Funding for new or improved cultural infrastructure to support quality cultural experiences across NSW and give more people and communities the ability to access or take part in the arts.
Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: From $5,000 to $5,000,000
- Application opened: 11 July 2022
- Application closed: 8 August 2022
Program objective
The Creative Capital fund has been established to meet the demands for facilities to support the creative economy and improve access to and participation in quality cultural experiences across NSW. Cultural equity is at the heart of the Creative Capital Program and will ensure that more people have access to and can participate in the arts.
Grants are available to fund new infrastructure or to upgrade existing cultural infrastructure to make existing spaces fit for purpose. Communities will benefit with fit-for-purpose, high performing museums, theatres, performance spaces, galleries, and Aboriginal Cultural Centres, Keeping Places and language centres across NSW.
Creative Capital aims to support:
- increasing access and participation to quality local spaces for local communities who need more or improved cultural facilities
- touring programs enablement
- strategic investment to strengthen a cultural venue (‘hub’) that can then support smaller organisations (‘spokes’) in the local area
- digital enablement such as collections digitisation and recording, broadcasting capability for performing arts
- Aboriginal Cultural Centres, Keeping Places, language centres and other Aboriginal cultural infrastructure.
Funding is available from $5,000 to $250,000 for Minor Works and Equipment Rounds and from $250,000 to $5,000,000 for Medium to Large Projects Round.
This program is administered by Create NSW.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Applicant organisation must have an NSW address or operate in NSW, and the location of the proposed facilities must be in NSW.
Applicants must hold an Australian Business Number (ABN), Australian Company Number (ACN) or be registered with NSW Fair Trading under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 or other Act. An applicant must be one of the following entities:
- Local Councils
- Joint Organisation of Councils
- Not-for-profit organisations, including business chambers, industry associations and charities
- Conservatoria
- Local Aboriginal Land Councils
A public/private partnership may only seek funding where the lead applicant is an eligible entity. Section 355 committees of local councils are eligible to apply for funding, but the council will be required to execute the funding agreement should the project be successful. There is no limit on the amount of applications that an organisation can make.
Who can’t apply
You are ineligible to apply for Creative Capital funding if:
- you are a local, state or federal government department/agency, including State Cultural Institutions
- you are an educational institution, including preschools, primary and secondary schools, University or TAFE (but not including conservatoria).
Project focus
To be eligible, projects must meet the following conditions:
- The infrastructure must be based in NSW and be primarily for arts and culture use.
- The application must demonstrate a co-contribution. This may be in the form of cash or in-kind support and to a proportion of the estimated total project cost determined the location of the project as per the Tiers (refer to the Creative Capital Funding Guidelines).
- The application must show evidence of community consultation and how the project will improve arts, culture or heritage outcomes for communities.
- Priority will be given to projects that can realise benefits efficiently and effectively in the near term.
- Your project must not have already taken place or be due for completion before the funding period starts.
- Equipment and Minor Works projects must commence within three months of executed funding agreement and be completed within two years.
- Medium to Large Projects must commence within three months of executed funding agreement, unless subject to planning approval, in which case construction must commence within nine months of executed funding agreement.
What you can't apply for
You cannot apply for:
- public art
- ongoing operational expenditure such as rent, utility bills or the leasing of equipment Plaques, monuments or memorials
- operational funding
- artistic or other programming including festivals, prizes and events Marketing, advertising or product promotion
- projects with exclusively or mostly private benefits Engaging or paying existing permanent employees
- costs that are normally the responsibility of business, state or territory agencies or local council Projects that would proceed without NSW Government financial assistance
- projects that require ongoing funding from the NSW Government or Australian Government that has not been budgeted
- upgrades to existing libraries Minor musical instruments.
Most recent recipients
What was approved
Approved for Albury City Council
The refurbishment and re-working of the Albury City Museum Collection Store to enable better use of the current footprint, ensure ongoing best practice museum collection management, and facilitate collection development opportunities. The project incorporates improved and expanded storage solutions, a collection quarantine space and re-working of the collection workshop space.
$229,010 was approved by
Minister for the ArtsDate approved
October 2022Location of the recipient
Riverina MurrayAbout the grant
Applications approved
82
Applications received
147
Creative Capital
Program term
30/6/2025What was approved
Approved for Armidale and Region Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place Inc
To audit, digitise and catalogue items of historical/cultural Aboriginal significance, establish and train staff in the processes and protocols required and resource the ACCKP with the required equipment and facilities for recording, maintaining, and preserving these items.
$200,000 was approved by
Minister for the ArtsDate approved
October 2022Location of the recipient
New England & North WestAbout the grant
Applications approved
4
Applications received
4
Creative Capital
Program term
30/6/2025What was approved
Approved for Armidale and Region Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place Inc
Redesign and refurbishment of washrooms and toilet facilities. Includes demolishing existing men's and women's facilities, 5 toilet cubicles two urinals, 5 washbasins and refreshment areas. Redesigning and replacing of walls, waterproofing area, retiling of floors and walls, renew all lighting and tap fittings. Current facilities are over 33 years of age.
$121,761 was approved by
Minister for the ArtsDate approved
October 2022Location of the recipient
New England & North WestAbout the grant
Applications approved
82
Applications received
147
Creative Capital
Program term
30/6/2025What was approved
Approved for Armidale Regional Council
Upgrading the aging display infrastructure in the Armidale Folk Museum and satellite Hillgrove Museum with fit-for-purpose equipment to enable the creation of engaging displays with interactive digital components.
$28,642 was approved by
Minister for the ArtsDate approved
October 2022Location of the recipient
New England & North WestAbout the grant
Applications approved
82
Applications received
147
Creative Capital
Program term
30/6/2025What was approved
Approved for Artspace Visual Arts Centre Ltd
Artspace's new learning, outreach and community spaces in The Gunnery will include a dedicated Learning Studio, accessible archive, production workshop and back-of-house facilities, enhanced digital infrastructure, and community gathering spaces. These spaces will diversify our outreach, build organisational capacity, increase visitor accessibility, and bring communities together through contemporary art.
$200,000 was approved by
Minister for the ArtsDate approved
October 2022Location of the recipient
Metropolitan SydneyAbout the grant
Applications approved
82
Applications received
147
Creative Capital
Program term
30/6/2025What your application needs to include
You can download the full
File
Creative Capital Guidelines (PDF 3.05MB)And read the
File
Creative Capital Application Guide (PDF 200.35KB)
Prepare your application with this checklist
Ensure that you prepare your supporting documents ahead of time and have them ready when preparing your application.
Prepare your project budget and forecast operating budget using the template provided. Combine all other supporting documents and attachments into a single PDF file and ensure that you label each page accordingly.
Refer to the Application Guide for the list of supporting documents required for your application.
Your application
In your application you will need to describe your project activities, why you are doing it, who is involved in delivery, who it benefits, and the outcomes you hope to achieve.
You will also need to set out the budget for the scope of works and in the case of Medium to Large Projects, the details and budget for each part or separable portion of the works.
Applicants for Medium to Large Projects grants will be required to provide:
- a completed electronic Expression of Interest form in SmartyGrants and if invited a completed electronic application form for Stage 2 in SmartyGrants
- supporting documents as required in the SmartyGrants application form
- completed, approved and uploaded Simplified Business Case template.
Applicants for Equipment and Minor Works Projects will be required to provide:
- completed electronic application form in SmartyGrants
- supporting documents as required in the Smarty Grants application form.
Address the eligibility criteria
You will be asked to complete an eligibility checklist in the first page of the application form.
If you are eligible for this funding based on your responses, you will be able to access and complete the rest of the application form.
Address the assessment criteria
The assessment of your application will take into consideration your responses to the following assessment criteria. All applications should demonstrate how they address all of the assessment criteria below.
- Address Priority Activity
- Service Need
- Value for Money
- Capacity to Deliver
- Community Support and Reach of Public Benefit
Start the application
Applications for all rounds of Creative Capital have now closed.
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Minister for the Arts.
Confirmation
Once your application is submitted, you will receive a confirmation email from Smarty Grants.
Eligibility check
Applications will be checked for eligibility by the Department.
If eligible, the application will proceed to the next stage of assessment.
Create NSW reserves the right to seek further information from applicants, at its absolute discretion, regarding any of the eligibility requirements for the round.
Assessment
All applications over $50,000 will be assessed by a Cultural Infrastructure Advisory Board appointed by the Minister for the Arts. The Board will include subject matter experts in arts management, artform expertise, building and technical infrastructure needs of cultural venues.
All applications under $50,000 will be assessed by the Department against the assessment criteria.
Where specific expertise for a particular category is required, for example libraries, digital enablement projects or projects with Aboriginal cultural sensitivities or protocols, the Board and the Department may request advice from an independent subject matter expert or other subgroup.
Consultation
Throughout the assessment process the Department may request additional information from applicants or from any other source. The Department may also seek advice from other NSW Government agencies or other third parties (such as probity advisors) to assist with the assessment of applications.
Support and contact
If you have questions or clarifications, contact the Creative Capital team:
Telephone: (02) 9228 4575
Email: creative.capital@create.nsw.gov.au
Accessibility, inclusion and support
Create NSW is committed to improving accessibility to the Creative Capital Funding Program.
If you need this information in an accessible format or in another language, contact us on (02) 9228 4574 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
The National Relay Service numbers are:
- TTY users: Phone 133 677 then ask for (02) 9228 4575.
- Speak and Listen users: Phone 1300 555 727 then ask for (02) 9228 4575.
Language Interpreting Service
If English is your second/third language and you would like to speak to Create NSW staff about the guidelines or application form, we can arrange an Interpreting Service to support this communication.
Please contact us between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday: (02) 9228 4575