Live Performance Venue Grant Program - Guidelines and Resources

No, both licensed and unlicensed venues are eligible to apply. Licensed venues will be required to provide a copy of their liquor licence in their application.

The aim of the Program is to increase the number of venues staging live performance and generate greater live performance diversity opportunities. You will need to show how your live performance programming will increase. Venues that meet the eligibility requirements can apply. Applications will be assessed against assessment criteria outlined in the Program Guidelines.

Applicants must meet all eligibility criteria, including, already, or intend to, operateat least twice per week after 5pm, and possess the relevant approvals to do so.

Eligible 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  
• Live DJs

Other live performance activities may be included at the discretion of the assessment panel.

Other live performance activities may be eligible. If your application is otherwise eligible, the activity eligibility under the program will be determined at the discretion of the assessment panel.

Yes, eligible hospitality venues with a maximum total venue capacity up to 300 patrons can apply.  

You need to provide supporting documentation in your application to confirm your total venue capacity, such as a development consent for use of premises or liquor licence stating maximum venue capacity.

Total venue capacity refers to the venue in its entirety (indoor and outdoor), not smaller spaces/venues within a larger venue.

If you don’t have the development consent or liquor licence available to confirm your venue capacity, you can provide a report prepared by a Building Surveyor (unrestricted) registered with the Department of Customer Service which clearly states the maximum number of persons that could be safely accommodated in the venue.

This report should have regard to key matters including the construction of exits, number of exits, type of exit door hardware, the distribution of exits, the total exit width, travel distances to exits, fire safety items such as a smoke detection and alarm system, automatic fire suppression system, fire extinguishers, fire hose reels, fire hydrant systems, mechanical ventilation, sanitary facilities and other relevant matters including the National Construction Code 2022.

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

Only venues within the Six Cities Region are eligible for this grant. 

A list of LGAs in the Six Cities Region can be found in the Program Guidelines appendix. 

The program was designed to respond to the current government’s election commitment to expand the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner’s remit to the Six Cities Region. Eligibility criteria will be reviewed for any future program rounds.

Completion of the Live Performance Venue Accelerator is not mandatory and does not provide a competitive advantage in the grant assessment. 

No, venues with gaming machines may apply, providing they meet all eligibility criteria.

No, to be eligible for funding, programming must start after 5pm.

No, venues must be already existing and operating with all required approvals and consents in place at the time of submitting an application.

Entertainment facility means a theatre, cinema, music hall, concert hall, dance hall and the like, but does not include a pub or registered club (as defined in the Standard Instrument—Principal Local Environmental Plan (2006 EPI 155a). 

An entertainment facility includes both indoor and/or outdoor areas where applicable.

 Look for your venue’s primary purpose on your development consent or complying development certificate.

No. The development consent needs to be submitted with the application for it to be eligible.

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

Questions about the Live Performance Venue Grant can be emailed to liveperformance@enterprise.nsw.gov.au. For technical questions relating to the application form, please contact Create NSW on (02) 9494 8370.

A maximum of one grant application will be accepted per venue. If an applicant owns more than one venue, they can submit an application for each eligible venue. Each application will be considered separately.

You can apply for a grant of $20,000 up to a maximum of $80,000 per hospitality venue. Applicants are required to co-contribute at least 30% of the requested funding amount, e.g. a funding request of $80,000 requires a minimum co-contribution of $24,000.

A maximum of 50% of the co-contribution can be in-kind. In this example, if the co-contribution is $24,000 then a maximum of $12,000 can be in-kind.

An in-kind contribution is the provision of goods and/or services other than cash e.g. if a staff-member is using some of their working hours to schedule the performances for your project, the normal cost of those hours can be included as an in-kind contribution.

You must complete and submit your application through our secure online grants system, SmartyGrants.

The Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner has the discretion to accept late applications only where it would not compromise the integrity and competitiveness of the process. 

The deadline for submissions is Wednesday 3 April 2024, 2pm.

Requests for late submissions must be received no later than 5:30pm on the date of closing. Requests for late submissions will only be admitted for assessment at the sole discretion of the Department, having regard to the material fairness of allowing the application to be assessed. Applicants requesting late submissions are encouraged to provide explanation and evidence of unforeseeable circumstance or major disruption that has prevented the application from being submitted in time.

Your project is your vision for live performance in your venue and how you plan to achieve that vision.

When describing your vision, it is helpful to be clear about the key elements. These include:

• Your venue’s idea, live performance vision, and expected outcomes
• The process of delivering the project, proposed live performance offering i.e. genre, frequency, timing, proposed performance space, and how you plan to resource this addition to the venue.

You will need to provide evidence of your project’s eligibility, viability and that you possess the required approvals for your venue’s operations. Application documentation includes, but is not limited to:

• a draft programming schedule
• a draft marketing plan
• a 12-month operational forecast
• quotes for equipment purchases
• development consent for use of premises
• liquor licence (if applicable)
• letters of community support (if applicable)
• OneMusic licence

This list is not exhaustive. Please review the “What your grant application needs to include” section of the Grant Program Guidelines for further information.

No. The Live Performance Venue Grant is competitive. Eligible applications will be assessed by a panel consisting of relevant senior representatives from NSW Government departments against the criteria published in the Grant Program Guidelines. Only successful applicants to the Grant Program will receive grant funding.

No further information can be accepted, or changes made to your application after the closing date. 

Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner may, at its sole discretion, and at any stage of the application process, request additional information from an applicant, provided it does not give the applicant an advantage over other applicants. 

No. The Live Performance Venue Grant is competitive and open to all eligible venues. Eligible venues must apply for a grant by submitting a Grant Application Form. Applications for the Grant Program will be assessed by a panel consisting of relevant senior representatives from NSW Government departments against set criteria. Only successful applicants to the Grant Program will receive grant funding.

The Assessment Panel will take into consideration different 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 licensed venues); development consent compliance; and any other publicly available information relating to the venue.

All applicants are expected to be notified of the outcome of their Live Performance Venue Grant applications by the end of May 2024.

All projects funded under the Live Performance Venue Grant Program must be delivered by 30 June 2025.

Project start and end dates must be between 1 June 2024 and 30 June 2025. Regular live performance programming must be in place by 30 June 2025.

If successful, you will be paid your approved funding amount over 3 stages (milestones), subject to the completion of the required documents

• Milestone 1 payment by June 2024 (estimated 70% of funding amount)
• Milestone 2 forecast payment by December 2024 (estimated 20% of funding amount)
• Milestone 3 forecast payment by June 2025 (estimated 10% of funding amount)
   

Yes, Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner does not fund 100% of the project budget; you must show independent financial contributions (co-contribution of 30% of funding request) from other sources. Your co-contribution can be in the form of cash, in-kind and/or sponsorship.  A maximum of 50% of your co-contribution can be in-kind.

For example: if you request $80,000 funding you must also co-contribute at least $24,000. In this same example no more than $12,000 of the co-contribution can be in-kind.

Eligible costs include the purchase and installation of equipment to facilitate the staging of live performance; payment of live performance artists for after 5pm regular programming, and marketing of live performances after 5pm.

Please carefully review the Live Performance Venue Grant Guidelines for further information on eligible and ineligible costs.
 

No, the OneMusic licence must be in place prior to the execution of any funding agreements. Retrospective costs are not eligible.

You will be required to submit progress reports in line with the timeframes in your funding agreement, and a final acquittal report prior to receiving the Milestone 3 funding instalment. You will also be required to submit a 6-month and 12-month post-acquittal report, relating to the long-term success of your project, to assist with Program evaluation.

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.

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.