The NSW Government, through Arts NSW, offers financial assistance for professional arts and cultural organisations, and auspiced groups or individuals, through the Cultural Grants Program. A broad range of awards, fellowships, scholarships and residencies are also offered for the support and encouragement of arts practitioners living in New South Wales.
The Cultural Grants Program supports a range of activities that benefit New South Wales and fall broadly within two categories: annual operations of an organisation for a program/calendar year, and specific projects of an organisation for that year.
In general, grants are given to subsidise the salaries or fees of professional artists and arts workers. Generally they are not available solely for the administrative or office costs of organisations or the purchase of equipment, or for activities Arts NSW considers should be wholly maintained by the applicant or the local community.
It is expected that those applying for annual operations funding have at least a three-year history of project funding from Arts NSW. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their application with the relevant program staff before applying.
Activities/areas subsidised under Annual Operations include:
• annual programs and core activities
• salaries for arts officer positions or other arts-related positions.
Activities subsidised under Projects include:
• performance seasons
• workshops
• residencies
• master classes
• tours
• exhibitions
• strategic projects.
Generally, eligible applicants may submit up to three applications across any of Arts NSW's artform funding programs. This limit does not include capital infrastructure or public art projects, or applications lodged by auspicing organisations.
Selected organisations are invited, at the discretion of Arts NSW, to apply for Triennial Funding. These organisations will have substantial track records of achievement and will be required to submit high-quality, well-developed three-year programs of activities, as well as effective and viable three-year management plans.
A small number of companies are funded under the Major Performing Arts Fund, a joint initiative between the Commonwealth and State Governments.
Inquiries regarding eligibility for Triennial Funding or inclusion in the Major Performing Arts Fund should be directed to Arts NSW’s relevant program staff.
Applicants are advised to read carefully the sections on eligibility, assessment, acquittal procedures, conditions for recipients of funding and general information for all applicants, and then refer to the particular project, fellowship, scholarship or award in which they are interested.