Arts and Cultural Funding Program

Flagship Regional Festivals Multi Year Funding

First nations dancers at Giiyong

Three year funding to support delivery, growth and sustainability of established regional festivals in NSW. Applications by invitation only.

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Key information

  • Status: Closed
  • Grant amount: $150,000 annually over a three-year period
  • Application opened: 2 November 2022
  • Application closed: 25 November 2022, 5:00 pm

Program objective

Hundreds of events and festivals take place across NSW each year, creating awareness for regional destinations and driving visitation and economic stimulus. 

Festivals in regional areas supports local arts and cultural activity, and engages regional communities and audiences. 

Regional Festivals contribute to the NSW Government’s priorities through

  • stimulating regional economies
  • increasing access to artistic excellence 
  • encouraging greater engagement with NSW arts and culture
  • activating regional and remote communities
  • driving visitation through cultural tourism offers.

To support growth and sustainability of these vital events, Create NSW has developed a Flagship Festivals multiyear category for regional festivals that have a demonstrated a strong track record in delivery and audience engagement. 

Create NSW invites flagship regional festivals across NSW to apply for the Flagship Festivals multiyear category which will increase the impact and grow the strength of two established regional festivals.

The grant is valued at $150,000 annually over a three-year period available for two Regional Flagship Festivals – a total funding pool of $300,000 per year. 

Applications for Flagship Regional Festivals Multi Year Funding is by invitation only.

This program falls under the broader Arts and Cultural Funding Program (ACFP) which delivers on the Premier’s commitment to enhance the quality of life of the people of NSW.

Image: Giiyong Festival 2018 Photo David Rogers

This program is funded and administered by Create NSW.

Eligibility

Applications for invited festivals to apply for Flagship Festivals multi-year funding will be open from 2 November to 25 November 2022.

Invitations will be made to regional festivals that can demonstrate

  • successful delivery for at least a 3-year period 
  • strong audience engagement 
  • impactful and innovative programming
  • local connections and partnership
  • engagement of local artists
  • budget (Viability).

Applications – by invitation only

Applications to the Flagship Festivals Program are by invitation only. 

As an invited applicant your Festival has been deemed eligible for this program and you will be required to submit an application via the SmartyGrants portal. See below.

What can you apply for

$150,000 annually over a three year period.

Applications can request support for costs associated with presenting an annual regional festival. This covers a range of expenses including

  • NSW artists fees – these must be based on Industry rates and include per diems for overseas travel
  • production costs, temporary staging and equipment hire
  • crew and production wages
  • costs of implementation of a COVID safety plan, risk management plans and permits
  • marketing and promotion.

What the funding can't be used for

  • Filmmaking and screen production, Mainstream animation and film festivals (see screen.nsw.gov.au for funding opportunities in this area)
  • Core education and training activities 
  • Capital items 
  • Fundraising, awards or prize money competitions or eisteddfods 
  • The delivery of new devolved funding programs, unless previously authorised by Create NSW 
  • A project that has already commenced or taken place
  • An activity for which you have received ACFP annual or program funding 

Term

Funding is approved for a 3-year period.

Programs may start either 1 January 2023 and be completed by 31 December 2025 or start 1 July 2023 and be completed by 30 June 2026 depending on whether your organisation operates on a financial or calendar year.

If any part of your 3-year program is already covered by pre-existing Create NSW Annual or Project funding arrangements, you must not seek funds for this part of your program in this application.

For example: if you are funded for the 2023 calendar year your Flagship Festival application will commence in January 2024 for two years and conclude in 2025.

Most recent recipients

All recipients (2)

What your application needs to include

Applicants are to submit information describing the regional festival proposed outcomes, how it addresses the overall funding project aims and how it provides both financial and social benefit to NSW artists, audiences, and regional communities. 

Applicants may wish to include key priority area information in the project outcomes description.

 

1

Prepare your application with this checklist

Your application needs to include

  • proposed event dates and venue/s
  • programming, for example including possible artists and satellite events
  • a project timeline and detailed project budget
  • event partners and community engagement activities 
  • letters of confirmation from venues and endorsement from the sector.
2

NSW key priority areas

The NSW Government is committed to ensuring fair access by all communities and individuals across the state.

Create NSW closely considers proposals that provide high-quality activity, engagement and participation with and for the following groups:

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

Engagement with a priority area/s is not compulsory. But, if your project does engage with a priority area/s, your application needs to demonstrate respectful engagement and provide letters of confirmation, support or endorsement by demonstrating

  • intention of creating and maintaining sustained partnerships and relationship building with community 
  • a history of working within these areas and/or a clear rationale or process for engagement  
  • a capacity to increase opportunities for leadership and/or decision-making of the groups involved. 
3

Address the assessment criteria

Applications will be assessed by a committee consisting of representatives from the Create NSW Festivals Advisory Board with input from Create NSW staff; additional expert advice may be sought if necessary.

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

Project merit

Your application should demonstrate

  • the artistic merit of the festival programming
  • experience of the applicant to organise the event.

Project impact

Your application should demonstrate the

  • benefit to NSW artists and audiences 
  • benefit to local community.

Project budget (viability) 

Your application should demonstrate:

  • Effective planning and use of resources
  • Realistic and accurate project budget
4

Supporting material

Supporting Material may include

  • confirmation letters or letters of support related to the project such as letters from
    • venues
    • partners
    • key sector contacts or
    • other funding agencies.

Start the application

Applications for this grant are available via the SmartyGrants portal.

Apply

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: Minister for the Arts

You will receive an automated response from our secure online grants system once your application has been submitted. All applications then proceed through an assessment process as outlined below.

Assessment Stage 1

A Festivals Artform Board Committee will assess all applications against three assessment criteria: Merit, Impact and Budget (Viability).

Assessment Stage 2

A Festivals Artform Board assessment committee will make final recommendations with reference to the assessment criteria, artform, demographics and the distribution, range and scale of recommended applicants.

This may include prioritising NSW applicants, as well as projects with outcomes that address ACFP Key Priority Areas, to ensure equity across the State and the best outcomes for NSW Government investment.  

Final report on recommendations

Create NSW will consolidate a report on the outcomes based on the quality of the applications assessed by the Festival Artform Board committee, demand by artform, budget allocation, distribution across the State, applications in receipt of Create Infrastructure funding and the ACFP Key Priority Areas.

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.

Recommendation

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

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.

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. 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 project 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.
 

Support and contact

Create NSW is committed to inclusion and diversity and continues to apply practices that facilitate ease-of access to applicants wishing to apply.

Contact Create NSW arts funding teamfor help with:

  • understanding the guidelines for this grant
  • submitting an application in a way that is accessible to you
  • arranging an interpreting service for people applying in a language other than English
  • arranging an Auslan interpreter service
  • arranging a National Relay call.

Phone: (02) 9228 4578 or
Email: arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au

 

Further Contacts and Support

For more contacts and resources, including National Relay Service, Accessible Arts, Language Interpreting Service, see  Arts and Cultural Funding Program - supporting information.

Go to Create NSW

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