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.

• 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.

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

• Applications received after the closing date.
• Applications from outside of the City of Greater Shepparton boundaries.
• Projects that are deemed discriminatory, offensive or illegal.
• Political organisations or activities that have a party political nature.
• Applicants who have previously been funded by Council and have failed to comply with the financial, project monitoring and/or reporting requirements.
• Fundraising activities, competitions, eisteddfods, prize money, capital works, annual fees, charges and/or subscriptions.
• Projects which have already commenced or have been completed.

Applicants can only apply in one category of Council’s Grants for their project. Please review the Funding Guidelines (available for download below) for full grant objectives.

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

• Support local creative talent.
• Contribute to the diversity and vitality of creative activity across our region.
• Encourage active participation in the arts for all.
• Strengthen Greater Shepparton’s identity as a Creative City.

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.

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.

Although not essential, demonstrating contributions being made to the project by yourself or others may strengthen your application. Contributions can either be financial or in-kind. An in-kind contribution is part of the project that would normally have to be paid for, but is given to the project at no cost. If your project requires a larger amount of funding, 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 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. 

• Successful applicants will be required to enter into a funding agreement and adhere to the conditions of the agreement.
• You will need to have a current $20 Million Public Liability Insurance policy before commencing your project. Duck for Cover provides very affordable and easily accessible Public Liability Insurance for creative individuals and groups.
• 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.