Live Performance Venue Grant Program (Round 2) - Guidelines and Resources

The Live Performance Venue Program (LPVP) is a key element of the NSW Government’s Venues Unlocked initiative, a partnership between Office of the 24-Hour Commissioner and Sound NSW, to further support live music and hospitality venues under the Vibrancy agenda. (See page 4 of the Program Guidelines) 

The purpose of the Live Performance Venue Grant Program is to:

• increase the number of hospitality venues staging live performance in NSW
• increase the number and diversity of live performances in the NSW night-time economy
• create employment opportunities for those working in the live performance sector in NSW (e.g. artists, audio-visual professionals, hospitality and venue staff).

This Program was developed by the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, in collaboration with Sound NSW, and is administered in partnership with Create NSW. The Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, Sound NSW and Create NSW are part of the NSW Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport (the Department). (See page 4 of the Program Guidelines).

No. Both licensed and unlicensed venues may apply. Licensed venues will be required to provide a copy of their liquor licence. (See page 6 of the Program Guidelines)

Yes.  Hospitality venues that do not currently have a regular and recurring program of live performances can apply to diversify their offerings. If your venue meets the eligibility requirements, you will need to show how you plan to increase your live performance programming. If a venue is classified as an "entertainment facility" on their development consent, they are not eligible for this program. Applications will be assessed against assessment criteria outlined in the Program Guidelines. (See page 6 of the Program Guidelines).

Yes. If you are currently staging some live performances you will need to describe, in your application, how you plan to increase the performances and what a regular program of performances will be for your venue. You will also need to meet all the eligibility criteria for your application to be considered. (See page 6 of the Program Guidelines)

Live performance includes, but is not limited to:

• Theatre and musical theatre
• Live music
• Cabaret
• Opera
• Dance performances   
• Classical music and choral performances
• Poetry slams and readings
• Comedy
• Live immersive and interactive experiences
• First Nations Storytelling
• Live DJs

Other live performance activities may be funded at the discretion of the assessment panel.
(See page 7 of the Program Guidelines)

Other live performance types may be considered and recommended by the assessment panel. Your application will need to satisfy all the eligibility criteria to progress to the assessment panel.

Yes, hospitality venues with a maximum total venue capacity up to 300 patrons, or 600 patrons for registered clubs, can apply. Registered clubs also must not be eligible to participate in the ClubGRANTS scheme.

‘Total venue capacity’ means indoor and outdoor capacity combined.
(See page 6 of the Program Guidelines)

Total venue capacity means indoor and outdoor patron capacity combined. The applicant must provide supporting documentation that clearly shows your total venue capacity.

Documentation can include:

• local council development consent for use of premises
• liquor licence
• fire safety certificate
• a council-approved venue management plan, or
• a letter or email from your local council stating the maximum venue (patron) capacity number.

If none of these documents are available you can provide a venue floor plan that clearly displays the floor dimensions and total square metres of usable floor space.

(See page 8 of the Program Guidelines)

Venues operated by government - local, state or federal government - are ineligible. 

(See page 6 of the Program Guidelines)

Only venues within NSW are eligible for this grant. 

(See page 6 of the Program Guidelines)

For this program, the allocation of grant funding between Regional and Sydney Metropolitan areas in NSW is determined by specific geographical definitions set by the Department. The Department reserves the right to amend this categorisation at its discretion.

The following areas of NSW are defined as Regional:

The following areas of NSW are defined as Sydney Metropolitan:

(See page 11 of the Guidelines)

No. Participating in the Live Performance Venue Accelerator is not required. Completing the Accelerator does not provide a competitive advantage in the grant assessment.

Venues with gaming machines may apply. Note, if a registered club is eligible to participate in the ClubGRANTS scheme, it is not eligible to apply for this grant program.

No, to be eligible, the performances must start after 5pm.

(See page 7 of the Program Guidelines)

No, venues must have been operating for at least 12 months, and have all required approvals and consents in place, at the time of submitting an application.

(See page 6 of the Program Guidelines)

Entertainment facility means a theatre, music hall, concert hall, performing arts centre, cinema, or dance hall.

Look at your local council’s development consent or complying development certificate: if your venue’s sole ‘primary purpose’ is entertainment facility you are ineligible.

If your outdoor area is an entertainment facility you are ineligible.

A pub or registered club is not generally defined as an entertainment facility (as defined in the Standard Instrument—Principal Local Environmental Plan (2006 EPI 155a).

(See page 6 of the Program Guidelines)

No. The development consent (i.e. your approved DA) must be uploaded in your application. Please note the Application Close date is 23 September 2025 at 2pm AEST.

(See page 8 of the Program Guidelines)

If you do not own your venue and do not hold a lease with at least 24 months remaining on the term from 1 January 2026 you will need to provide a letter of intent from the landlord confirming the lease will continue for a minimum of 24 months from 1 January 2026

(See page 8 of the Program Guidelines)

If you have received funding from any of the 4 programs listed below, you are not eligible to apply:

• Live Performance Venue Grant Program Round 1
• Sound NSW Soundproofing Grants for Live Music Venues
• Sound NSW Venues Upgrade Grant Program 2
• Sound NSW Venues Upgrade Grant Program 3

If your application is deemed ineligible, you will be advised via email and your application will not proceed to assessment.

A ClubGrants eligible club must be registered under the Registered Clubs Act 1976 and meet certain turnover and gaming machine profit thresholds.  The ClubGRANTS Scheme requires larger registered clubs in NSW to contribute a portion of gaming machine profits to support local community services, programs and projects, offering rebates for those contributions.

A venue can only put in one application. If an applicant owns more than one venue, they can submit an application for each eligible venue. Each application will be assessed separately.

If you applied last year and you did not receive funding, you can apply again now.

If you received funding, or you know you will receive funding, from any of the programs listed below, you are ineligible to apply for the Live Performance Venue Grant Round 2:

• Live Performance Venue Program Grant Round 1
• Sound NSW Soundproofing Grants for Live Music Venues
• Sound NSW Venues Upgrade Grant Program 2
• Sound NSW Venue Upgrade Grant Program 3

(See page 6 of the Program Guidelines)

A venue can apply for between $15,000 and $80,000. 

Yes. If you receive funding, you will be required to “co-contribute” a cash amount that is at least 10% of the approved funding amount, e.g. a funding amount of $80,000 requires a minimum co-contribution of $8,000, so your minimum expenditure on the project would be $88,000 (ex GST).

(See page 2 of the Program Guidelines)

If you are successful in securing funding, the amount awarded will be exclusive of GST. If your organisation is registered for GST, you will receive the awarded grant amount plus GST in each payment.

(See page 2 of the Program Guidelines)

Please note that grants paid by the Department may be considered part of your income in a financial year and may be subject to tax. You must determine your own taxation liabilities. We suggest you consult your financial adviser or contact the Australian Taxation Office on 13 28 66.

The application is online, through the NSW Government’s secure online grant management system, SmartyGrants. Use this link: https://artsnsw.smartygrants.com.au/LPVGRound2 

(See page 10 of the Program Guidelines)

Applications close 23 September 2025 at 2pm AEST.

(See page 2 of the Program Guidelines)

An applicant can request a late submission and needs to provide explanation of unforeseeable circumstance or major disruption that prevented the application from being submitted in time
Requests for late submissions will be considered and approved at the sole discretion of the Department, considering the fairness to other applicants of allowing the application to be assessed.

Requests for late submission must be received no later than 4:30pm 23 September 2025 AEST.

(See page 10 of the Program Guidelines)

Eligibility is only the first step. Eligibility does not guarantee a successful outcome. This Grant is competitive. Eligible applications will be assessed by a panel of senior representatives from NSW Government departments. They will assess eligible applications against the criteria published in the Program Guidelines to determine the applications recommended for funding. Only successful applicants to the Grant Program will receive grant funding. Those recommended for funding may not be funded to the full amount requested.

(See page 12 of the Program Guidelines)

No changes can be made to your application after the closing date unless we ask you for more information. If you need to make changes to your submitted application before the closing date, please contact us at liveperformance@24houreconomy.nsw.gov.au.

The Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner may, at its discretion, and at any stage of the application process, request a clarification or additional information from an applicant. 

(See page 12 of the Program Guidelines)

Applications that are deemed insufficient, incomplete, or incorrect may be considered ineligible for funding.

(See page 12 of the Program Guidelines)

Eligible applications will be assessed by two separate panels: one for Regional NSW venue applications and another for Sydney Metropolitan venue applications. All applications will be assessed against the same criteria outlined in the Program Guidelines.
(See page 12 of the Program Guidelines)

Each assessment panel will include a chair and at least two additional assessors, supported by an external probity advisor. The panel members will be senior representatives from relevant NSW Government departments, such as Hospitality and Racing, the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, and Create NSW. External experts may also be consulted if necessary. 
(See page 12 of the Program Guidelines)

Funding decisions are based on the relative strength of each application according to the assessment criteria, as well as the availability of funds within the relevant pool (Regional or Sydney Metropolitan NSW).  If the total funding for recommended applications in one category is less than the $1,250,000 funding pool, the remaining funds may be allocated to applications from the other category.  
(See page 12 of the Program Guidelines)

Successful applications will be approved by the Executive Director, Data, Strategy and Coordination, 24-Hour Screen and Sound, in the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport, (or financial delegate) based on recommendations from the assessment panel.
(See page 12 of the Program Guidelines)

Yes, the assessment process will be overseen by an independent probity advisor, O’Connor Marsden, to ensure transparency and integrity in the evaluation.
(See page 12 of the Program Guidelines)

The project is the activity you will undertake to run live performances and achieve the Grant Program outcomes. The project is what you are requesting grant funding for.

All projects must be delivered between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2026. You will be spending the funds during that timeframe. Any project costs outside that timeframe will be considered ineligible.

(See page 2 of the Program Guidelines)

When describing your project, clearly explain the key elements. These include:

• Your idea (‘vision’) for increasing live performance,
• Your expected outcomes for your business and your community
• How you will resource and deliver the project
• Your proposed live performance offering ie genre/type, frequency, timing, proposed performance space.

(See page 8 of the Program Guidelines)

You will need to provide evidence of your venue’s eligibility and evidence that you possess the required approvals for your venue’s operations. Other documents are required to show the project is viable. Documentation may include, but is not limited to:

• Evidence of total venue capacity
• Evidence of permission to operate after 5pm at least once a week
• Financial statements (including balance sheet and profit/loss statement) for at least the last 12 months (at the time of submitting an application)
• Proof of venue licence agreement for the presentation of live music or performance
• A project budget that includes:
  • a Project plan
  • a draft minimum 3-month live performance programming schedule
  • a forward plan of marketing activities

This list is not exhaustive. Read the “What to include in your application” section of the Program Guidelines.

(See page 8 of the Program Guidelines)

Funding is available for activities such as hiring or purchasing and installing sound and staging equipment, paying booking agents and live performers, marketing expenses and acoustic appraisals.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and project costs must be incurred within the project period (from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026).

The funding amount plus 10% co-contribution in your project budget must be made up of eligible costs.  

Read the list of ‘eligible’ and ‘ineligible’ costs in the Live Performance Venue Grant Guidelines. 

(See page 7 of the Program Guidelines)

Costs incurred outside the project period cannot be funded (before 1 January 2026 or after 31 December 2026) 
Certain activities and costs are not eligible for funding. Some examples include: fit-out works that require a development application, rent, general maintenance and repair, staff and management salaries, and live performances and activities that start prior to 5pm.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. Read the list of ‘eligible’ and ‘ineligible’ costs in the Live Performance Venue Grant Guidelines. 

(See page 7 of the Program Guidelines)

You can claim the cost of a OneMusic licence which is paid for during the project period (between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2026). Retrospective costs are not eligible.

The assessment panels will consider licensing and compliance information available to the Department and other regulatory agencies, which may include, but is not limited to, the venue’s liquor licence compliance (for licenced venues); development consent compliance; and any other publicly available information about the venue.

(See page 9 of the Program Guidelines)

Your project budget should be based on your research and documented costs. Specific benchmark costs aren’t necessary, as long as the total is within budget and expenses are justified. Consider unique costs for your situation and local rates to ensure your budget is thorough.

There are no fixed fees for performers, but the Musicians Australia Minimum Fee is $250 per performer for reference. Your project budget should include your cost estimates and justify any additional expenses you anticipate.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome by the end of November 2025.

(See page 13 of the Program Guidelines)

Project start and end dates must be between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2026. Regular live performance programming must commence by 1 September 2026.

(See page 2 of the Program Guidelines)

If successful, you will be paid your approved funding amount over 2 stages, subject to the completion of the required documents at Milestones 1 and 3

• Payment 1 by mid-January 2026 (estimated 60% of funding amount) after funding agreement is signed and requested documents submitted.
• Payment 2 from mid-July 2026 (estimated 40% of funding amount) after all Milestone 3 requirements have been met.

(See page 2 of the Program Guidelines)

All successful applicants will have access to a series of workshops which will be scheduled throughout the project period. Specific dates and times will be communicated to successful applicants after funding agreements have been signed. These workshops will cover various aspects of running live performances, as well as support for completing grant documentation. While attendance at the workshops is not mandatory, it is highly encouraged, as they provide valuable information and resources that can enhance the success of a project.  There is no cost to attend the workshops; they are provided as part of the support for the grant project.

There will be several reports to provide:

• Two quarterly check-ins; one in March 2026 and one in September 2026
  • For the check-ins you will need to answer 3-4 questions about your progress and if your project is on track. We may also schedule a short check-in call with you.
• A 6-month progress report (prior to receiving the second funding instalment) and supporting documentation in June 2026.
  • Supporting documentation must include an update of progress against budget and project schedule, proof of expenditure to date (invoices), proof of any completed venue upgrade or equipment purchase and installation, any marketing material published, and proof of a valid OneMusic licence if you haven’t already provided it.
• A project acquittal report and supporting documentation in January 2027
  • Supporting documentation should include a final income and expenditure statement and proof of purchases; marketing materials; proof of funding acknowledgement; proof of programming and performances; proof of any completed venue upgrade or equipment purchase and installation.
• In the year after your project: 6-month and 12-month follow-up progress reports, relating to the long-term success of your project, and ongoing programming of live performances in your venue, to assist with Program evaluation.

(See page 14 of the Program Guidelines)                 

An acquittal report is a formal document submitted by the grant recipient to demonstrate how the funds received were spent. It typically includes a detailed account of the expenditures made, activities carried out during the grant period, and the outcomes achieved as a result of the funding, along with supporting documentation. The purpose of the acquittal report is to ensure transparency and accountability, confirming that the grant was used in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the funding agreement.

1. Check-ins – short summary of progress and if your project is still on track. We may              also schedule a short check-in call with you.
2. 6-month progress report – summary of your project progress; photos of any venue upgrades or performances; examples of any marketing materials; listing of expenses to date and any invoices. Supporting documentation must include an update of progress against budget and project schedule, proof of expenditure to date (invoices), proof of any completed venue upgrade or equipment purchase and installation, any marketing material published, and proof of a valid OneMusic licence if you haven’t already provided it.
3. 12-month acquittal report – summary of your completed project and if you achieved your project objectives; evidence of marketing materials; evidence of live performance programming; final income/expenditure statement and any remaining invoices. Supporting documentation should include a final income and expenditure statement and proof of purchases; marketing materials; proof of funding acknowledgement; proof of programming and performances; proof of any completed venue upgrade or equipment purchase and installation.
4. 6-month and 12-month follow-up progress reports – short summary of ongoing live performances in your venue.

(See page 14 of the Program Guidelines)

Applicants may contact DCITHS staff Monday to Friday between 9.00am and 5.00pm via:

Email:  liveperformance@24houreconomy.nsw.gov.au

If you need someone to call you back, please email your query and include the best number and time of day to contact you.

In the interests of probity and ensuring fairness, DCITHS staff are not able to assist applicants with specific content related queries or comment on their applications.

Contact us via email: liveperformance@24houreconomy.nsw.gov.au.