Touring and Travel Fund – Domestic Travel and International Professional Development

Key Information

• Grant amount: Up to $5,000 per person
• Application opened: 29 May 2026
• Application closes: 31 July 2026, 12:00 pm

Program objective

Funding can support travel and accommodation costs for:

Artists and Acts

• domestic tours
• domestic professional development opportunities, including performance at significant music market events, attendance at workshops, camps, mentorships and residencies
• significant international professional development opportunities, including performance at significant international music market events, attendance at workshops, camps, mentorships and residencies.

For domestic tours and performance at music markets, funding can support up to six people per touring party. This includes the artists and a maximum of two people with roles that support the artists to undertake the tour. These support roles include:

• one operational crew member (e.g. tour manager or key technical production crew)
• one support person for people with disability, family or cultural needs.

Music Industry Professionals

• domestic professional development opportunities for music industry professionals working in contemporary music to attend significant music market events and/or identified business opportunities
• significant international professional development opportunities for music industry professionals working in contemporary music to attend international music market events and/or identified business opportunities.

Applications will close:

• Friday 26 June at 12pm (midday) – for activity starting after Wednesday 22 July
• Friday 31 July at 12pm (midday) – for activity starting after Wednesday 26 August.

Applicants will be notified of the decision within 4 weeks of the closing date.

Please see the frequently asked questions for definitions and additional details.

This funding aims to:

• increase domestic performance opportunities for NSW artists
• support professional development for NSW artists and music industry professionals
• strengthen the live music ecosystem
• grow music audiences for NSW artists.

This program does not support international touring. Please see the International Touring program for support for significant international touring opportunities.

This program is administered by Sound NSW (Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport).

Eligibility

Who can apply

The fund is open to artists, acts and music industry professionals, as well as music businesses applying on behalf of an artist or act.

Funding recipients must be:

• 18 years or older
• currently living in NSW (minimum 12 months)
• performing or working in contemporary music.

Additionally, 50% of the of the touring party must be currently living in NSW (minimum 12 months).

Applicants will need:

• an active ABN (that’s your Australian Business Number)
• a bank account with the same name as your ABN
• or a funds administrator to help you out.

For the purpose of this program contemporary music refers to artists and acts performing new and original music.

• Artforms not supported through this program are:
  • experimental music and sound art
  • contemporary classical, opera, choral and ensembles
  • music theatre
  • working in and with community music groups.
• These applicants should refer to Create NSW’s Arts and Cultural Funding Program | NSW Government (ACFP) guidelines.

Please see the FAQ’s for further definitions.

Number of applications

You can receive a maximum of one grant through the Domestic Travel and International Professional Development program and one grant through the International Touring program per financial year (based on closing date).

Types of projects funded under this grant

Funding can support travel and accommodation costs only, for:

• domestic tours by artists and acts
• performance at significant domestic and international music market events by artists and acts
• domestic and international professional development opportunities for artists and acts including attendance at significant music market events, workshops, camps, mentorships and residencies
• music industry professionals to attend significant domestic and international music market events and/or identified business opportunities.

What costs you can apply for

Funding supports travel and accommodation costs only.

Travel and accommodation costs can include flights, trains, buses, car hire, petrol, tolls, airport transfers, travel insurance, visas, per diems and accommodation.

Funding can support up to $5,000 per person for domestic and international travel activity.

Artists, acts and industry professionals from regional and remote NSW can request an extra $500 per eligible touring party member, to help support additional travel costs. You just need to allocate this additional request into your grant request and justify it with eligible travel costs in the expenditure table of your budget.

Who can’t apply

• applicants who do not live in NSW, or who have lived in NSW less than 12 months
• applicants not performing new and original contemporary music (eg cover bands)
• applicants who have outstanding acquittals from previous NSW Government funding.

What costs you can’t apply for

• international tours – this activity can be supported through the International Touring
• artist fees, rehearsals, equipment purchase, marketing and promotion costs, industry event fees or passes
• domestic tours that don’t include at least three performances in three different cities or towns, outside the artist’s place of residence
• performance at significant music market events or attendance at professional development opportunities within the artist’s place of residence
• attendance at significant music market events or business development opportunities within the music industry professional’s place of residence
• travel and accommodation costs incurred before the advertised activity start date
• activity that has received other NSW Government funding.

Please see the frequently asked questions for a list of submission dates and activity start dates.

Additional eligibility requirements

• applications for a domestic tour require confirmation of at least three performances, in three different cities or towns
• applications for performance at a significant music market event require confirmation of invitation to perform
• applications for professional development opportunities require an invitation or evidence of the activity
• applications for music industry professional travel support require an invitation to an industry event or evidence of business opportunity
• this is a travel fund and supports travel to new destinations. You cannot apply for funds to support a tour or activity that includes your resident city/town.