Arts & cultural grants
Daniel Purvis
Providing funding to eligible groups, organisations and individuals to deliver creative arts and cultural projects for the city.
The City of Adelaide Strategic Plan supports a creative city.
The Arts and Cultural Grants Program supports the vision outlined in the City of Adelaide's Strategic Plan (2020-2024) for a Creative City that celebrates diverse community, culture and creativity.
Read how receiving funding through an arts and cultural grant helped Steph Cibich bring her idea to life.
Find out what was funded in 2019/20.
Before applying for any of the Arts and Cultural grants, please read the below documents:
- Arts and Cultural grants are for projects occurring in the city of Adelaide (including North Adelaide) only
- business as usual (BAU) activities, ongoing programs and core business including salaries are ineligible for funding, even if the activities are project based. The Arts and Cultural grants do fund pilot projects to trial activities or projects that are new and different to an organisation’s core business. If however, this project was successful and became part of core business or an ongoing program, it would no longer be eligible to receive funding.
- applications taking place on private property must include written evidence of approval as venue confirmation from the landlord or owner. This includes spaces owned by the City of Adelaide such as libraries and community centres.
- if the project is taking place in a public space such as Adelaide’s Park Lands and squares or roads applicants need to provide proof of submitting a City of Adelaide Events in the City booking form application.
- applications in categories 1, 2, 3 and 5 must match or exceed the funding request (financial and/or in-kind) from the City of Adelaide
- ineligible applications will not advance to the assessment stage and applicants will be notified.
All applicants are encouraged to discuss their application prior to applying with the relevant Arts & Cultural Grants Case Management Officer:
Public art
Sarita Burnett
For all other creative and cultural practices
Malia Wearn
All applicants must complete and submit an electronic (online) application. Applications can be lodged until midnight on the closing date.
- click on “Apply Now” to access the online application form
- register if you are a new SmartyGrants user
- if you have an existing SmartyGrants account, you can use it to complete an application
- complete the online application form
- your application form can be saved and updated at any time until you click “Submit”
- you will receive an automated response once your application has been submitted
- late submissions will not be accepted
Applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application.
Once submitted, applications will be assessed according to eligibility criteria, assessment criteria and available funding.
Please note: The Arts and Cultural Grants Program is highly competitive, and the City of Adelaide receives more funding applications than it can support. Successful applications are those that best satisfy the assessment criteria, however even applications that meet the assessment criteria may not be competitive against other applications.
Prior to payment, all successful applicants will be required to:
- sign a funding agreement detailing the grant terms and conditions
- provide a copy of their public liability insurance Certificate of Currency for a minimum of $20 million
- if paid staff are employed, provide a copy of their Return to Work SA certificate of registration, or similar employee insurance policy
- provide a tax compliant invoice for the agreed funding amount (plus GST if applicable)
All successful applicants will be required to complete an acquittal report of the project within six weeks of the project completion date, or annually for multi-year funding applicants. Applicants who do not complete and return an acquittal report will be ineligible for any future applications and funding.
Funding categories
The Arts and Cultural Grants Program has six funding categories detailed below.
Choose the category that suits you best.
Please use the following templates as part of your application:
1. Artistic Development Grants – Closed
Agreements available for 1 to 3 years, up to $20,000 over three years – no more than $8,000 per year
Funding will be provided for projects that offer skill development opportunities for emerging and/or established artists, artisans, musicians, culture makers, cultivators and curators of any creative discipline. Projects must include a City based public outcome that fosters Adelaide's artists, artisans and/or creative industries.
2. Public Art Grants – Closed
Up to $8,000
Funding will be provided for artists, artisans and culture makers to deliver temporary public artworks within the public realm across the city centre and North Adelaide. Applicant’s financial contribution must match or exceed the amount sought from the City of Adelaide. Preview the Public Art Grants application form.
3. Community Programs and Events Grants - Closed
Up to $8,000
Funding will be provided for events, performances and exhibitions which support dynamic city culture, celebrate diversity, community culture and creativity.
Funding in this category will also be provided for small community based festivals and events that support and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, as well as Adelaide's multiculturally diverse and creative communities. Applicants must also demonstrate that the project fosters multicultural understanding and integration with the wider community. Preview the Community Programs and Events Grants application form.
4. Quick Response Grants - Open year round until funds expended
*Please note, Quick Response grant applications must be received more than 15 working days before the proposed project start date.
Up to $2,000
Funding for categories 2, 3 and 5 will be provided for applicants delivering projects which require a quick turn-around time and a small financial contribution. This could include events, activities, performances, public artworks and workshops.
The Quick Response grant is open all year round until funds are expended. Preview the Quick Response application form.
5. Live Music Enterprise Grants – Closed
Up to $5,000
One off funding will be provided for live music enterprises and new music ventures that align with Adelaide's designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Music. Funding may also be provided to support the development of a live music venture or start-up that fosters a lifelong love for, and engagement with, music through performance, education and participation. Preview the Live Music Enterprise Grants application form.
6. Cultural Promotion Grants - Open year round until funds expended
*Please note, Cultural Promotion grants applications must be received more than 30 working days before the proposed project start date.
Up to $2,000
Funding will be provided for marketing and promotions to showcase creative arts and cultural projects of all disciplines that contribute to a dynamic City culture. The fund has been developed specifically to enable artists, artisans, musicians and culture makers to thrive and to promote activities and cultural enterprise. Preview the Cultural Promotion application form.
A final note
If you intend to run a *medium sized event or **major event you may be interested in applying for up to five year event licences with the City of Adelaide. Long term licences can bring many great benefits.
Please note that expressions of interest for Adelaide Park Lands multi-year event licences are currently closed and will reopen May 2020.
*Medium sized - an event of 1,501 to 9,999 people and/or over 1,000 and less than 20,000 square metres.
**Major event - an event of 10,000 plus people and/or over 20,000 square metres.
City of Adelaide requires significant notification and engagement to be undertaken prior to approval of an event licence for public events. This is to support events and the local community to build valuable relationships and ensure adequate information and prior notice is provided to the community around event sites. For indoor events that are likely to impact neighbouring communities City of Adelaide encourages event organisers to work with their venue or building owner to notify community members as far in advance as possible of the upcoming event. For more information visit CoA public events in the parklands.