Arts and Cultural Funding Program

Creative Koori - Individuals and Groups 2023/24

Creative Koori - Individuals and Groups 2023/24

This targeted funding is for NSW-based Aboriginal artists, groups, arts/cultural workers and organisations in delivering arts and culture activities that benefit Aboriginal artists, arts/cultural workers and Aboriginal communities.

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Key information

  • Status: Closed
  • Grant amount: Up to $60,0000
  • Application opened: 15 January 2024
  • Application closed: 19 February 2024, 5:00 pm

Program objective

Creative Koori Projects Funding for Individuals and Groups(2023/24) supports innovation, vibrancy and creativity within the NSW arts and cultural sector.

Creative Koori Projects objectives:

  • invest in Aboriginal NSW-based artists and arts/cultural workers (including museum workers) to engage in professional development opportunities
  • enable Aboriginal NSW-based artists in the development and/or presentation of new work related to career development
  • increase the capacity of Aboriginal NSW-based artists and arts/cultural workers (including museum workers) in becoming arts and cultural leaders
  • increase cultural capacity and promotion of First Nations stories that provide community collaborations and share cultural ownership, including leadership roles

Acknowledgement of Country

Create NSW acknowledge the Aboriginal peoples and traditional owners of the land we now call NSW, and we celebrate the history and contemporary creativity of the world’s oldest living culture.

Image Credit: Leanne Tobin, Ngalawan – We Live, We Remain The Call of Ngura (Country) Made in collaboration with Ben and Kathy Edols Installation view, 23rd Biennale of Sydney, rīvus 2022, The Cutaway at Barangaroo (Detail). Photo: Document Photography

This program is funded and administered by Create NSW.

Eligibility

1

Who can apply

Individuals or a group with all group members being:

  • 18 years and above
  • an Australian citizen or permanent resident
  • an Australian Aboriginal individual or a group of Australian Aboriginal individuals based in NSW for at least 12 months
2

Types of projects funded under this grant

Your project must be a clearly defined arts and cultural activity that either

  • benefits the employment of NSW-based Aboriginal practicing artists and/or arts/cultural workers 
  • provides arts and cultural experiences to NSW Aboriginal communities and/or audiences.
3

When the project can start and end

Projects are to be undertaken between 1 July 2024 and 31 December 2025. 

The project should be started by 1 July 2024 and the project must be completed by 31 December 2025.

4

Who can’t apply

You cannot apply if you:

  • are not an Aboriginal person or group
  • have received previous funding from Create NSW funding for the same stage/phase of the project or for project top-ups
  • your project has already started, taken place or due to be completed before the funding period starts
  • do not meet the ABN requirements (see additional eligibility criteria below)
  • are a current employee of Create NSW or have been employed by Create NSW within the last 12 months
  • are seeking support for filmmaking, screen productions or film festivals. Please refer to Screen NSW regarding film sector funding opportunities.
5

What costs you can't apply for

You cannot apply to use funds for:

  • activities that are carried out to satisfy the course requirements of an educational institution, for example, TAFE or university
  • activities that directly support the delivery of an educational program or course
  • arts and cultural activities that are led by non-professional artists or organisations
  • reimbursement to recover costs of items already purchased (such as flights, accommodation, and materials)
  • Purchasing musical instruments, artworks, equipment (such as laptops, cameras, technical equipment, or machinery), or vehicles.
  • Capital works (infrastructure/building activities). Refer to Create Infrastructure regarding capital works funding opportunities.
  • Fundraising and donations, awards, competition entry fees or prize money.
  • Repayment of loans.
  • Filmmaking projects, screen productions or film festivals. Refer to Screen NSW regarding film sector funding opportunities. This does not include videos with direct involvement of artists, musicians, and performers such as music videos, video art and video for performance
6

Example projects

Funding is available for a wide range of arts and cultural activities (but not limited to):

  • Aboriginal Artist’s creation of new arts and cultural work, practice-based research, or experimentation.
  • Aboriginal Artists and Arts/Cultural Worker’s professional development opportunities, arts and cultural residencies and mentorships.
  • Theatre production, Visual Arts exhibition, Literature publishing, or Music Album recording.
  • Aboriginal Cultural Centres and Keeping Places conservation and/or development of collections and archives.
  • Recording and preservation of Aboriginal Elder's cultural stories.
  • Making work accessible to audience/artists with disability.
  • Event promotion material and marketing costs and strategic development for audience growth.
  • Significant calendar arts and cultural events, cultural festivals including First Nations women, men, youth, and Elders’ arts and cultural activities/workshops.
  • Attendance and participation to defined cultural community gatherings and forums.
7

Additional eligibility requirements

  • Aboriginal individuals or group applicants can only submit 1 application for either project funding or Creative Koori Individuals/Groups Projects per round.
  • You MUST not request funding for the total cost of your project. 

Aboriginal individuals and groups ABN Business Number (ABN) requirements:

As an Aboriginal individual based in NSW, you must apply with 1of the following: 

  • an individual/sole trader ABN
  • if you are the sole director of a private company, the ABN for that company
  • a nominated funds administrator
  • none of the above, but if successful, will obtain an individual/sole trader ABN or engage a funds administrator.

As an Aboriginal group based in NSW, you must apply with 1 of the following:

  • a group members’ individual/sole trader ABN
  • a partnership ABN
  • an unincorporated entity ABN
  • a nominated funds administrator
  • none of the above, but, if successful, will obtain an eligible ABN or engage a funds administrator*.

Note:

  • the group member with the ABN must also be the contact for that group
  • incorporated associations, companies (except sole directors of private companies) and trusts are not eligible to apply as individuals or groups. These restrictions do not apply to funds administrators.

Funds administration:An administrative body/third party (such as a manager, agent or producing organisation) can receive and administer funds on your behalf. You may be asked for a fee for this service, and it is recommended that you include that fee in your activity budget.

Most recent recipients

What your application needs to include

1

Prepare your application with this checklist

  • Read the guidelines
  • Check your eligibility
  • If working with Aboriginal communities:
    • you are required to provide letters of support and/or confirmation from relevant Aboriginal artists, Elders, Organisations or community members 
  • Samples of work 
  • Biography/CV for:
    • Yourself
    • The group members involved (if you are applying as a group)
    • Artists or key collaborators involved in the project 
  • Letter of confirmation from artist/s, organisations and/or communities that can confirm they are working with you on the project
  • Letters of support from artist/s, organisations and/or communities who can speak to your project vision and your/the group’s experience in project delivery
  • Letters of offer/ invitations/partnership arrangements related to your project
  • Venue or partnership confirmations
  • Project plan (available within the application form)
  • Budget (available within the application form)
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

Merit Criteria

The project’s artistic rationale, goals, expected outcomes, and your/ the group’s artform experience.

Tell us in detail about:

  • the idea, vision, expected outcomes and locations for your/the group’s proposed project
  • the process of delivering the project, the artists and their involvement in the project, and their artistic experience.

Impact Criteria

The changes (outcomes) you expect to see as a result of your project.

Tell us in detail about:

  • Audience impact: such as increased access, attendance, or participation, including if your activity meaningfully engages with Create NSW’s priority areas (see below)
  • Artform impact: such as innovation, advancement, employment, NSW works developed/presented/represented
  • Social impacts: such as improved wellbeing, community and cultural development, increased visibility of issues, stories, or communities.

Note: you will need to identify a primary impact.

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 Create NSW priority areas, please include these details. The Priority Areas are:

  • NSW Aboriginal people
  • People from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds
  • People living and/or working in Regional NSW
  • People living and/or working in Western Sydney
  • People with disability or who are d/Deaf
  • Young People under the age of 25

Engagement with a priority area/s is not compulsory. 

Viability Crtieria

The planning and finances, timeline and how the budget will be managed.

Tell us in detail about:

  • The key steps or activities to plan and deliver your project, this can include dates, activities names, descriptions, collaborators involved and locations of your project.
  • How you will spend the amount you are requesting from Create NSW, including a breakdown of your total project costs.

Note:

  • A project plan template is provided by Create NSW (in the grant portal, Smartygrants) to assist you in outlining your key activities. You are required to upload this template.
  • A budget template is provided by Create NSW to show the strength of your financial planning and ability to deliver the project. You have the option of uploading this budget template.
  • The budget income and expenditure must balance at NIL ($00.00).
  • You must not request funding for the total cost of your project.
  • You must contribute other cash or in-kind support towards your project.
  • It is recommended events implement a $250 minimum fee for musicians. This fee is based on a ‘3 hour call’ as set out in the Live Performance Award and endorsed by the Fair Work Ombudsman. 

Start the application

Start the application

Applications for this grant are available via the SmartyGrants portal.

After the application is submitted

You will receive an email confirmation from our secure online grants system, SmartyGrants. Create NSW has the discretion to accept late applications only where it would not compromise the integrity and competitiveness of the process. The applications will be assessed and both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified.

Application results

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their applications under embargo.

Under embargo 

When applicants are notified under embargo, they are not permitted to publicise the outcome until the official announcement has been made by the Minister for the Arts or by Create NSW. The embargo period is taken seriously and failure to comply may impact your current and future funding eligibility. 

Funding Payment 

If your application is successful, you will be sent a Funding Agreement/Letter of Offer. This outlines the conditions of funding, how you will be paid and your grant reporting requirements.

Payment will not be made until any Create NSW outstanding acquittals have been submitted. 

Please refer to Contracts and Payment information for the process regarding successful applications.

Acknowledgement of Create NSW support 

As the recipient of funding, you must acknowledge the support of the NSW Government in all program publications, promotional and advertising materials, public announcements and activities.

You will be expected to show evidence of this at the Acquittal stage. Failure to do so could impact future funding opportunities. 

Please see Create NSW Logo Guidelines for more information. 

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.


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After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: Minister for the Arts

Assessment Stage 1

The Aboriginal Arts and Culture Board will assess all applications against three assessment criteria: Merit, Impact and Viability who:

  • will assess and rank all applications against the merit, impact and viability assessment criteria
  • may split applications across the Aboriginal Arts and Culture Board when high numbers of applications are received
  • may set aside an application if it is assessed as "materially deficient" in any one of the three assessment criteria
  • may consider whether an application needs to be reallocated to another board for assessment

Assessment Stage 2

The Aboriginal Arts and Culture Board assessment scores will be amalgamated and presented at the assessment meeting to determine final recommendations.

The Aboriginal Arts and Culture Board will consider the assessment criteria, the demographics, distribution, range, and scale of the initial recommendations.

This may include prioritising NSW applicants, as well as programs, individuals and activities with outcomes that address Arts and Cultural Funding Program (ACFP) Priority Areas, to ensure equity across the State and the best outcomes for NSW Government investment.

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
  • 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

Assessment Stage 3

Create NSW will consolidate a report on the outcomes based on quality of the applications as assessed by the Aboriginal Arts and Culture Board, demand by artform, budget allocation, distribution across the State, and ACFP Priority Areas.

Note:

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

Consultation 

There may also be cross-board consultation on applications. Create NSW may also request further advice and/or clarification from applicants during the assessment process. 

Recommendation 

Final recommendations are submitted for the consideration of the Minister for the Arts.

Anticipated assessment outcome date is 042024

Anticipated date for funding deed execution with successful applicants is Funding Agreements will be sent within one month of successful notification.

Support and contact

Create NSW Arts Funding

  • Email: arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au
  • Phone: (02) 9228 4578
  • Scheduling an online meeting to speak to Create NSW staff using the link to Microsoft Bookings
  • Visit our website
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