Cultural Development Fund - Projects

Supporting artists, arts and cultural organisations and creative community projects in the City of Port Phillip.
Applying for this fund

Image Workshop seV=n collective 2022 Photo Rod Ceballos

Overview

The arts are an essential part of the cultural diversity, creativity and prosperity of our communities.

The Cultural Development Fund (CDF) grants program has been developed by Council to support artists, arts and cultural organisations and creative community projects in the City of Port Phillip.

Projects should contribute to the Council Plan strategic directions to guide our program priorities for the future. Projects will be evaluated according to how well they meet these priorities:

  • Vibrant: with a flourishing economy, where our community and local business thrive, and we maintain and enhance our reputation as one of Melbourne’s cultural and creative hubs.
  • Inclusive: a place for all members of our community, where people feel supported and comfortable being themselves and expressing their identities.

Cultural Development Fund - Projects program objectives

  • Support artists and organisations to develop and realise creative projects in the City of Port Phillip.
  • Support capacity building, mentoring, partnerships or collaborative development, and arts engagement activities.
  • Support and engage diverse communities of all ages and backgrounds, including the development of work that engages with the wider Port Phillip community.
  • Generate arts, cultural and heritage activity in our neighbourhoods and precincts.

This grant round is open to all art forms and cultural heritage projects. It is designed to develop new work, reconnect with our communities, and celebrate the creative life of the City.

Applications can include projects that occur in public space, venues or online.

Applicants are encouraged to discuss their project with a City of Port Phillip program officer before applying.

Grant value

Applicants to the CDF Projects may apply for up to $12,000 per project.

Key dates

Applications Open: 9 am Tuesday 27 February 2024

Applications close: midnight Thursday 4 April 2024

Applicants will be notified in August 2024

Funding is available for projects occurring between January and December 2025

View the full CDF grants timeline.

Join our Grant Writing for Creatives workshops

Applicants who wish to access extra guidance and support are welcome to attend a free online grant writing training and information session between 6 pm to 8.30 pm on Monday 18 March 2024.

Eligibility

Who can apply

  • Individual applicants who live or work in the City of Port Phillip and have engaged an auspice organisation for the purpose of applying for and managing a Cultural Development Fund grant.
  • Individual applicants applying on behalf of an unincorporated group who has engaged an auspice organisation and are based in the City of Port Phillip.
  • Incorporated not-for-profit arts and related community organisations based in the City of Port Phillip.
  • Have funded activities based in Port Phillip.
  • Have organisational Public Liability Insurance or an Auspice Organisation Public Liability Insurance to the value of $20 Million.
  • Able to provide an ABN or an Auspice Organisation ABN.

Please contact us if you need access assistance including a meeting with an Auslan interpreter before applying.

How to apply

Read the CDF Guidelines and criteria document before applying.

The City of Port Phillip uses the Smartygrants online application system.

To find out how to log in preview and to start an application, read the

Smartygrants Helpguide for applicants (PDF 2 MB), click on the apply button when you are ready to begin.

Apply

Guidelines

2024-25 CDF-Project guidelines and criteria (DOCX 282 KB)

2024-25 CDF-Project guidelines and criteria (PDF 479 KB)

Engaging with an Auspice organisation

The City of Port Phillip will require successful applicants who are individual artists or individuals applying on behalf of a small unincorporated collective or group to engage an auspice organisation to assist to manage the grant.

Find out more on how to work with an auspice organisation (DOCX 42 KB).

Applicants are required to submit a letter of confirmation from their auspice organisation with their application as support material. Applicants should contact an auspice organisation a minimum of 10 working days before the application due date with a brief project description and draft budget if possible.

For CDF-Projects grants program, the key auspice organisations supporting artists are:

An auspice organisation may charge a small administration fee. Applicants should include in their budgets an auspice administration fee which may range between 5 per cent and 20 per cent of the grant total depending on the organisation and level of assistance.

Planning your project or event

If you are organising an event in an open space, discuss your event with Council’s Events Team before applying for your event.

Applicants planning events in outdoor public space will be required to apply for a City of Port Phillip Event permit.

For information and contacts refer to City of Port Phillip Events Application page.

Making your event accessible

Council is committed to fostering equitable participation in events, programs and activities in our community. The Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Fact Sheet for Arts Grants Applicants contains resources you can explore when applying for a grant to help include people with disability when organising, planning and budgeting for your event or program of activities:

Previously funded projects 

In 2023 Council awarded $125,000 for 12 successful projects.

2023-24 CDF Projects grants recipients (DOCX)

2023-24 CDF Projects grants recipients (PDF)

In 2022 Council awarded $187,000 for 18 successful projects.

2022-CDF-Projects grants recipients (DOCX 62 KB)

2022-CDF-Projects grants recipients (PDF 223 KB)

In 2021/22 a total of $192,911 has been awarded to 19 projects.

2021/22 CDF-Projects recipients (DOCX 61 KB)

2021/22 CDF-Projects recipients (PDF 178 KB)

Contact us

For all enquiries, please contact us via ASSIST on 03 9209 6777 or send a service request online.

Access and support information

For general Council information about the National Relay Service, language translation and Auslan interpreter services, visit accessibility and disability inclusion.

For Access support contact, contact ASSIST.