Arts and Cultural Funding Program

Creative Nations

Creative Nations
The purpose of this funding is to strengthen First Nations artists, organisations and communities by supporting artistic expression to sustain and grow First Nations arts and culture in NSW.
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Key information

  • Status: Closed
  • Grant amount: From $10,000 to $100,000
  • Application opened: 23 October 2024
  • Application closed: 2 December 2024, 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 though equitable access to vibrant arts and cultural experiences. 

This funding will: 

  • enable the creation and presentation of new work and the ability to access resources and expertise for individual artists projects or artistic/professional development 
  • create more employment and professional development opportunities for First Nations artists and cultural workers 
  • invest in First Nations led organisations and help cultural workers become leaders 
  • enable the sharing of First Nations stories and truth telling 
  • support personal and community wellbeing and economic development. 

Image Credit: Heartbreaking Records, Karla Dickens. Photo: Michelle Embryo

This program is funded and administered by Create NSW.

Eligibility

1

Who can apply

Individuals:  

  • First Nations Individuals must be 18 years or above  
  • Located in NSW for the last 12 months.  

Groups:  

  • Group members must be First Nations and 18 years or above  
  • Group members must all have been located in NSW for the last 12 months.  
  • The application must be submitted by an individual on behalf of the group.  
    • Note: this will count as an application for all nominated group members who will not be eligible to submit applications to other projects in this round.  

Organisations:  

  • First Nations organisations: including First Nations led groups, collectives, or institutions 
  • Operating in NSW for at least the last 12 months 
2

Types of projects funded under this grant

Funding is available for First Nations people or organisations that want to: 

  • Support First Nations arts and culture 
  • Share the storytelling of First Nations elders 
  • Make arts and culture available to everyone including people with disabilities 
  • Maintain and grow collections and archives at First Nations cultural centres or keeping places 
  • Create and manage cultural festivals and events that celebrate the diversity of First Nations people 
  • Promote and market arts and cultural events to reach more people 
  • Join in cultural community gatherings and forums. 
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 project 
  • Fees for development opportunities, mentorships, workshops and courses related to the research and development of the project 
  • Marketing and promotion expenses
  • Costs of materials for the creation of new work 
  • Costs to support aboriginal protocols
  • Costs to support accessibility
  • Paying artist fees based on awards and appropriate industry rates  

Note: You can apply for unconfirmed activities 

4

Who can’t apply

Ineligible applicants: 

  • Individuals, groups or organisations who aren't First Nations
  • 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.  
  • Are State or federal government department/agency, including state cultural institutions. 
  • Are Local Government Authorities.
  • Are schools and educational institutions (including preschools, primary and secondary schools). 
  • Key Festivals, State Significant Organisations & a National Performing Arts Partnership Organisation.  
  • Receiving Create NSW ACFP Multi-year funding or Annual Organisation Funding. 
  • 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.  
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 First Nations dancer undertaking a creative development project (inclusive of work in progress showings) with a remote community to explore traditional and contemporary practice with the view to develop a full-scale work in the future. 
  • A First Nations arts organisation curating a visual arts exhibition with multiple regional First Nations artists for a metropolitan exhibition showcasing the art from different First Nations communities across NSW. 
7

What co-contributions are required

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:

  • Organisations will need to provide a description of their workplace safety and wellbeing activities and policy.  
  • The project must start after 7 April 2025 and be completed by 30 June 2026.

Applications to rounds  

  • You can only submit one project application in this project funding round (ACFP funding with the same closing date). This project funding round includes Next Steps, Creative Steps, Cultural Access and Creative Nations Projects. 
  • If you are successful for funding in this project round, you can’t apply in the next round of project funding. This project funding round includes Next Steps, Creative Steps, Cultural Access and Creative Nations Projects.

Most recent recipients

All recipients (20)

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

Connection to Country (30%)  

Details of the location/s for the proposed project.  

Question: How does the location provide access to the intended audience or benefit the First Nations communities involved?  

You may want to consider the following:  

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

Idea (25%)   

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 First Nations' 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 e.g.: artists, communities and/or audiences? 
  • How does the project reflect the diversity of First Nations 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 Cultural Access – Priority Area Project Funding and Strategic Priority Areas 

Experience (15%)   

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 involved bring to this project? 
  • What skills and expertise do the artists/arts and cultural workers or organisations involved have that will ensure the activity is a success? 
  • How will those involved help build sustainable careers and professional skills for First Nations people and communities? 

Sustainability (10%) 

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, groups and organisations 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.  

As an individual/group you must provide: 

  • An active ABN (that’s your Australian Business Number) of either an Individual/Sole Trader or private company (only if you’re the sole director) and a bank account with the same name as your ABN

Or

  • A Funds Administrator is an administrative body/third party (such as a manager, agent or producing organisation) who 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.  

As an organisation you must provide: 

  • An ABN which matches their entity name and a bank account that has the same name as your ABN. 
  • Groups/ensembles/collectives, partnerships, unincorporated associations and other organisations without legal status separate from their members cannot directly apply for Create NSW funding or be contracted directly by Create NSW. However, an individual may apply for funding and may be entitled to enter Create NSW funding contracts on their members’ behalf, so long as there is an eligible ABN. For example, while an unincorporated association cannot contract in its own name as a separate entity, it may have its own ABN.
  • An organisation without separate, legal status can also be auspiced/administered by another legal entity.  

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:  

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 occuring in March 2025, allowing time for project commencement by 7 April 2025 as outlined in guidelines

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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