2025–2027 program
Our Multi-year Arts Grants Program funds challenging and ambitious ideas that contribute to the creative transformation of Melbourne and encourage participation and activation of the arts. This program provides three-year funding for small, medium and large arts organisations up to $330,000 and Awards arts grants up to $25,000.
Through the 2025–2027 program, City of Melbourne will fund organisations in either:
Multi-year arts grants – $40,000 to $330,000 annually: Open to small, medium and large arts organisations presenting work to the public annually
or
- Awards arts grants - Up to $25,000 annually: Open to Victorian based arts organisations delivering awards programs in the municipality that benefit local artists.
The Multi-year Arts Grants program supports works that are welcoming, inclusive, and accessible to people of all abilities. We are committed to helping our artists and arts organisations implement best practices to continually enhance the experience for all attendees.
Visit our Accessibility checklist and solutions guide for festivals and events. For further resources, visit Make your business accessible.
The City of Melbourne is a child safe organisation.
Key dates
Applications are closed. Applications for 2028-2030 funding will open in 2027.
Assessment panel
All applications are assessed by an independent external panel consisting of experienced arts and creative peers.
Assessors for the City of Melbourne's Annual arts grants programs are taken from the External assessment panel members for the City of Melbourne. Occasionally alternative assessors are co-opted to fill a specific vacancy.
Recipients
Council has invested $3.2 million in the following arts organisations.
- All The Queens Men
- APHIDS
- Arts Access Victoria
- Australian Art Orchestra
- Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA)
- Blak & Bright First Nations Literary Festival
- BLINDSIDE Artist Run Space
- Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas
- Chamber Made
- Chunky Move
- Circus Australia
- Craft Victoria
- Emerging Writers’ Festival
- Filmfest Limited (Melbourne International Film Festival)
- fortyfivedownstairs
- Green Room Awards
- Ilbijerri Theatre Co
- Koorie Heritage Trust
- La Mama
- Lucy Guerin
- MAV (formerly Multicultural Arts Victoria)
- Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio
- Melbourne Fringe
- Melbourne International Arts Festival (RISING)
- Melbourne International Comedy Festival
- Melbourne International Jazz Festival
- Melbourne Prize Trust
- Melbourne Queer Film Festival
- Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
- Melbourne Women in Film Festival
- Melbourne Writers' Festival
- Overland
- Photo Australia
- Polyglot Theatre
- Songlines Aboriginal Music Corporation
- St Martins Youth Arts Centre
- Sticky Institute
- The Torch
Frequently asked questions
Applicants must be a not-for-profit independent, non-government arts organisation.
Medium organisations are those that are reasonably dominant in their field. Large organisations are those that are dominant in their field. Size and revenue are dependent on the industry in which your organisation operates.
No, but the proposed outcomes must take place within the City of Melbourne boundaries annually.
Organisations can only submit one application to the Multi-year Arts Grants Program.
No. Multi-year arts grants do not support development and if successful you must provide a public outcome within the City of Melbourne annually for the duration of your contract.
You may use an auspicing body for an Awards arts grant application however you cannot use an auspicing body for a Multi-year arts grant application.
Yes, but if the funded activities occur in an outdoor space (for example a park or street), contact the City of Melbourne Events Melbourne team on 9658 8008 to discuss the proposed site.
Refer to City of Melbourne’s Event Planning Guide as you may need to apply for an event permit. However permits do not need to be confirmed prior to application.
No, any venue can be used provided it is located within City of Melbourne boundaries.
No, organisations that have already been funded by another City of Melbourne grants, sponsorship or expression-of-interest program are ineligible to apply to the Multi-year Arts Grants Program for the same project in the same timeframe. Your organisation cannot apply for other City of Melbourne funding if your Multi-year or Awards arts grants application is successful.
The funded activities can begin 1 January 2025 and must be concluded by 31 December 2027. Following notification of a successful application, payment will be made annually after a contract is signed and subject to receipt of all required information.
Please contact either Bronwyn Roper 0422 872 729 (Monday to Thursday) or Candy Mitchell 0421 056 709 (Monday, Wednesday or Friday) 9am to 5pm or email artsgrants@melbourne.vic.gov.au and a member of the team will contact you.
Contact us
Phone
Keep up to date with upcoming arts grants opportunities
More information
Multi-year Arts Grants operate under:
More grant opportunities
Search a range of external grants and funding opportunities available to the City of Melbourne community, artists and businesses using the Funding Centre's SmartySearch grants tool.
Image: SPARK by Daan Roosegaarde
Photo: Shannyn Higgins
