Lismore Regional Gallery - flooding 2022 Photo: Mia Forrest
This Community Local Infrastructure Recovery Package (CLIRP) program supports the medium- to long-term recovery of the arts and cultural sector from the impacts of the severe weather and flood events of February and June 2022.
The Community Local Infrastructure Recovery Package – Arts and Cultural Assets Program (ECAP Arts) funding supports arts and cultural organisations to rebuild and recover and while at the same time provide arts and cultural experiences that are crucial to community wellbeing.
It will provide funding for the restoration, replacement and betterment of directly damaged arts and cultural infrastructure most impacted by the severe weather and flood events of February and June 2022.
All projects supported under the CLIRP 2022 are jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments.
This program is funded and administered by Create NSW.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Funding is available for eligible, directly damaged arts and cultural infrastructure in all disaster declared LGAs under AGRN 1012 and/or AGRN 1025. Priority will be given to 19 targeted LGAs as indicated in Appendix A of the guidelines (PDF 336.99KB).
Other applicants not within the target 19 LGAs but disaster declared under Australian Government Reference Number (AGRN) 1012 and 1025 are eligible to apply for funding, but must be able to substantiate robust alignment to program guidelines
The applicant must have arts and cultural activity or services as part of their core activity, business, or business units. This can be demonstrated through the description of the organisation activities, and what activities take place in the damaged property.
Applicants must be:
an incorporated entity or trust (including a trust with a corporate or individual trustee) and hold an Australian Business Number (ABN), Australian Company Number (ACN), or
registered with NSW Fair Trading under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 or another act.
An applicant must be 1 of the following entities:
arts and cultural organisations (including service organisations)
local councils
not-for-profit organisations
Regional Arts Development Organisations (RADOs).
For-profit organisations may be considered eligible applicants only where projects will deliver a demonstrated community benefit.
A fund administrator may apply on behalf of an unincorporated organisation, sole trader, individual, or group.
Applicants must have, or be willing to purchase, at least $20 million in public liability insurance.
Applicants may submit more than one application if these are for separate projects.
Who can’t apply
businesses or organisations that do not satisfy eligibility requirements
unincorporated organisations (unless the application is by a fund administrator on their behalf)
individuals or sole traders (unless the application is by a fund administrator on their behalf)
pre-schools, primary and secondary schools
Australian or NSW Government agencies, state-owned corporations, or statutory authorities.
Types of projects funded under this grant
Projects must:
be for the restoration, replacement and betterment of infrastructure that has arts and culture as a core activity and was directly impacted by the severe weather and flood events in February-March and June-July 2022 (declared as Australian Government Reference Number (AGRN) 1012 and/or AGRN 1025)
support or upgrade accessibility and inclusion/universal design standards to promote broad access and inclusion for people with disability/the ageing to the arts and cultural infrastructure
be able to commence within 12 months of receiving confirmation of the funding
not include works or purchases that have already taken place prior to application or be due for completion before the funding period starts.
Eligible costs include:
Capital works directly related to damage from severe weather and flood events in February and June 2022 (AGRN 1012 and/or AGRN 1025) that have not been covered through other government funding and/or insurance claims.
Administration costs and project management costs not exceeding 10% of the requested funding.
Contingency and cost escalation allocation up to 20% of the estimated cost for the proposed capital works.
Restoration, replacement, and betterment works directly related to flood damage, including works to make the damaged infrastructure more resilient to future disasters without changing the asset functionality.
Betterment works on directly damaged infrastructure not yet commenced to support disaster resilience.
Leasing and fit-out of temporary facility to ensure creative activity can continue whilst the permanent facility is being restored.
Planning and design works or studies for eligible projects.
Salary/wages and entitlements for employees specifically engaged for the project(s).
Equipment replacement and fit out items, such as shelving, if part of a larger project that is eligible.
Retrospective costs may be eligible in exceptional circumstances on the basis that the works were required to be undertaken in order to ensure safety and/or accessibility to the public or property. This will be determined at the discretion of the assessment panel. It is recommended that applicants applying for retrospective costs contact the department to discuss their project prior to applying for funding.
What can’t you apply for
Costs that have already been covered or claimed under insurance or from other Australian or NSW government programs.
Local council costs for the primary purpose of waste clean-up.
Repayment of existing debts or budget deficits.
Financing of budget deficits or insurance.
Administrative, overhead and/or operational costs not related to the project.
Improvements or repairs to infrastructure not directly affected by flooding.
Business as usual and/or commercial activities.
Salary/wages and on-costs for existing, budgeted employees.
Costs related to buying or upgrading non–fixed equipment or supplies unless it is a small component of a larger fixed project.
Costs that require recurrent or ongoing funding from the federal or state government.
Most recent recipients
Alumy Creek Reserve Land Manager
$88,673
REHABILITATION OF FLOOD DAMAGED MUSEUM PRECINCT OPEN SPACE AND ROADWAYS
keyboard_arrow_down
What was approved
Approved for Alumy Creek Reserve Land Manager
$88,673
The 4 hectares of Recreation Ground and roadways will be Top Dressed to remediate damage incurred by straying cattle during the Flood event in Feb/Mar 2022 to allow safe use of the grounds by the community.
$88,673 was approved by
Secretary, Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade
Date approved
August 2023
Location of the project
Clarence Valley
Location of the recipient
Clarence Valley
About the grant
Applications approved
26
Applications received
32
CLIRP Arts and Cultural Assets Program (ECAP Arts)
Return the Arts Northern Rivers office to Lismore post-flood. Office to also include a space for creative practitioners to conduct meetings that is fitted out with access to technology.
$42,000 was approved by
Secretary, Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade
Date approved
August 2023
Location of the project
Lismore
Location of the recipient
Lismore
About the grant
Applications approved
26
Applications received
32
CLIRP Arts and Cultural Assets Program (ECAP Arts)
Agency funding this grant
Create NSW
Program term
30/05/2025
Ballina Shire Council
$180,000
Historic Ballina Riverfront Walk and Aboriginal Cultural Ways
keyboard_arrow_down
What was approved
Approved for Ballina Shire Council
$180,000
Replace and enhance the Historic Ballina Riverfront Walk signage and landscaping / pavement treatments on the Aboriginal Cultural Ways in the Ballina LGA. Adversely affected during the 2022 flood events, nodes will be repaired and signage replaced to be weatherproof and more accessible in digital format plus provide an audio immersive experience.
$180,000 was approved by
Secretary, Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade
Date approved
August 2023
Location of the project
Ballina
Location of the recipient
Ballina
About the grant
Applications approved
26
Applications received
32
CLIRP Arts and Cultural Assets Program (ECAP Arts)
Agency funding this grant
Create NSW
Program term
30/05/2025
Bellingen Shire Council
$162,653
Carpark upgrades at Brierfield Hall
keyboard_arrow_down
What was approved
Approved for Bellingen Shire Council
$162,653
Brierfield Hall is frequently used for arts and cultural activities, however severe weather has caused significant damage to the carpark. This project will provide a levelled, sealed, and line-marked carpark to ensure the community has safe, reliable access to the Hall during arts and cultural events, and at other times.
$162,653 was approved by
Secretary, Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade
Date approved
August 2023
Location of the project
Bellingen
Location of the recipient
Bellingen
About the grant
Applications approved
26
Applications received
32
CLIRP Arts and Cultural Assets Program (ECAP Arts)
Agency funding this grant
Create NSW
Program term
30/05/2025
Byron Regional Community College Inc
$131,364
Community Print Workshop / Flood resilient Art space
keyboard_arrow_down
What was approved
Approved for Byron Regional Community College Inc
$131,364
BRCC will convert an existing unused, previously flood affected space into a Community Print Workshop as well as expanding Art learning spaces and giving an alternative to the flood prone Art studio
$131,364 was approved by
Secretary, Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade
Date approved
August 2023
Location of the project
Byron
Location of the recipient
Byron
About the grant
Applications approved
26
Applications received
32
CLIRP Arts and Cultural Assets Program (ECAP Arts)
a project-budget based on quotes or detailed estimates, reasonable assumptions or previous experience with similar projects (confirmed quotes can be provided at the time of a milestone payment)
landowner consent if the land is not owned by the Applicant with evidence of security of tenure for the property for a minimum of 5 years for applications under $2 million and 10 years for applications over $2 million
evidence of strong community support for the project.
You must cover all 3 aspects of the eligibility requirements:
applicant eligibility
projects eligibility
cost eligibility.
2
Eligible applications will be assessed against the following assessment criteria as applications are received.
community need and impact
resilience, viability and value for money.
3
Only applications that are assessed as sufficiently meeting all assessment criteria may be recommended for funding.
Create NSW is available to work with eligible applicants, where possible, to assist project identification and provide application support and technical guidance. This assistance will ensure robust project scopes, costs and project management and implementation plans are developed for projects.
This support will continue to be available throughout the application process and may continue during project delivery where recommended by the assessment panel. This may include the provision of services from other government agencies or third party consultant to assist applicants.
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: The Secretary, Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade or the Group Deputy Secretary, Tourism and Arts.
Applications will be checked for eligibility by Create NSW. If eligible, the application will proceed to assessment.
Create NSW reserves the right to seek further information from applicants, at its absolute discretion, regarding any of the eligibility requirements for the program.
Eligible applications will be assessed by the assessment panel based on the assessment criteria and on the level of impact experienced from the severe weather and flood events in February and June 2022.
Senior representatives from the department (Chair), Resilience NSW (or other government agency) and an independent member will be selected to sit on the assessment panel. The National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) will participate as an observer.
In the event that an agency is unable to sit on the assessment panel, Create NSW may nominate another independent representative with the relevant expertise in infrastructure delivery and flood resilience.
Support and contact
Create NSW is available to work with eligible applicants, where possible, to assist with project identification and provide technical guidance.
If you have questions or clarifications about your eligibility or your application, contact the please contact: