Eligible applicants include:

• Independent Projects: Independent artists, groups, and creative workers
• Creative Sector Projects: Arts and creative community groups and businesses whose primary income is generated from arts and cultural activities. 

To be eligible for funding, applicants must:

• Be located in the Northern Beaches LGA or the grant project will occur on the Northern Beaches
• Be aged over 18 years and be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Have no outstanding acquittals or debts owed to Council
• Undertake and complete the proposed project between 1 November 2026 and 31 December 2027.

Exceptions: 

Online projects: 

• A project that is presented online will be considered eligible if the project demonstrates significant benefit to the Northern Beaches community and creative sector. 

Ineligible applicants include:

• State government organisations 
• Political parties
• Non-arts individuals, groups, businesses or organisations
• Large arts/creative organisations. 

General exclusions 

The program does not fund:

• Public art projects 
• Projects that have already occurred (no retrospective funding)
• Projects already funded by another Northern Beaches Council grant program
• Operational expenses, such as rent, ongoing staff wages, insurance, utilities, day-to-day general office supplies not directly related to the project
• Built infrastructure proposals that require development consent
• Capital works, facility maintenance or improvements
• Travel or accommodation expenses.

Please note: 

• Council does not provide fee waivers or free use for hall or reserve/field hire, street closures, or cleaning and waste service for events - these costs must be included in the application budget
• Access is not available to Council’s in-house design, printing, and distribution services
• Applicants cannot submit the same project to 3 different Council grants programs
• Only one application per applicant will be considered, per grant program. 

Independent Projects: Up to $5,000 (excl. GST)

For independent artists, groups, and creative workers. 

Creative Sector Projects: Up to $10,000 (excl. GST)

Arts and creative community groups and businesses whose primary income is generated from arts and cultural activities. 

Types of projects funded: 

• Production and presentation of new work across all artforms incl. music, literature, film, audio, visual art, performance
• Face to face and / or digital creative programs and initiatives
• Exhibitions, performances, arts and cultural events, artistic programs, and collaborations
• Cultural and creative professional development opportunities for the local community 

See below to view previously funded projects.

Applications will be assessed against the funding objectives and the following criteria:

Rationale and community impact

a. Alignment with identified Objectives in these Guidelines
b. Value of the project to the Northern Beaches community and creative sector

Practice development

a. Value of the project to the applicants' professional/practice growth and development  

Experience and capacity

a. Demonstrates capacity to deliver the project, including relevant skills and experience
b. Evidence of community or cultural consultation where required

Viability

a. Demonstrates value-for-money with a viable project budget
b. Demonstrates a viable project plan. 

To be highly regarded, projects should align with one of more of the following objectives identified in Council’s Arts and Creativity Strategy, Connected Through Creativity 2029.

1. foster innovation and contribute to the growth of the local arts and creative sector through collaboration and partnerships
2. connect with and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and cultures
3. develop the skills of local creative professionals and arts workers across all arts disciplines
4. increase access and community participation in arts, culture, and creativity
5. animate public spaces with creative initiatives, including in unexpected and unique urban environments
6. tell diverse stories authentic to the Northern Beaches
7. explore opportunities to increase representation of community diversity in the public domain, including people with disabilities, and culturally and linguistically diverse and LGBTQIA+ communities.