Event Partnership Program

The Event Partnership Program supports free and accessible events that are held within the City of Melbourne municipality. Events can be a recurring event or brand new, in its planning stages. It must also have significant free programming and attract a minimum of 5000 attendees. A full list of eligibility requirements can be found in the Event Partnership Program guidelines. 

Organisations can submit more than one application if each separate event meets the eligibility criteria. Each application will be assessed on their own merit. Each application requires a high level of detail, therefore we recommend submitting one event application of a high standard rather than duplicating your application submission for multiple events.  

There is one application round each year for our annual Event Partnership Program and applications are not accepted out of round. Applications for 2026 events open 5 May 2025. 

Stay up to date about new opportunities by visiting our grants and sponsorship webpage. You can also sign up to our mailing list. External link

No, your organisation does not need to be based in the City of Melbourne. However, the event must be held within the City of Melbourne municipality External link.   

As part of your application, you can apply for in-kind sponsorship which relates to the partial or full waiver of event site hire fees for City of Melbourne’s public outdoor spaces. Not for profit / community organisations will automatically have any applicable site hire fees waived, regardless of the outcome of their application. Commercial events will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

Spaces can be viewed via the City of Melbourne interactive map External link and you will need to apply for an event permit prior to your application being submitted to be considered.

Further to an event permit, you may need to consider a Place of Public Entertainment Occupancy Permit (POPE-OP). Please contact our Building Control team for more information building@melbourne.vic.gov.au. 

No, these venues need to be booked separately and incur a fee. 

City of Melbourne has various facilities to hire for community and commercial use. 

The Event Partnerships team have individual consultations available leading up to application submission time, where you can book a 15-minute timeslot to discuss your event. To book your consultation please email eventsponsorship@melbourne.vic.gov.au. 

Unfortunately, we are unable to view applications prior to submission. This ensures the assessment process is fair and equitable. However, we can arrange an individual consultation to discuss your event before you submit your application.  

The time to complete your application varies depending on the complexity of your event. There is also a large volume of supporting documentation required. 

It is strongly recommended that you start preparing your application early and do not leave it until the final day to submit. You can view our sample application form to better prepare before applications open.  

The City of Melbourne is committed to ensuring the assessment process is fair and equitable. Recurring annual funding is not guaranteed. 

The Event Partnership Program is an extremely competitive program that is oversubscribed every year and therefore each application is assessed on the application that is submitted.  

All information collected in your application is securely stored in SmartyGrants and City of Melbourne computer systems. Your information may be disclosed to internal parties. Your information will not be disclosed to any external party without your consent, unless required or authorised by law. Your personal information is collected to ensure that City of Melbourne can contact you in a timely manner in relation to your sponsorship.

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