All-Ages Live Music Venue Program - EOI

All-Ages Live Music Venue Program - EOI
The All-Ages Live Music Venue Program supports dedicated NSW live music venues with a track record of delivering all-ages contemporary music events, and a commitment to collaborating with young people to program events that build new audiences.
On this page

Key information

  • Status: Closed
  • Grant amount: $100,000 (ex GST) to deliver a series of all-ages events (minimum 3)
  • Application opened: 13 February 2026
  • Application closed: 23 March 2026, 10:00 am

Program objective

This funding aims to:

  • build new live music audiences in NSW
  • increase the number and diversity of all-ages live music events across NSW
  • create performance opportunities for emerging and established NSW artists
  • build participation pathways for young people in live music programming and production
  • strengthen the capacity of venues to deliver safe, accessible, and compliant events
  • foster innovation, collaboration and community engagement
  • contribute to the development of a sustainable, youth-inclusive live music ecosystem

This program is administered by Sound NSW (Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport).

Eligibility

Who can apply

This program is only for dedicated NSW live music venues.

For the purpose of this grant, dedicated live music venues must meet the following definitions:

  • be based in NSW
  • be licensed or unlicensed
  • where live music is the primary function of the business
  • programming contemporary live music that is predominantly new and original
  • where original contemporary live music programming is prominent in the business marketing
  • have a room or space is dedicated to live music that is a significant part of the venue and contains appropriate infrastructure to support regular performances, for example, a separate auditorium, lighting, a sound desk, etc
  • be committed to best industry practices and have formal arrangements in place establishing payments for artist performances
  • have an active OneMusic Licence for Live Music performances

Applicants must also:

  • Program Live Music:
    • Metropolitan Venues: Programming will occur at least ten (10) nights per month
    • Regional Venues: Programming will occur on average two (2) nights per week.
  • be identified as essential to the domestic touring live music ecosystem
  • have majority Australian ownership
  • hold a lease or occupancy agreement with at least 2 years from the application close date remaining of the current term (where the premises aren’t owned by the operator)
  • identify a relevant youth partner to collaborate with (including organisations, collectives and promoters) to design and deliver the live music event series.

Applicants must satisfy ONE of the following criteria:

  • be an incorporated entity or trust (including a trust with a corporate or individual trustee) and hold an Australian Business Number (ABN), Australian Company Number (ACN), or 
  • be registered with NSW Fair Trading under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 or the Co-operatives National Law (NSW) set out in the appendix to the Co-operatives (Adoption of National Law) Act 2012.

Definitions

For the purpose of these grants:

  • young people or youth refers to the inclusion of people aged between 12 and 24 years in designing and delivering the live music events
  • venues may apply age limitations to programming as per relevant compliance conditions for all-ages live music events (i.e. under 18's only).

Types of projects funded under this grant

Funding may support programming, artist engagement and marketing activities associated with presenting a series of all-ages events, including:

  • development and delivery of new or ongoing all-ages live music programs
  • presentation of live performances by emerging and established NSW artists
  • mentorship, training, or youth participation in event programming and production
  • partnership projects with schools and youth services
  • innovative programming formats (e.g. daytime shows, free entry, mixed-age performances)
  • targeted marketing campaigns engaging young audiences and their families
  • development of audience data and reporting systems for evaluation

When the project can start and end

The project should be started by 1 July 2026 and the project must be completed by 1 June 2027.

What costs you can apply for

  • consultation fees for young people
  • artists fees
  • project management fees for the design and delivery of the events including the appointment of a youth partner (organisation, collectives or promoter)
  • salaries, wages and fees for staff and industry professionals involved with the delivery of the events
  • marketing and promotion
  • program administrative costs – compliance documentation, post event reporting

Who can’t apply

  • venues that are not a dedicated live music venue
  • any business or organisation located outside NSW 
  • organisations that have not met project requirements (including acquittal and reporting) for previous funding received from Sound NSW
  • venues that have received funding for Live Performance Venue Grants Round 2 2025-26
  • venues that do not hold a lease or occupancy agreement with at least 2 years from the application close date remaining of the current term (where the premises aren’t owned by the operator)
  • venues planning one-off events or less than the minimum of 3 events
  • venues planning events that do not meet the youth definition
  • venues that have not been operating for at least 12 months at the time of submitting application
  • venues unable to provide a co-contribution of at least 30% of the overall project budget

Any request to have the co-contribution waived, will be at the absolute discretion of the decision maker. An applicant who is seeking to have the co-contribution waived is required to clearly document the reasons why the waiver is being sought.

Special consideration may be given to venues who do not meet the eligibility criteria if they can demonstrate significant contribution to the contemporary live music ecosystem. Please contact Sound NSW to discuss. 

Any waiver of the eligibility requirements for applicants will be undertaken in accordance with the Grants Administration Guide and will be informed by whether the eligibility criteria would:

  • lead to perverse or unfair outcomes
  • be contrary to policy intent
  • damage the reputation and integrity of the grant program

Any decision to waive eligibility criteria will be made by the decision-maker at their absolute discretion.

What costs you can't apply for

  • activities that do not enhance, build and grow NSW’s contemporary live music audiences
  • events that do not engage young people aged between 12 and 24 years
  • one-off events
  • costs incurred before the advertised activity start date
  • activity that has received other NSW Government funding
  • production equipment costs
  • infrastructure and capital works
  • activities that directly support the delivery of course requirements of an educational program or course
  • fundraising, donations, awards or prize money

What co-contributions are required

Venues are required to provide a co-contribution of at least 30% of the overall project budget.

Additional eligibility requirements

The project cannot start before 1 July 2026 and must be completed by 1June 2027.  

Most recent recipients

All recipients (8)

What your application needs to include

1

Prepare your application with this checklist

Stage One – Expression of Interest (EOI)

Applicants must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via the Sound NSW SmartyGrants portal including:

  • a brief description of the venue and recent live-music all-ages activity (short-term and long-term)
  • an outline of the venue’s frequency and experience in delivering contemporary live music and all-ages events
  • evidence of contribution to the domestic touring live music ecosystem
  • evidence of programming contemporary live music that is predominantly new and original
  • details of the existing infrastructure of the dedicated live-music space and considerations for hosting all-ages events
  • the proposed all-ages event series concept and intended outcomes
  • acknowledgment of consultation relating to the appropriate planning pathway for all-ages events (e.g. licensing conditions, council approvals)
  • evidence of consultation and payment for youth partners in the programming and delivery of events
  • outline key partners you will engage in planning the all-ages events (youth representation, local council, Liquor & Gaming)
  • a high-level budget including income and expenses, including the 30% co-contribution (cash and/or in-kind)
  • confirmation of a contingency fund of at least 10%.
  • acknowledgement of compliance documentation required to host all-ages events. Relevant compliance documentation for hosting all-ages events includes:
    • Local Council approvals or Development Consent conditions permitting all-ages use
    • Liquor & Gaming NSW approvals (where applicable)
    • Child Safe policies in line with the Children’s Guardian Act 2019 (NSW)
    • Risk management and crowd safety plans tailored for all-ages events
    • Incident registers and RSA management plans for alcohol service where minors are present

Stage Two - Full Application

Approved EOI applicants will then be invited to submit a full application via the Sound NSW SmartyGrants portal.

Applicants must submit the following as part of their application. These materials will all form part of the assessment.

  • Detailed program plan for event series including:
    • Event types (e.g. ticket shows, free events, workshops, mixed-age festivals)
    • Frequency and scale of events across the grant period.
    • Target audiences (e.g. under-18s, families, schools, youth organisations)
    • Key partners or collaborators
  • Evidence of engagement with young people in programming of activity design
  • Evidence of compliance documentation including:
    • Local Council approvals or Development Consent conditions permitting all-ages use
    • Liquor & Gaming NSW approvals (where applicable)
    • Child Safe policies in line with the Children’s Guardian Act 2019 (NSW)
    • Risk management and crowd safety plans tailored for all-ages events
    • Incident registers and RSA management plans for alcohol service where minors are present
  • Outline of how the activity will contribute to building a sustainable, youth-inclusive live music ecosystem
  • Marketing and audience development strategies tailored to under-18s
  • Strategies to engage diverse audiences, including First Nations, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) and regional youth
  • Letters of support from partnerships with artists, youth and community organisations that strengthen the program’s reach and relevance
  • Accessibility and child-safe practices ensuring an inclusive and welcoming experience for all audiences.
  • A detailed budget including 30% co-contribution (cash and/or in-kind)
  • A contingency fund of at least 10% (not counted as part of the co-contribution).
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

Stage One - Assessment Criteria

EOIs will be assessed against the following three criteria:

Criteria 1 – Impact to the Contemporary Music Ecosystem (30%)

  • Examples of experience in delivering contemporary music programming
  • Experience in delivering all-ages events
  • Evidence of contribution to the domestic touring live music ecosystem.
  • Demonstrated frequency of live-music programming:
    • Metropolitan venues: at least 10 nights per month
    • Regional venues: on average two nights per week
  • Evidence of featuring predominantly original, contemporary music

 Criteria 2 – Benefit to the Contemporary Music Ecosystem (30%)

  • Provide details of existing infrastructure of dedicated live-music space and considerations for all-ages events
  • Evidence of consultation and payment of youth partners in the programming and delivery of events
  • Details of the all-ages event concept and intended outcomes

Criteria 3 – Viability (40%)

  • Acknowledgement of consultation relating to the appropriate planning pathway for all-ages events (e.g. licensing conditions, council approvals)
  • Key partners identified involved in delivery of all-ages events
  • A high-level budget including income and expenses, including the 30% co-contribution (cash and/or in-kind)
  • A contingency fund of at least 10% (not included within the co-contribution).
  • Acknowledgement of compliance documentation required to host all-ages events including:
    • Local Council approvals or Development Consent conditions permitting all-ages use
    • Liquor & Gaming NSW approvals (where applicable)
    • Child Safe policies in line with the Children’s Guardian Act 2019 (NSW)
    • Risk management and crowd safety plans tailored for all-ages events
    • Incident registers and RSA management plans for alcohol service where minors are present

Assessment Criteria – Stage Two

Applications (including written responses and supporting documentation) will be assessed against the following criteria.  

Criteria 1 - Impact to the Contemporary Music Ecosystem (40%)

Evidence of the need and impact of the proposed activity.

  • Evidence of engagement with young people in programming of activity design
  • Explain how the activity will contribute to building a sustainable, youth-inclusive live music ecosystem
  • Letters of support from partnerships with artists, youth and community organisations that strengthen the program’s reach and relevance

Criteria 2 – Benefit to the Contemporary Music Ecosystem (30%)

Evidence of inclusive practices and youth-focused engagement strategies.

Tell us in detail about:

  • Marketing and audience development strategies tailored to under-18’s
  • Strategies to engage diverse audiences, including First Nations, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) and regional youth
  • Partnerships with artists, youth organisations that strengthen the program’s reach and relevance
  • Accessibility and child-safe practices ensuring an inclusive and welcoming experience for all audiences

Criteria 3 – Viability and Safety (30%)

Evidence of the venues suitability and capacity to deliver contemporary all-ages music programming safely and effectively.

Tell us in detail about:

  • Detailed program plan for event series including:
    • Event types (e.g. ticket shows, free events, workshops, mixed-age festivals).
    • Frequency and scale of events across the grant period.
    • Target audiences (e.g. under-18s, families, schools, youth organisations)
  • A detailed budget that includes:
    • Evidence of at least 30% co-contribution (cash or in-kind).
    • A 10% contingency (not included as co-contribution)
  • Evidence of venue compliance documentation demonstrating adherence to relevant regulations including:
    • Local Council approvals or Development Consent conditions permitting All-Ages use
    • Liquor & Gaming NSW approvals (where applicable)
    • Child Safe policies in line with the Children’s Guardian Act 2019 (NSW)
    • Risk management and crowd safety plans tailored for all-ages events
    • Incident registers and RSA management plans for alcohol service where minors are present

Additional Considerations

Sound NSW is committed to a diverse contemporary music sector in NSW and encourages applications from venues owned and operated by, or that cater for, First Nations people, people who identify as women and non-binary, people with disability people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and venues located in Western Sydney and regional and remote communities.

Minimum fees for musicians

The NSW Government requires that all musicians involved in publicly funded events receive a minimum performance fee of $250. All applicants must demonstrate they meet this requirement in their proposed budget.

Start the application

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

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.

This will be a two-stage application and assessment process.  Stage one requires applicants to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) and approved applicants will move to the Stage 2 full application.

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: Executive Director, 24-Hour and Sound.

Expressions of interest will be initially reviewed by Sound NSW staff to ensure they meet eligibility requirements, and all application materials are acceptable. If your application is deemed ineligible, you will be advised by email within 14 days of the assessment.

After the EOI is submitted

Eligibility

Stage One - If your EOI is eligible, the application will be assessed by representatives from Sound NSW, Sound NSW industry assessor pool and Create NSW with oversight from a probity representative.

Recommended applicants will be sent to the Head of Sound NSW for approval to progress to stage two of the application process.

Stage Two - Approved applicants will then be invited to submit a full application via the Sound NSW SmartyGrants portal, which will require detailed information on the proposed activity.

Applications will be evaluated by an assessment panel comprising one representative from Sound NSW and two Sound NSW industry assessors, with oversight from a probity representative. All assessments will be undertaken in accordance with the published eligbility, criteria, and program guidelines.

Assessment panel members will be provided with the application(s) and each Assessment panel member will score the applicants responses against each criterion using the scoring methodology provided, prior to a formal panel meeting.

Assessment panel scores will be collated and discussed at an assessment panel meeting. Panel members will agree on final consensus scores for each applicant and each criterion. Applications must rate Claims fully substantiated against all criterion, to be recommended to the designated decision-maker for the award of a grant. The assessment panel will also have oversight from a probity representative.

The assessment panel will make their recommendations to the designated decision-maker and successful applications will be approved by the Deputy Director or Executive Director, 24-Hour, Screen and Sound, based on recommendations from industry assessors.

Please note that funding allocation follows a competitive process. Evaluations will consider the assessment criteria outlined above and the availability of Sound NSW funds.

Application Outcome

Anticipated assessment outcome date is within 4 weeks of assessment.

Sound NSW will provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants, where requested.

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.

Sound 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

Successful grant applications

If your application is successful, you will be sent a funding agreement (contract), generally within one month of notification. This outlines the conditions of funding, how you will be paid and your grant reporting requirements.

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

Sound NSW staff will review required reporting, outlined below, and may contact you for additional information as part of this process.

Payment will be dependent on when the signed Funding Agreement has been returned to Sound NSW, as well as any special conditions, variations or outstanding acquittals being satisfactorily completed.

Acknowledgement of Sound NSW

As a recipient of Government funding, you will be expected to acknowledge the support from Sound NSW in all publications, promotional and advertising materials and public announcements.

Reporting

Successful applicants will be required to submit a milestone report following the delivery of the first all-ages event.

The final acquittal will be submitted at the conclusion of the all-ages live music event series.

Program evaluation

The Program will be evaluated to measure how well the outcomes and objectives have been achieved.

We may collect and use information from your application and reports for this purpose. We may also interview you or ask you for more information to help us understand how the Program impacted you and to evaluate how effective the tour was in achieving its outcomes.

We may contact you up to three years after you receive the final grant payment associated with the grant round for more information to assist with this evaluation.

Create NSW and the NSW Audit Office reserve the right to undertake an audit of Program funding and support within seven years.

Support and contact

Sound NSW staff are available to provide technical advice and general information to potential applicants on the interpretation of these guidelines, including the types of activity eligible for funding and support with the online application process.

Sound NSW staff cannot help directly with your application. To maintain a fair and equitable process, staff cannot edit or correct any applications or provide advice on the content or choices required against the Assessment Criteria.

Sound NSW staff can be contacted between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) via:  

Contact Details

Tino Mjawe

Email: info@sound.nsw.gov.au

Phone: (02 9566 8804)

Visit our website: Sound NSW

Schedule an online meeting to speak to Sound NSW staff using the link to Microsoft Bookings.

For further information read the frequently asked questions.

Image: All-Ages Event at Geelong, 2024, image by Darcy Goss and provided The Push

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

Any conflicts of interest will be managed in accordance with NSW Government Grants Administration Guide.

A conflict of interest, or perceived conflict of interest, may be identified if staff, any member of a committee or advisor and/or you or any of your personnel:

  • has a professional, commercial, or personal relationship with a party who can influence the application selection process, or
  • 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, or
  • has a relationship with, or interest in, an organisation from which they will receive personal gain because the organisation received a grant under the grant program.

If you identify an actual, apparent, or perceived conflict of interest at any time, you must inform Sound NSW immediately. Staff can be contacted 9.00am - 5.00pm Monday to Friday via info@sound.nsw.gov.au or 02 9372 8662.

NSW Government staff, committee members and other officials including the decision maker must declare any conflicts of interest and ensure they are managed as per the DCITHS Code of Ethics and Conduct and the Grants Administration Guide.

Download as PDF Print this page
Top of page