Key information
- Status: Open
- Grant amount: Grants of up to $3,000.00
- Application opened: 17 March 2025
- Application closes: 20 April 2025
Program objective
CASP supports community arts and cultural development in regional NSW through small grants that:
- Assist locally determined community arts and cultural activities
- Increase opportunities for regionally based groups to access a diverse range of arts programs
- Enable communities to explore and express their cultural identities
- Bring social and economic benefits to the community through training, employment and promotional opportunities
- Lead to greater awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity
- Increase the sustainability and resilience of regionally based community arts organisations
Image Credit: Gemma Hart, Teens Tours Podcast Series, Photo by Drummer Boy Pictures
This program is administered by Create NSW.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Artists living and/or working on the South Coast of NSW within the Shellharbour, Kiama and Shoalhaven local government areas are eligible to apply.
Artists living in the Eurobodalla or Southern Highlands should contact South East Arts and Southern Tablelands Arts for information regarding their CASP grants.
Location that are eligible include Kiama, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven
Types of projects funded under this grant
Eligible artforms include but are not limited to:
- Dance
- Literature
- Multi-art form
- Music
- Theatre
- Visual Arts
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
When the project can start and end
Projects must take place between 4 August 2025 and 28 February 2026.
The project should be started by 4 August 2025 and the project must be completed by 28 February 2026.
Outcomes for projects funded under this grant
Individuals and groups on the South Coast wishing to apply for funds in this round have the opportunity to;
• Seed a new creative concept
• Undertake a research/development process
In 2025, weighting will be given to applications from young artists (aged under 30 years) and projects targeting young people. However, projects targeting any population group/s and applicants of any age are welcome. While this grant does not require a public outcome, successful applicants will be required to present their ideas and proposed outcomes at a presentation gathering hosted by South Coast Arts following project completion.
Who can’t apply
Those not eligible to apply are:
- Applicants who have not discussed their project with South Coast Arts
- Individuals and groups based outside the South Coast Arts Region
- Professional touring groups
- Commercial enterprises
- Groups/ensembles and unincorporated associations with no administering body
- Applicants who have already received funding for the same activity
- Local Government
Types of projects not funded under this grant
Activities not eligible for funding include:
- Core administrative costs, office costs or the purchase of equipment
- Capital expenses
- Production costs of films, videos, books or other publications
- Competitions, awards, prizes, judging and fundraising events
- Non arts-related activities
- General operating expenses or ongoing costs of long-term continuous projects
- Projects that have commenced or are completed
- Activities which could be considered part of the curriculum for schools or tertiary institutions
Example projects
The following are examples of the types of activities eligible for funding:
- Experimenting with form or process
- Community consultation and engagement
- Workshops
- Professional development and mentoring arrangements
- Innovative partnerships
- Collaborative/cross-disciplinary processes
- Inter-cultural collaborations
What your application needs to include
Prepare your application with this checklist
Application Checklist
- All support material must be relevant to your project and submitted with your application
- If your project involves working with children and young people participants must supply a current Working With Children Check Number.
- Applications with creative content and/or stated intended outcomes relating to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander artists, communities or their activities must provide letters of support from relevant Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander artists and/or communities.Please follow this link to Create NSW Aboriginal Arts and Culture Protocols: https://bit.ly/ATSIProtocols
- Applications must have a current certificate of currency for Broadform Liability or ‘Public Liability’
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
Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:
• Artistic and cultural merit (Merit) • Relevance, extent and depth of community engagement and participation (Impact) • Evidence of consultation with and support from the community (Impact) • Evidence of adequate planning, budgeting and capacity to manage the project (Viability)
Start the application
- Contact the Executive Director, South Coast Arts to discuss your application before it is submitted.
- Complete an application form through SmartyGrants.
- Submit your application via SmartyGrants by the closing date. Applications will not be accepted after that time.
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: South Coast Arts Assessment Panel
- Once your application is received and has been deemed eligible, it will be assessed, rated and prioritised by the CASP South Coast Arts Assessment Panel.
- Recommended applications will receive final approval and sign off by SCA Board and Create NSW
- All applicants will be contacted by Mid June 2025
- Successful applicants to attend and present the outcomes of their completed project at a presentation event held by South Coast Arts in 2026
Anticipated assessment outcome date is Mid June 2025
Anticipated date for funding deed execution with successful applicants is Mid-late June 2025
Support and contact
Executive Director
Ph: 0477 522 263
Email: director@southcoastarts.org.au