Audiences and communities across the state will soon benefit from a wave of exciting, vibrant creative projects from NSW artists, creatives and arts and cultural organisations, supported by Create NSW’s flagship arts funding program.
More than $7 million from the 2024/25 Arts and Cultural Funding Program (ACFP) Round 1 Project Funding will be delivered to 193 projects, and will directly support 2,061 artists, creatives and cultural workers across NSW.
Across the four project categories, the round is supporting:
- 20 First Nations art and cultural projects
- 73 new creative works
- 41 professional development opportunities
- 59 cultural access projects that connect with priority areas and target populations.
As part of the wide-ranging arts and cultural funding reforms, the new project funding programs were designed to be simpler and more equitable, particularly for under-represented communities or small projects.
The introduction of two new artform boards – CCommunity Arts and Cultural Development and Digital, Experimental, Immersive, and Light Art – recognised the role of NSW artists and organisations in leading the way in ground-breaking and community-driven art. More than a quarter of all applications were for these two new artform categories.
2024/25 Arts and Cultural Funding Program Project Funding Round 1 snapshot:
- The NSW arts and cultural sector submitted a staggering 479 eligible applications across 10 artforms in the first round, a testament to the effectiveness of the changes and the high calibre of creative and impactful ideas.
- A key priority area is supporting First Nations stories and communities, and across all programs the first round of ACFP project funding delivers around $1.4 million towards First Nations arts and cultural activity, employing 259 First Nations artists and arts workers.
- Regional NSW received the largest share with over $3 million (44 per cent) of the investment, supporting 829 artists across 80 projects. Many of the successful applicants took advantage of the opportunity to meet with Create NSW staff at in-person information sessions delivered in 15 regional centres in October and November 2024.
- In Western Sydney, funding will engage and empower more than 500 artists to connect audiences from diverse communities.
- An explosion of new and original creative works, including theatre, visual art, dance, literature, poetry and more will be developed through the new Creative Steps program – with 73 projects supported. The investment of around $3 million will deliver exponential returns when vibrant home-grown art and culture takes centre-stage at upcomingfestivals like Sydney Festival and Sydney Fringe Festival, and premieres at major galleries, engaging audiences across NSW and beyond.
For more information about the recipients and the impact, visit create.nsw.gov.au