2025.

Recipients received funding from this grant

24

Total funds approved for recipients of this grant

$1,212,449

All recipients

What your application needs to include

1

Prepare your application with this checklist

  • Read the guidelines
  • Check your eligibility  
  • Samples of work  
  • Letters of invitation, collaboration, or partnership (where applicable)  
  • Outcome information including location, estimated employment and audience numbers (if applicable) 
2

Address the eligibility criteria

Each applicant, as part of an application response, must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria.

Applicants that do not address the eligibility criteria in full may be excluded from the application process at the department's discretion.

3

Address the assessment criteria

Idea (30%)   

A vision for your project that clearly summarises the ideas, its aims and purpose.  

Question: What do you want to do?  

You may want to consider the following:  

  • What is your idea for this project?  
  • What do you want to achieve?  
  • What is interesting about it?  
  • What will you communicate to other artists, communities and/or audiences?  

Diversity and participation (20%) 

Demonstrate how your project is relevant to/or will benefit NSW artists, arts and cultural workers, or communities.  

Question: Why do you want to do it?   

You may want to consider the following:  

  • Who is the project relevant to? 
  • Who will it benefit? For example artists, communities and/or audiences? 
  • How does the project reflect the diversity of people in NSW?  
  • What are the results you want to see at the completion of your project? 

The NSW Government is committed to ensuring fair access by all communities and individuals across the state. If the activity engages with the needs of a community or has outcomes that benefit specific Strategic Priority Areas, please include these details. The Strategic Priority Areas are:  

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

See the glossary for definitions of the Strategic Priority Areas.  

Experience (20%)

List the artistic experience of those involved in the project.  

Question: Who is involved and why are they the right people for this activity?  

You may want to consider the following:  

  • What experience do the individuals or organisations bring to this project?  
  • What skills and expertise do the artists, arts and cultural workers or organisations involved have that will ensure your project is a success?  
  • How will those involved help build sustainable careers and professional skills for artists, arts and cultural workers and communities?  

Planning (10%) 

Details of the activities, dates and location/s for the proposed project. 

Question: How will the activities and where they take place ensure the project achieves its outcomes? 

You may want to consider the following: 

  • How will the project’s activities create meaningful connection with artists, communities and/or audiences? 
  • Where will the project activities take place? 
  • Why are these the most appropriate activities for the project? 
  • Who is your audience? 

Sustainability (20%) 

Provide a budget to support your project.  

Question: How will the funding be spent? 

You may want to consider the following:  

  • How your budget reflects efficient use of funds to achieve the project’s goals?  
  • What other sources of funding are there for your project?  

Individuals and groups can apply for either:  

  • Small projects from $10,000 up to $40,000  
  • Large projects from $40,001 up to $100,000  

These will be assessed separately to ensure equity and fairness.  

Create NSW does not fund 100% of your project. You must contribute at least 5% from other cash or in-kind support towards your project. The definition of in-kind can be seen in the glossary.  

If successful, you may be required to provide a more detailed budget prior to contracting.  

Start the application

Online platform

Create NSW uses the secure online grants system, SmartyGrants, to manage all its grant programs. All ACFP applications must be submitted via the online portal. You will receive an email confirmation of your application from SmartyGrants when your application has been submitted. 

Note: If you are a new applicant to SmartyGrants, you will need to register and create a password. If you are already registered, you can log in with your existing username and password.


Apply now

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: Minister for the Arts.

Pre-eligibility  

After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email from SmartyGrants. Create NSW staff will review your application to check eligibility and ensure all materials are acceptable.

Assessment Stage 1  

Once eligibility is confirmed, the Artform Board will assess your application based on the criteria and guidelines. Funding is competitive and will consider various factors like demographics, distribution, organisation type, and project scale.

Artform Boards:

  • may set aside an application if it is assessed as below acceptable in any one of the published criteria.
  • consider whether an application needs to be reallocated to another board for assessment.
  • ask for a Cultural Review from Create NSW First Nations staff or the First Nations Arts and Culture Artform Board for applications with First Nations content and engagement. 

Assessment Stage 2  

Create NSW will consolidate and finalise recommendations based on the Artform Boards assessments, number of applications by artform, availability of funds, Strategic Priority Areas and geographic spread to ensure equity and the best outcomes for NSW government investment.

Assessment process considerations

Applicants should note that: 

  • The NSW Government typically receives far more applications than it can support.
  • You are not guaranteed funding even if your application meets the published criteria.
  • If you are successful, your application may not be funded to the amount you requested. 

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

  • Require additional information from an applicant.
  • May 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.  

Successful Grant Applications

If your application is successful: you will be sent a funding agreement (contract). This outlines the conditions of funding, how you will be paid and your reporting requirements.

All applicants must have an active ABN with a nominated bank account or provide details of a funds administrator.

  • Individuals must have a sole trader ABN or private company ABN (only if the individual is the sole director) or a funds administrator and a nominated bank account.
  • Partnerships with legal status must have an ABN which matches their entity name and a nominated bank account.

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.

All applicants must:

  • complete an acquittal at the end of the funding period. This may include an online meeting to discuss outcomes of the project.
  • acknowledgment of Create NSW funding in all publicity materials.

You may be asked to provide:

  • a reference letter or letters from First Nations peers or community groups, as well as adherence to ICIP and First Nations Protocols prior to contracting, if appropriate
  • a detailed budget

Create NSW staff may contact you for additional information as part of this process.

Contracts will not be issued, and payments will not be made, until all Create NSW/Sound NSW outstanding acquittals have been submitted.

Feedback on Create NSW project funding application results

Create NSW staff continue to help and support applicants who are preparing new funding applications. However, we have shifted away from providing individualised feedback on past applications to continue to meet service standards for the processing and assessment of applications.

Program staff will no longer discuss past applications. Applicants applying in future rounds are encouraged to book an appointment with an Arts Funding and Development staff member to clarify any questions related to the application process.

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 (NSW) (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. However, if due to the commercial-in-confidence nature of the information provided, the amount of funding provided will not be published.  

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

Please refer to Information for Funding Recipients for more detailed processes for successful applicants.  

This includes:  

  • Program evaluation  
  • Conflict of interest management  
  • Organisations working with First Nations people or communities  
  • Complaint handling, access to information and privacy  

Anticipated assessment outcome date is within one week of the final approval of funding commitments by government. The anticipated assessment outcome timeframe is eight weeks after closing date

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

Support and contact

Create NSW staff are available to provide general information on the interpretation of these guidelines and support with the online application process.

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