Image: Highly Sprung. Supplied.
City of Sydney is calling all creatives and cultural programmers to submit expressions of interest for a suite of funding opportunities on offer.
‘We look to increase opportunities for creative participation by the community, we look to ensure that precincts are activated and alive with creativity, we look for sustainability, and we look to support creatives to survive and thrive,’ said Sasha Baroni, Manager of Culture and Creativity at City of Sydney.
‘Our grant programs are a response to people telling us that they want artists living and working in their communities as they contribute to Sydney being a vibrant, engaging and globally competitive city.’
There are four grants available:
- Cultural and Creative Grants and Sponsorship
- Festivals and Events Sponsorship (Artform)
- Matching Grants
- Accommodation Grant (Paddington Town Hall opportunity)
Applications are currently open and will close on 24 July. Projects must have a strong connection to the City of Sydney local government area and support the six strategic directions of City of Sydney’s cultural policy.
About the programs
The Cultural and Creative Grants and Sponsorship provides funding for projects that activate public space and creatively communicate the history and contemporary character of Sydney.
The program offers funding from $5,000 to $50,000 and has supported large projects like The Other Art Fair, as well as small scale initiatives such as guided walking tours of the city run by Culture Scouts. Applicants can apply for one off annual funding or multi-year project funding for up to three years.
‘We are looking for public spaces to be activated with creative initiatives; we’re looking for people to come up with creative ways for the community to understand the history and character of the city and its villages,’ said Baroni.
The Festivals and Events sponsorship program has two categories; Artform-focused festivals and events that build connections between audiences and artists; and Village and community festivals and events. Funding is available for a one year program or a program of up to three years and new village and community festivals and events can apply for up to $30,000.
The Matching Gants Program supports projects that involve genuine community participation. The City of Sydney ‘matches’ any community contribution towards a project and can offer up to $10,000 support to match this contribution.
Plus access to affordable work space
There is also an opportunity to apply for a tenancy through the City’s longstanding Accommodation Grant Program (AGP) for use by a cultural or creative organisation, or an organisation that has a cultural or creative focus. The space is located in Paddington Town Hall and is available as a minimum two year lease, with the possibility of an additional two year extension.
‘People might remember it as the old Metro Screen space because they were there for a significant period of time,’ said Baroni.
Equipped with a green screen studio and editing suite, the existing infrastructure makes this space most suitable for organisations that have a film, video, writing for film production, festivals or events focus, or organisations who work with these groups and could provide access to the facilities for this type of activity.
For more information about these grants programs or how to apply, please contact City of Sydney’s Grants team on 02 9265 9333 or email communitygrants@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
Applications close 24 July.
