Arts and Culture grants

The Arts and Cultural Annual Grants program reflects the City of Stonnington's vision to be vibrant, imaginative and creative. Spanning a broad range of art forms and practices, this grant supports inclusive, innovative, engaging, empowering, resilient and environmentally friendly projects.

Collectively, these place value on the importance of our creativity and cultural identity and strengthen the social, community and economic development of the City of Stonnington.

Grant purpose

The City of Stonnington Arts and Cultural Grants:

  • provide one year of funding or in-kind support for arts organisations, cultural organisations, community groups, emerging artists, and established artists to deliver appealing and contemporary cultural and creative projects
  • connect communities through equitable, inclusive and accessible creative arts practice, activity, participation, location and attraction
  • embrace and support the knowledge, experience and cultures of different groups, including First Nations people, culturally and linguistically diverse people, people living with disability, and LGBTIQA+ people
  • raise the profile of arts and cultural activity throughout Stonnington
  • recognise the importance of utilising environmentally sustainable practice at project development and delivery stages
  • promote the City of Stonnington as an exciting, attractive, safe, bold, and desired creative destination for community residents and those outside the boundaries
  • support arts organisations, cultural organisations, individuals, and groups to sustainably grow and succeed
  • encourage shared connections and networking between members of the local arts and culture ecosystem
  • support promotion and celebration of arts and cultural programs with a wide audience
  • evaluate the outcomes and impacts that creative arts and cultural projects have at personal, social, and economic levels.

Grant applications and guidelines

Applications for the 2025-26 Arts and Culture Grants are now open. Applications close 12pm Thursday 17 April 2025.

Later applications cannot be accepted or assessed. 

Have any unanswered questions? Find information about auspices, funding, project changes, marketing support, public liability insurance, event permits and more on our Frequently Asked Questions page. 

Assessment process

Applications are assessed against grant criteria by a panel of internal and external arts industry professionals who shortlist recommendations for Council.

Success rests on the merits of the application against the assessment criteria and competition with other applications. In some cases, the panel will recommend part-funding of an amount less than requested based on the application and supporting documents.

All applicants will be notified in writing of the success of their application, following Council endorsement in June 2025.

Successful applicants will be required to enter into a contract agreement with the City of Stonnington Grant Policy.

Successful grant recipients 2024-25

Grant recipients will develop work across a diverse range of art forms that will increase the art experiences for the community. Their work will contribute to the City's cultural vibrancy while sustaining our local arts and cultural profile.

A total of 18 applications were endorsed by Council. The successful recipients were awarded support from the $340,000 total pool of funds across the 5 grant categories:

  • $52,814 awarded to Arts and Culture Grant Triennial applications
  • $89,693 awarded to Arts and Culture Grant Over $20,000 applications
  • $78,969 awarded to Arts and Culture Grant Up to $20,000 applications
  • $40,700 awarded to Arts and Culture Grant Chapel Off Chapel In-Kind applications
  • $2,400 awarded to Arts and Culture Grant Venue Hire In-Kind applications.

In addition, Triennial Arts and Cultural Grant commitments totalled $73,922 in 2024-2025.

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