CBD activation grants program

This grant supports economic recovery by encouraging businesses and creatives to activate spaces in venues, the public domain and corporate locations with cultural programming.

City concierge

: 02 9265 9333
: [email protected]

Applications update

Approved - CBD activation grantsPDF · 331.39 KB · Last modified 31 December 2020

Not approved - CBD activation grantsPDF · 225.35 KB · Last modified 31 December 2020

About this program

This grant supports economic recovery by encouraging businesses and creatives to activate spaces in venues, the public domain and corporate locations with cultural programming.

The following applications will be prioritised:
- live music and cultural organisations, creative companies and cultural operators including sole traders
- applicants that have not already received funding from the City of Sydney this year
- applicants that can demonstrate financial hardship
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants or partners
- financial benefit for artists as part of the proposal
- provide opportunities for live music and performance
- complete activities early in the project timeframe
- match the City of Sydney’s contribution with cash.
Projects can contribute to one or more of these outcomes:
- empower the cultural sector to lead in innovative ways to invigorate the city
- strengthen business and arts/cultural collaborations to benefit residents and visitors
- increase footfall to the city and economic benefit to our local businesses
- increase paid opportunities for the local cultural and creative sectors including live music performers
- encourage the long term adoption of more cultural/business collaborations to stimulate a more diverse 24 hour economy.
Applications are assessed against the expected project outcomes, the types of activities supported and our overarching grantmaking principles and ethics.

The assessment panel will also consider the following:
- demonstrated experience in delivering successful activations
- direct benefit to the business community in the city centre and the local creative and cultural sectors
- demonstrated collaboration with multiple parties to achieve
- capacity to match in cash or in-kind the City of Sydney’s contribution
- clearly defined project proposals that identify activation locations in the Sydney CBD
- clear budget that identifies procurement of cultural/creative operators
- inclusion of a clear plan to develop and implement the project
- consideration for proposed activities in the public domain being permissible under government regulations
- evidence of pre-application discussions having taken place with the City of Sydney, including outdoor events or planning.
- alignment with the program’s funding priorities and outcomes.

Funding available

Funding is available in amounts from $5,000 up to $50,000 cash.

Sole traders can apply for up to $10,000 cash.

Value-in-kind in the form of street banner and landmark venue hire fee waiver is also available.

Funds are available for any combination of the following:

safely activating indoor and publicly accessible space
event production, artists, musicians, creatives, tech providers, or arts companies to develop the program
promotional and marketing costs including production of marketing collateral and signage, social media, website production and advertising
procurement or leasing of equipment relevant to activation
hire or training of staff and volunteers to deliver activation
cost of necessary insurances if applicable.

The proposed budget for this program is $3 million.

Eligibility

These organisations can apply:
- for-profit organisations
- sole traders
- not-for-profit organisations
- social enterprises
- individuals or unincorporated community groups, auspiced by a not-for-profit or for-profit that is eligible to apply in their own right
- owners corporations (strata and company owned).
We are expecting to receive applications from the following types of organisations:
- event company, cultural organisation or creative business/operator activating a city centre-located space with letter of intent from space owner required
- city centre-based business in arts and culture, entertainment, tourism and accommodation, retail and hospitality with letter of intent from creative/cultural operator required
- corporate/private organisations with a city centre space activate accessible to the public providing a letter of intent from creative/cultural operator
Businesses aligned with the night-time economy are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please note that applicant eligibility is determined by your ABN registered entity. For more information see the eligibility section.

For the purposes of this grant, the CBD is defined as the city centre and Haymarket areas (including Barangaroo, Darling Harbour and The Rocks).
Funding is not available for:
- initiatives taking place outside of the city centre
- initiatives that do not increase the amount or quality of programming currently being undertaken by the applicant
- applications that contravene the eligibility and ethics framework or existing City policies.

Covid-19 Recovery Grants
Webinar and general briefing session 12 November 2020

How to apply

Applications for grants and sponsorship must be completed online.

The below resources and examples can help you prepare your application and supporting documents.

We also have dedicated support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people with disability to assist with the grants process. For more information contact the grants team on 02 9265 9333 or email [email protected].

Need help finding a collaborator?

We are working with Collabosaurus, a marketing tool that connects brands, businesses and creatives together to collaborate on opportunities like our CBD activation grant. Follow these easy steps, watch the tutorial and upload your details to find a collaboration partner. Once you’ve found a collaboration partner you can apply for a grant together.