Event and festival funding

Council supports event organisers and community groups to deliver events, festivals, sporting celebrations and conferences across the City, which benefit the community and support the outcomes of Council's Event and Festival Strategy and Action Plan 2019-2024(PDF, 4MB)

The program aims to fund meaningful, creative and high-quality events for our community and visitors.

Council's Event Funding Program is open now to enable event organisers an opportunity to start planning beyond the pandemic and into the recovery phase. Council will not support any events to proceed until the Federal Government and NSW Health have lifted social distancing rules. Due to the unknown timeframe about when events and social distancing rules will be lifted, the Event Funding Program will be flexible in the assessment process around delivery timeframe, dependent on official advice at the time.

Funding is prioritised for events and festivals that:

  • celebrate community and Lake Macquarie's unique culture and identity
  • assist in building diverse and economically strong communities
  • are attractive to visitors
  • are engaging, surprising and entertaining

We accept applications twice a year, in June and October, across three categories:

Round one applications 2020
Funding category Round one applications open/close Outcome known Proposed event date
Community events 22 April - 20 May 2020 22 June
 October 2020* - July 2021
Local events and celebrations 22 April - 20 May 2020 22 June October 2020* - July 2021
Sponsored events and festivals 22 April - 20 May 2020 22 June
 January 2021* - June 2022

* Subject to COVID-19 and physical distancing requirements

Round two applications 2020
Funding category Round two applications open/close Outcome known Proposed event date
Community events 1 October - 1 November 2020 25 November
 January - October 2021
Local events and celebrations 1 October - 1 November 2020 25 November
 January - October 2021
Sponsored events and festivals 1 October - 1 November 2020 25 November
 March 2021 - December 2022

Here's how to apply:

Online

Step 1.Review our policy

Take a moment to read our Funding Assistance Policy(PDF, 141KB).

Step 2.Select your category

Local events and celebrations

Local events and activities for smaller audiences may be funded to support local businesses or sporting clubs and increase community participation. These may be one-off activities or new events that celebrate a location or themes relevant to the local population. Applications can apply for up to $2,000.

Community events

Community events foster community pride and connectedness between residents and local businesses. They should make a positive and ongoing contribution to the community. Funding is provided to assist event organisers to develop new events or improve existing ones while working towards event sustainability. Applicants can apply for up to $10,000

Sponsored events and festivals

These types of high-profile events and festivals encourage visitation to the City from outside the region, help raise the City's profile and drive economic development. Sponsored events provide residents and visitors with opportunities across sporting, recreational, cultural or community-based activities. Applicants can apply for up to $20,000.

Step 3.Apply

The assessment process is a competitive one. Putting together a strong application takes time and energy. Give yourself plenty of time to plan, review and gain support for your application before submission.

Use clear, simple language to outline your event or activity. You should demonstrate how it meets the assessment criteria and how it supports the key themes of Council's Event and Festival Strategy and Action Plan 2019-2024.(PDF, 4MB)

Applications will be assessed on merit, against the selection criteria outlined in the funding guidelines(PDF, 492KB).
(PDF, 492KB)

Apply Now

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