Regional NSW Community Bands Program

Objective

Through on-demand, quick response funding, the program will address challenges in sustaining community bands in regional NSW due to limited access to funding, dispersed populations from which to draw membership and travel required for members to participate.

The intended outcomes of the Program are:

• Increased access to music activities and education in regional communities
• A stable or increased number of active regional community bands across NSW
• Increased community connections in regional communities
• Increased youth engagement and participation in regional NSW community bands.

Image: Warren Chamber Music Festival. Photo credit: Belinda Dimarzio-Bryan, supplied by Outback Arts

This program is administered by Create NSW.

Eligibility

1

Who can apply

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be a recognised community band located in regional NSW

• have an Australian Business Number (ABN) for an entity that is registered in NSW.

• have a business account with an Australian financial institution.

• have not received funding from Create NSW (either directly or through devolved grant programs) in the previous 12 months.

For the purpose of this program, a ‘community band’ is defined as a concert band or brass band or string ensemble composed of musicians representing a specific community, geographic area or community entity.

The applicant must be located in one of the nine regions identified in the Plan for Regional NSW Arts, Culture and Creative Industries.

The nine regions are:

• North Coast

• Hunter

• New England and North West

• Central West and Orana

• Central Coast

• Illawarra Shoalhaven

• South East and Tablelands

• Riverina Murray

• Far West

Each of these regional plans outlines the LGAs that are included within these regions.

The Department cannot consider your application if it does not satisfy all the eligibility criteria.

Location that are eligible include Albury City, Armidale Regional, Ballina, Balranald, Bathurst Regional, Bega Valley, Bellingen, Berrigan, Bland, Bourke, Brewarrina, Broken Hill, Byron, Cabonne, Carrathool, Central Coast, Central Darling, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Cobar, Coffs Harbour, Coolamon, Coonamble, Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional, Cowra, Dubbo Regional, Dungog, Edward River, Eurobodalla, Federation, Forbes, Gilgandra, Glen Innes Severn, Goulburn Mulwaree, Greater Hume Shire, Griffith, Gunnedah, Gwydir, Hay, Hilltops, Inverell, Junee, Kempsey, Kiama, Kyogle, Lachlan, Lake Macquarie, Leeton, Lismore, Lithgow City, Liverpool Plains, Lockhart, Lord Howe Island – Unincorporated Area, Maitland, Mid-Coast, Mid-Western Regional, Moree Plains, Murray River, Murrumbidgee, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Narrabri, Narrandera, Narromine, Newcastle, Oberon, Orange, Parkes, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional, Richmond Valley, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Singleton, Snowy Monaro Regional, Snowy Valleys, Tamworth Regional, Temora, Tenterfield, Tweed, Unincorporated Far West, Upper Hunter, Upper Lachlan Shire, Uralla, Wagga Wagga, Walcha, Walgett, Warren, Warrumbungle, Weddin, Wentworth, Wingecarribee, Wollongong, Yass Valley

2

Types of projects funded under this grant

Examples of eligible projects include but are not limited to:

• Youth workshops that develop skills in brass musical instruments
• Community bands performance event that celebrates local talent
• String music activities and education for people living with disability

3

When the project can start and end

The project should be started by 17 March 2026 and the project must be completed by 30 June 2027.

4

What costs you can apply for

Funding may only be spent on eligible or agreed activities.

To be eligible, costs must:

• be directly related to delivery of a band activity
• be incurred within the project period
• reflect competitive market rates
• be a true and accurate reflection of costs required to deliver the activity.

Examples of eligible costs include, but are not limited to:

• Activities that contribute to group and individual skill development
• Purchase of new equipment
• Travel costs related to band activity
• Commissioning of new works
• Marketing and fundraising costs.

5

Who can’t apply

You are not eligible to apply if you are:

• insolvent
• a for-profit organisation or business
• an individual
• a partnership
• an unincorporated association
• organisations or bands performing contemporary music that is best supported through Sound NSW

6

What costs you can’t apply for

The grant cannot be used for the following costs:

• costs related to the general operations of the band
• costs for activities delivered outside the funding period

Start the application

How to apply Before applying, you must read and understand these Grant Guidelines.

Application Process Applicants must submit their proposal via the SmartyGrants portal. The completed application form must be submitted by no later than 2:00pm 19 May 2026, or prior to exhaustion of the funding pool. The program may close earlier if the funding pool is exhausted.

To apply, you must:

• Complete the application form
• Submit the application through the SmartyGrants portal
• Provide all information requested
• Include all necessary attachments.

You will receive an automated email from SmartyGrants when your application is received. You should keep a copy of your application and any supporting documents.

You have the option to create a SmartyFile profile for your organisation. SmartyFile allows organisations to collaborate with team members, pre-fill information into forms, manage, view, search and sort submissions across multiple funders in one spot. To learn more, go to About SmartyFile.

One application per organisation will be eligible. If a community band submits a successful application, they are not eligible again until a new round of the Program opens.

If we find an error or information that is missing, we may ask for clarification or additional information from you that will not change the nature of your application.

If you find an error in your application after submitting it, you should contact us immediately at arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au. We do not have to accept any additional information or requests from you to correct your application after the closing time. You cannot change your application after the closing date and time.

Create NSW may make discretionary decisions in relation the following circumstances only:

• Accepting a late application due to technical difficulties with submitting the application through SmartyGrants. You must contact Create NSW at arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au within 1 hour of applications closing with supporting evidence.

Applicants must not lobby the NSW Government on an issue related or seen to be related to the Program that may or may be perceived to give an unfair advantage to the applicant. Applicants are required to comply with all applicable laws including the NSW Lobbyists Code of Conduct.

Support available to applicants 

We encourage you to read these guidelines and any published FAQs.

Create NSW staff are available to provide technical advice and general information to potential applicants on the interpretation of the grant guidelines, including the types of activity eligible for funding and support with the online application process.

Create NSW staff cannot help directly with your application. To maintain a fair and equitable process, staff cannot edit or correct any applications or provide advice on the content or choices required against the assessment criteria for this grant opportunity.

For further information or clarification, please contact Create NSW at arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au.

Note: If you are a new applicant to SmartyGrants, you will need to register and create a password. If you are already registered, you can log in with your existing username and password.

After the application is submitted

Successful applications will be decided by: Create NSW Director, Program Development and Delivery

This Regional NSW Community Band Program is a demand-driven or ‘first in-first served’ program. All applications are to be submitted and assessed through the staged process below.

All applications must be submitted by 2:00pm Tuesday 19 May 2026, or prior to exhaustion of the funding pool, via the SmartyGrants portal. Funding will be approved and dispersed on a rolling basis prior to the closing date. As such, the grant program may close earlier than this date if the funding available has already been allocated.

Eligibility Assessment

All submitted applications are reviewed against the eligibility criteria set out above in the program guidelines. Eligibility assessments will be conducted by Create NSW staff.

If further information is required to determine the applicant’s or application’s eligibility, a request will be made to the applicant in writing before the eligibility assessment is completed. Where an application’s eligibility on one or more criteria remains uncertain, a final eligibility determination will be made by the Director, Program Development and Delivery and presented to the Executive Director, Create NSW for approval.

If an application is deemed ineligible, applicants will be notified by email within 14 days.

1. Due diligence and other checks 

At any time during the assessment process, Create NSW may undertake due diligence or other checks on an application. This may include, but is not limited to:

• financial checks such as ASIC searches to confirm the financial status or financial viability of the applicant
• criminal checks
• internal conflict checks
• commissioning or completing research, analysis and modelling to support assessments
• contacting identified project participant organisations.

2. Recommendation and decision making  

Eligible applications are recommended to the decision maker, who is the Director, Program Development and Delivery, Create NSW.

The Director, Program Development and Delivery, Create NSW, makes the final decision to determine successful grant recipients. Where applicable, advice from a probity advisor may be considered in making the final decision.

Create NSW has the discretion to reject, refuse or cease assessment of an application at any time.

Anticipated assessment outcome date is we will advise you of the outcome of your application in writing via email. Applicants will be notified of the outcome within 3 weeks of submitting their application.

Anticipated date for funding deed execution with successful applicants is within one month of successful notification

Support and contact

We encourage you to read these guidelines and any published FAQs.

Create NSW staff are available to provide technical advice and general information to potential applicants on the interpretation of the grant guidelines, including the types of activity eligible for funding and support with the online application process.

Create NSW staff cannot help directly with your application. To maintain a fair and equitable process, staff cannot edit or correct any applications or provide advice on the content or choices required against the assessment criteria for this grant opportunity.

For further information or clarification, please contact Create NSW at regional@create.nsw.gov.au