Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: Up to $150,000
- Application opened: 3 February 2025
- Application closed: 10 March 2025, 2:00 pm
Program objective
This funding program is for First Nations NSW led music businesses and organisations with a track record of delivering significant outcomes for First Nations contemporary music in NSW.
This funding aims to:
- prioritise and protect First Nations NSW music
- develop skills and capacity for First Nations NSW artists and acts
- upskill First Nations NSW industry professionals and music businesses in best practice and emerging trends
- improve industry standards
- build the profile of the NSW music industry
- cultivate innovation, collaboration and partnership
- support industry-led research and advocacy
- strengthen First Nations NSW communities.
This program is administered by Create NSW.
Eligibility
Who can apply
This program is open to First Nations NSW led music businesses or organisations that demonstrate an established ongoing connection to community through their work
Funding recipients must:
- have a governing body that is majority First Nations people
- be currently based in NSW or deliver a significant contribution to the NSW contemporary music sector
- 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.
Applicants will need:
- an active ABN (that’s your Australian Business Number)
- a bank account with the same name as your ABN.
For the purpose of this program contemporary music refers to artists and acts performing new and original music.
- Business or organisations with a primary focus in the below artforms are not supported through this program:
- experimental music and sound art
- contemporary classical, opera, choral and ensembles
- music theatre
- These applicants should refer to Create NSW’s Arts and Cultural Funding Program (ACFP) guidelines.
Please see the FAQ’s for further definitions.
Number of applications
- you can only submit one application per round
- if you are successful you cannot apply again in the next round of First Nations Contemporary Music Development Grants.
Types of projects funded under this grant
Funding can support the following activity:
- skills, training and capacity building programs for artists, industry professionals and music businesses
- programs to upskill industry professionals and music businesses in best practice and emerging trends and technologies including AI, marketing and promotion, cultural literacy and safety
- programs and resources to improve well-being, support workplace and audience safety, accessibility, cultural safety and working with young people
- industry-led marketing campaigns to promote music in NSW
- initiatives that cultivate innovation, collaboration and partnerships locally and internationally
- industry-led research and advocacy.
What costs you can apply for
Funding up to $150,000 can support project costs relating to:
- paying salaries, wages and fees for staff, researchers, consultants, industry professionals and artists
- venue hire, catering and production costs
- travel and accommodation costs
- marketing and promotion
- administrative costs
- buying equipment essential to your project, like instruments, hardware and software (up to $20,000).
Who can’t apply
- businesses or organisations not First Nations led
- businesses or organisations not based in NSW, unless the proposal demonstrates a direct impact to the NSW contemporary music sector
- applicants who have outstanding acquittals from previous NSW Government funding
- applicants who are not music businesses or organisations
What costs you can't apply for
- activities that do not enhance, build and grow NSW’s contemporary music industry or demonstrate a significant benefit to NSW industry
- costs from before the advertised activity start date
- activities that have received other NSW Government funding
- activities that directly support the delivery or course requirements of an educational program or course
- fundraising, donations, awards, prize money or competitions.
Additional eligibility requirements
- The project cannot start before 12 May 2025 and must be completed by 30 June 2026.
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
Grant Application
All applicants must submit the following as part of their application. These materials will all be part of the assessment.
- an outline of your organisation and recent key achievements
- an outline of the how your project connects with artists, communities and/or audiences
- a description of your project, explaining how it will deliver significant benefits to the contemporary music sector in NSW
- an outline of how your project aligns with one or more of the program objectives
- evidence of your approach to diversity and inclusion
- a budget showing your income and expenditure
- links to examples of previous projects
- confirmation from key people involved in the project
- for equipment purchase – formal quotes for each piece of equipment.
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.
Address the assessment criteria
1. Benefit to the contemporary music sector in NSW
Evidence of the need and impact of the activity.
Tell us in detail about:
- the need for the project and expected outcomes
- the intended beneficiaries of the project, and your experience working with that group.
- the impact of the project for the intended beneficiaries.
2. Connection to community
The benefit to the First Nations community or the intended audience.
Tell us in detail about:
- how this project creates meaningful connection with artists, communities and/or audiences
- the rationale behind the timing and location of working with this community
- how this project will help develop significant outcomes for First Nations NSW communities
- your experience working with industry and community.
3. Alignment with program objectives
Alignment with one or more of the program objectives.
Tell us in detail about how your project aligns with one or more of the program objectives:
- prioritise and protect First Nations NSW music
- develop skills and capacity for First Nations NSW artists and acts
- upskill First Nations NSW industry professionals and music businesses in best practice and emerging trends
- improve industry standards
- build the profile of the NSW music industry
- cultivate innovation, collaboration and partnership
- support industry-led research and advocacy
- strengthen First Nations communities.
Sound NSW is committed to a diverse contemporary music sector in NSW and encourages applications from First Nations people who identify as women and non-binary, people with disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and people from Western Sydney and regional and remote communities.
4. Viability of the activity
Evidence of previous experience and successful partnerships, your capacity to undertake this activity on time and within budget:
Tell us in detail about:
- your previous experience delivering similar activity
- your reach to deliver outcomes across the contemporary music sector in NSW
- evidence of previous successful partnerships
- key people and partners involved, including confirmation of their involvement
- how you will spend the amount you are requesting from Sound NSW, including a breakdown of your total costs and any other investment in the project.
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy
Eligibility
Applications 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 notified by email within 14 days.
Sound NSW reserves the right to seek further information from the applicant to determine eligibility.
Application Review
After eligibility is confirmed, the application will be evaluated by an assessment panel of at least three First Nations industry assessors against the assessment criteria and consistent with these guidelines.
Please note that funding allocation follows a competitive process. Evaluations will consider the assessment criteria outlined above and the availability of funds at Sound NSW.
Successful applications will be approved by the Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, based on recommendations from industry assessors.
Application Outcome
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application within eight weeks of the closing date.
Sound NSW will provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants. The format of this feedback may vary depending on the quantity of applications and the resources available.
Successful grant applications
If successful, you will receive a funding agreement (contract), generally within one month of notification. This will outline the conditions of funding, payment details and grant reporting requirements.
Contracts and payments will only be issued once all outstanding acquittals with Sound NSW and Create NSW are completed.
Sound NSW staff may contact you for additional information during the reporting process.
Payment depends on the return of the signed Funding Agreement and completion of any special conditions, variations or outstanding acquittals.
Successful applicants may be asked to provide evidence of First Nations NSW Artform Affirmation | NSW Government, and adherence to the ICIP and First Nations Protocols before contracting. For more information visit the Aboriginal Arts and Cultural Protocols | NSW Government.
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, public announcements, and professional development activities.
Reporting
Successful applicants need to provide a project and financial acquittal at the end of the funding period.
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. Sound NSW and the NSW Audit Office reserves 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.
For further information or clarification, please contact:
Tino Mjawe, Manager, Music Investment & Partnership
Email: info@sound.nsw.gov.au
Phone number: (02) 9566 8804
Schedule an online meeting to speak to Sound NSW staff using the link to Microsoft Bookings.
Image: Kameygal Studio, 2024. Supplied by Gadigal Information Service.