Major events & festivals charity partnership
We’re seeking charity partners for our world-renowned celebrations.

About our charity partnerships
We produce some of Australia’s largest and most successful events and appoint charity partners for Sydney New Year’s Eve, Sydney Christmas and Sydney Lunar Festival.
We’re seeking charity partners for Sydney New Year’s Eve 2023, Sydney Christmas 2023 and Sydney Lunar Festival 2024, with the option to extend for one year for each event.
Our charity partners can leverage their brand through the event while carrying out fundraising and promotion. The charity partner will also be promoted through the event’s media and marketing campaigns where possible.
We encourage applications from a range of charities and may approach potential candidates as part of the expression of interest process. An evaluation panel will review all applications and present its recommendations to Council. Once selected, we’ll prepare letters of agreement.
Any appointment of a charity partner for an event is on a non-exclusive basis. We may also support an additional specified charity through an event in case of a humanitarian crisis.
We reserve the right to proceed without appointing a charity partner for any of the events. We also reserve the right to not proceed with any of the events.
All respondents will be assessed in line with the following evaluation criteria:
- be an official registered charity or public benevolent institution and have no religious affiliation
- undertake work which produces significant benefit to our communities
- have an organisational focus that aligns with the City of Sydney’s values and explain how these are important for our events
- hold the insurances reasonably required by the City of Sydney.
Further evaluation criteria for each event are specified below.
Sydney Christmas includes events, concerts, decorative installations and activations from 25 November to 25 December 2023.
Event Date Time Estimated attendance Christmas in the City Saturday 25 November 12pm to 9pm 25,000 Christmas in the City Sunday 26 November
12pm to 6pm 12,000 Pyrmont Christmas Concert Friday 1 December 6pm to 8pm 1,000 Surry Hills Christmas Concert Saturday 2 December 6pm to 8pm 2,500 Rosebery Christmas Concert Sunday 3 December 6pm to 8pm 4,000 Rushcutters Bay Christmas Concert Friday 8 December 6pm to 8pm 3,000 Glebe Christmas Concert Saturday 9 December 6pm to 8pm 2,500 Alexandria Christmas Concert Sunday 10 December 6pm to 8pm 2,500
Dates and times are subject to change.
In 2023, we’ll create interactive paid activations as part of the event program, which provide a significant fundraising and profile building opportunity.In addition to the above criteria, the following evaluation criteria will also apply to Sydney Christmas:
- be able to provide and manage employees and volunteers to operate an interactive paid activation on site (minimum of 2 employees or volunteers per activation) at each of the Christmas concert events outlined above.
The Sydney Christmas charity partner will also be able to undertake the following:
- recruit and coordinate employees and volunteers to operate a charity partner merchandise stall for all event sites provide a charity partner logo and approved copy for use in event collateral
- acknowledge the City of Sydney in all Sydney Christmas marketing collateral. We must approve all materials acknowledging the City of Sydney
- only issue Sydney Christmas media releases with our written consent.
To promote the partnership, we’ll provide the Sydney Christmas charity partner with:
- logo acknowledgment across the Sydney Christmas marketing campaign and village Christmas concerts
- the opportunity for the charity partner to fundraise at our Christmas concerts and Christmas in the City event with information about your organisation’s Christmas campaigns and digital ads included on our What’s On website
- local events included in the What’s On e-newsletter sent to 34,000 subscribers.
Previous charity partners include: The Kids Cancer Project (2021–2022), OzHarvest (2020), Surf Lifesaving Australia (2019), Variety – The Children’s Charity (2017–2018), Guide Dogs NSW/ACT (2015–2016) and the Australian Children’s Music Foundation (2011–2014).
Sydney New Year’s Eve is attended by more than 1 million people around the harbour foreshore and reaches more than 425 million people globally. The Sydney New Year’s Eve program includes the 9pm Calling Country fireworks, midnight fireworks and live broadcast.
We’ll work with the charity partner to assist with fundraising and profile building opportunities as part of Sydney New Year’s Eve.
In addition to the above, the following evaluation criteria apply to Sydney New Year’s Eve. Please change to read: In addition to the above criteria, the following evaluation criteria will also apply to Sydney New Year’s Eve:
- demonstrated previous experience in successful online fundraising.
The Sydney New Year’s Eve charity partner will also:
- provide its logo and approved copy for use in event collateral
- conduct an online campaign as the official charity partner of the event with approved activities and fundraising
- acknowledge the City of Sydney in all Sydney New Year’s Eve marketing collateral. We must approve all materials acknowledging the City of Sydney
- only issue Sydney New Year’s Eve media releases with our approval.
To promote the partnership, we’ll provide the Sydney New Year’s Eve charity partner with:
- logo acknowledgment across the Sydney New Year’s Eve marketing campaign including website and Sydney Harbour Bridge north and south pylons (subject to approval)
- an opportunity for a charity spokesperson to speak at the event media launch
- general media opportunities relating to the event
- fundraising opportunities subject to approval
- logo acknowledgment on a percentage of event banners throughout the city centre installed in locations around 2 to 4 weeks before the event
- acknowledgement of the charity in community service announcements subject to final confirmation.
Previous charity partners include: The Smith Family (2021–2022), Refugee Council of Australia (2019), UNICEF (2017–2018), Habitat for Humanity (2015–2016), Engineers Without Borders (2013–2014), the Fred Hollows Foundation (2012) and CARE Australia (2011).
Sydney Lunar Festival is a celebration of the Lunar New Year. 2024 will mark the 28th anniversary of the festival and will celebrate the Year of the Dragon.
Sydney Lunar Festival includes decorative installations, performances and activations.
Event Date Time Estimated attendance Lunar Decorations Saturday 10 February to Sunday 25 February 2024 All day 240,000 Festival launch Saturday 10 February 2024 6.30pm to 8pm Approximately 200 invited guests Lunar Spectacular Saturday 17 February 2024 1pm to 4pm 750 Sydney Lunar Streets Saturday 10 February 2024 5pm to 10pm 12,500 Dates and times are subject to change.
We’ll work with the charity partner to provide fundraising and profile building opportunities as part of Sydney Lunar Festival.
In addition to the above criteria, the following evaluation criteria will also apply to Sydney Lunar Festival:
- demonstrated previous experience in successful online fundraising.
The Sydney Lunar Festival charity partner will also:
- provide its logo and approved copy for event collateral
- acknowledge the City of Sydney in all event marketing collateral – we must approve all materials acknowledging the City of Sydney
- only issue Sydney Lunar Festival media releases with our written approval.
To promote the partnership, we’ll provide the Sydney Lunar Festival charity partner with:
- logo acknowledgement across Sydney Lunar Festival marketing and communications, including print advertisements, event signs (excluding street banners), media releases, What’s On Newsletter and the Sydney Lunar Festival website
- the opportunity for a one to 2 minute speech by a representative at appropriate festival events
- fundraising opportunities subject to approval
- a digital ad on the Sydney Lunar Festival website
- introductions to event sponsors including media partner
- an invitation to the media launch for questions and interview opportunities
- Information in the media kit or in a media release for the media launch
- verbal acknowledgement in the Lord Mayor’s or representative’s speech at the festival launch
- an opportunity to participate in the eye-dotting ceremony at festival launch to be confirmed.
Previous charity partners include: The Benevolent Society (2022–2023), OzHarvest (2021), The Fred Hollows Foundation (2020), Surf Lifesaving NSW (2019), Guide Dogs NSW/ACT (2018), Cure Brain Cancer Foundation (2016–2017), Barnardos Australia (2015), Chinese Parents Association – Children with Disabilities (2014), and Taronga Foundation (2012–2013).
We expect to make appointments for charity partners by September 2023 for one event season.
Agreement
Expression of interest
Applications close at 11:59pm on Tuesday 9 May 2023