Creative City Grants 

Creative City Grants are for any of the following:

• Individual artists, creative or cultural practitioners, including sole traders, freelancers, producers and artworkers.
• Arts or cultural groups, collectives or organisations.
• Artists, creative or cultural practitioners or groups working across any artform or creative discipline.
• Community organisations or incorporated associations working with artists, creative or cultural practitioners.
• Artists, creative or cultural practitioners or groups at all stages of practice including emerging, established, professional, hobby and amateur.

All applicants must either have an ABN or an auspice to administer funding on your behalf.

Artforms and creative disciplines may include:  literature, visual arts, performing arts, music; crafts, fashion, graphic, product design; community arts, traditional cultural practice; film, television, radio, podcast, photography; gaming and digital arts; architecture, interior design and landscape architecture; and museums, galleries and libraries.

Please review the Funding Guidelines (available for download below) for full eligibility details.

If you are a not-for-profit organisation, you can still make an application by using an auspice. An auspice is an organisation that meets our eligibility criteria and agrees to support your application.

If you’re successful, the auspice receives the grant money on your behalf so you can undertake the project work.

If you are intending to make an application using an auspice you must obtain written approval from your proposed auspice before you submit your application, and attach this to your application form.

Applicants must have Public Liability Insurance with a minimum amount of $20 million. The Certificate of Currency for this insurance will be required as part of the application process.

Applicants using an auspice would include a certificate from the auspice organisation. A policy statement or receipt of payment is not an acceptable substitute for the certificate of currency.

Duck for Cover provides very affordable and easily accessible Public Liability Insurance for creative individuals and groups.

Activities may require permits and approvals. These processes are separate to the grant application process and require additional time and budget in the project plan. You do not need to secure permits or approvals before applying for the grant, however obtaining these approvals will be a condition of the funding arrangement.

You must also be able to demonstrate that you are aware of the necessary permits and approvals in your application.

If you are successful in obtaining a grant and your activity does not proceed, you must contact the Riverlinks Administration Team at Greater Shepparton City Council in a timely manner to discuss the circumstances of the activity not proceeding, and organise returning the grant funds provided.

Failure to notify Greater Shepparton City Council of your activity not  proceeding will deem future applications for all grants available ineligible.

• Projects to develop new creative works, content, products or services.
• Projects to present new creative works including productions, exhibitions, publications and performances, or a new arts component of an existing arts or cultural event.
• Professional or skills development opportunities for local creatives.
• Projects that creatively engage communities.
• Start-up costs for a new creative idea, business or project.
• Projects or activities that occur in Greater Shepparton between the timeframes stated above.
• Projects that provide an inclusive, safe and accessible outcome for the community of Greater Shepparton.
• Projects that demonstrate effective partnerships i.e. with other groups and/or across interest groups.
• Projects that will deliver value for money, are well developed, and have reasonable indicators of success for the outcomes expected..

Please review the Funding Guidelines (available for download below) for full grant objectives.

• Events and activities not held within the activity timeframes.
• Events and activities held outside the Greater Shepparton municipality.
• Applications received after the closing date.
• Projects that are clearly a duplication of an existing service.
• Fundraising activities, competitions, eisteddfods, prize money, capital works, annual fees, charges and/or subscriptions.
• Ongoing expenses or for projects which have already commenced or have been completed.
• Projects and activities that are discriminatory or offensive in any way, or contravene any legislation or Council policy.
• Political organisations or activities that have a party political nature.

Please review the Funding Guidelines (available for download below) for full grant objectives.

Council aims to work in partnership with groups to support their project.

Although not essential, demonstrating contributions being made to the project by yourself or others may strengthen your application.

Applicants are encouraged to match the grant amount requested by providing a contribution.

This contribution can either be financial, or “in-kind” or a combination of both. An in-kind contribution is part of the project that would normally be paid for but is given to the project at no cost.

If your project requires a larger amount of funding outside the scope of this program, you could consider applying for other funding sources including:

• Australia Council for the Arts
• Creative Victoria
• Regional Arts Victoria
• Australian Government Office for the Arts
• Other grant opportunities

The ability to provide financial and in-kind support to a project by the applicant may be taken into account during the review process.

The budget should include details on all sources of income and funding which will be used to deliver your project and all expenditure involved in the project. Income and expenditure must be equal and should be prepared EXCLUDING GST.  

The budget should include details of any additional cash or inkind contributions being made to the project. Please refer to the sample budget. Quite often, applicants find the budget can be one of the most difficult parts of the application. If you have any queries about the budget please do not hesitate to contact Council. 

A sample budget is included in the complete guidelines document available for download below. 

Applications will be assessed against the grants program aims which are to:

• Does the activity meet the objectives and activities of the program?
• Is the activity well planned and feasible within the timeframes provided?
• Does the activity support local creative talent?
• Does the activity contribute to the diversity and vitality of creative activity across our region?
• Encourages active participation in the arts for all?
• Strengthens Greater Shepparton’s identity as a Creative City?
• Evidence that the activity will be inclusive and accessible for the whole community?
• Does the intended activity align with the Council’s Creative City Strategy?

Applications will also be assessed against the following three criteria. (The bullet points listed under each criterion indicate what may be considered during assessment of your application. You do not have to address every bullet point listed but please address all that are relevant to your project.)

1. Quality

The quality of the proposed creative, artistic and cultural activity may include:

• A clear concept, vision and rationale for the activity.
• Quality of previous work.
• Level of innovation and experimentation.
• Timing and relevance of the activity.
• Diversity of cultural expression.
• Recognition of previous work from peers, public or media.

2. Potential Impact

The potential impact of the activity must address at least one of the following, including how the activity might:

• Contribute to the sustainability of your arts, cultural or creative practice.
• Encourage community participation in the arts.
• Contribute to the diversity and vitality of our local creative sector.
• Strengthen our region’s identity as a Creative City.

3. Viability

The viability of the proposed activity will be assessed with consideration of the following:

• Skills, abilities and roles of the creatives, personnel and partners including confirmation of involvement.
• Equitable, realistic and achievable processes, timeline and budget.
• Consideration of safety, wellbeing and accessibility issues.
• Evidence of consultation with participants, audiences, or communities if applicable.

Please review the Funding Guidelines (available for download below) for full grant objectives.

Successful applicants will be required to:

• Enter into a funding agreement and adhere to the conditions of the agreement.
• Spend the grant money in accordance with the conditions stated in the funding agreement and provided for in the application.
• If your project requires any approvals/permits you will need to provide evidence of any regulatory approvals within 6 weeks of your offer of funding or an extension negotiated and approved. Council officers can assist applicants with the process of gaining approvals.
• You will be required to acknowledge the support provided by Greater Shepparton City Council on promotional material for the project, through the use of the Council logo and/or to recognise Council support through media coverage.
• Return any unspent funds at the completion of the activity, or at the end of the agreement unless prior written approval has been obtained to expend the funds in another way.
• Complete in full detail an acquittal form to the satisfaction of Council within the timeframe provided for in the funding agreement

You will need to report back to Council when your project is completed. This process is important because it enables Council to continuously evaluate the relevance and success of its Creative City Grants program. Your acquittal needs to be completed on the online portal within 12 months of receiving the funds. It should include:

• A summary of the project including your feedback on the things that went well and also things that did not go according to plan
• A Financial Statement must be completed together with receipts attached
• Copies of promotional materials, photographs or video for the purpose of promoting the Creative City Grant through Council publications and the website

A group which fails to submit their acquittal documents is ineligible to apply for further funding until their acquittal is completed and reviewed by Council.

If your application is not successful you will be notified in writing and provided with an opportunity to discuss the outcome with the Program Coordinator and Grants Coordinator.

In some cases, the assessment panel may consider your application more suited to one of Council’s other grant programs. If your application is more aligned with another funding program, Council will contact you and let you know.

If an application is made to an alternative funding stream within Council, only one funding application may be considered per financial year for the same activity.

If there are funds remaining in the grant pool, we may choose to offer a second round of funding. Whilst unsuccessful applicants are eligible to reapply, we would recommend revising the application prior to ensure it fits the objectives of the program and assessment criteria before doing so.