QPRC Cultural Grants 2024/25

1.  OVERVIEW

The aim of Council's Cultural Grants Program is to assist local arts, artists, musicians, performers, writers and arts/cultural organisations to start and develop their own projects, and to improve the Queanbeyan-Palerang community's opportunities for involvement in arts and cultural activities. 

Council's grants and donations are administered in compliance with the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) Donations Policy, available here.   

2.  SELECTION CRITERIA

Grants will be considered if the project meets one or more of the following criteria:

• Employs a professional artist
• Demonstrates an economic benefit to the QPRC LGA creative economy
• Attracts matched funding from another source (including in-kind), other than QPRC grant funds
• Works in partnership with other community groups/government bodies
• A festival, event or project that will engage the broader Queanbeyan-Palerang community
• Advances the cultural and / or creative experiences of the QPRC LGA community
• Demonstrates educational components that seek to advance the creative skills and knowledge of the QPRC community. 

3.  ELIGIBILITY

3.1  Eligible Individuals

Applicants must be residents of the Queanbeyan-Palerang local government area and be:

• Emerging, mid-career or established artists, performers or writers for creative projects or performances that take place in the QPRC LGA.
• Able to demonstrate a matching dollar amount either financial, or in-kind through voluntary contributions [number of unpaid work hours dedicated to the project/event]. 

3.2  Eligible organisations and groups

Applicant organisations and groups must be:

• Community based not-for-profit organisations, incorporated or unincorporated
• Working in or with the community of the Queanbeyan-Palerang region
• Non-government organisations (for example P & Cs, Visual or Performing Arts Organisations, Festival Management Committees, Literary groups, music enterprises etc. 
• Able to demonstrate a matching dollar amount either financial, or in-kind through voluntary contributions [number of unpaid work hours dedicated to the project/event]. 

3.3  Eligible Projects

Projects can be of a capital nature or activity based.  Projects must be able to:

• demonstrate that it is of benefit to the Queanbeyan-Palerang community through its cultural or artistic outcomes.
• complete the project (or stage) within 12 months from receipt of funds.

NOTE:  Staged projects that have self-contained components, one of which you may be applying for will be considered. Applications for 'seed funding' of projects or new organisations will be considered.

3.4  Ineligible Projects

• Projects for retrospective funding or running costs of organisations
• Projects for solely commercial ventures and do not engage the QPRC community
• Applications will not be considered from previous recipients who have not completed or acquitted their projects or events.

4.  FUNDING

• Up to $500 - individual artists, performers, writers, for creative projects or performances that take place in the QPRC LGA
• Up to $1000 - groups of artists, performers, writers, for creative projects or performances that take place in the QPRC LGA.

Project examples for the above two categories include, but are not limited to: space hire fees; printing costs of catalogues/publication; promotional material such as flyers/invitations; material costs for project development, equipment hire etc.

• Up to $1500 - not-for-profit unincorporated community groups for creative projects or cultural events that enhance arts opportunities in the QPRC LGA.
• Up to $3000 - not-for-profit incorporated community groups for creative projects or cultural events that enhance arts and cultural opportunities in the QPRC LGA, and employ a local artist or number of artists as part of the project. 

Project examples for the above two categories include, but are not limited to:  a performance, festival or event; artists' fees; group exhibitions; publications; special web-based activations, cultural engagements etc.

5.  APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT

Applications may be submitted at any time of the year, or until funds are exhausted.  Applicants should allow at least two months from submission of their application until notification of the results of their application. 

Applications will be assessed by Council staff to ensure that they meet all the required criteria for Cultural Grants. 

Cultural Grants recommendations are presented to the next available Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council meeting, and Council makes the final decision concerning the funding of projects.

Complete the online form at https://www.qprc.nsw.gov.au/Community/Grants-Donations#section-4 or https://qprc.smartygrants.com.au/Cult2425. 

For further information or assistance with this application, please contact Council's Grants Officer on 02 6285 6044 or 0428 354 660, or Council's Team Leader - Culture Arts and Museums on 02 6285 6170 or 0409 438 953. 

Please refer to the QPRC Donations Policy here when completing your application. 

Applicants applying for assistance under the scheme need to ensure that any previous funds received have been acquitted.  It is a condition of the Scheme that projects be formally acquitted using an Acquittal Form supplied by Council after completion.  This needs to include copies of receipts and all media and Council acknowledgement. 

It is a condition of the Scheme that formal acknowledgement of Council's support must appear on all publicity, promotion, media and correspondence relating to the assistance provided. 

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Welcome to the Queanbeyan-Palerang online grant application service, powered by Smartygrants.

You can begin anywhere in this application form. Make sure you save as you go.  For queries about Council's Donations Policy, application deadlines or questions in this form, please contact us on 6285 6044 during business hours or email liz.mirowski@qprc.nsw.gov.au and quote your application number.

If you need help using this form, download the Help Guide for Applicants, and the Frequently Asked Questions (available under the green Help Button at the top of the screen).

NAVIGATING (MOVING THROUGH) THE APPLICATION FORM

On the left hand side of every screen, there is a box which links directly to every page of the application. Use the link to jump directly to the page you want. You can also click 'next page' or 'previous page' on the top or bottom of each page to move forward or backward through the application. 

SAVING YOUR DRAFT APPLICATION

If you wish to leave a partially completed application, press 'save' and log out. When you log back in and click on the 'My Applications' link at the top of the screen, you will find a list of any applications you have started or submitted. You can reopen your draft application and start where you left off. 

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

You will find a 'Review' button at the bottom of the Navigation Panel.  You will need to review your application before you can submit it. Once you have reviewed your application you can submit it by clicking on 'Submit' at the top of the screen or on the Navigation Panel. You will not be able to submit your application until all the compulsory questions are completed.

Once you have submitted your application, no further editing or uploading of support materials is possible.  

When you submit your application, you will receive an automated confirmation email with a copy of your submitted application attached. This will be sent to the email you used to register. 

If you do not receive a confirmation of submission email then your submission has NOT been received.  

ATTACHMENTS AND SUPPORT DOCUMENTS

You may need to upload/submit attachments to support your application. This is very simple, but requires you to have the documents saved on your computer, or on a zip drive, or similar. You need to allow enough time for each file to upload before trying to attach another file. Files can be up to 25MB each; however, we do recommend trying to keep files to a maximum of 5MB - the larger the file, the longer the upload time. If you are not able to upload a document, please contact us for support. 

A number of people can work on the application using the same login details as long as only one person is working at a time. Ensure you save as you go.