Live and local music the focus of City of Sydney’s latest grants funding
The City of Sydney has awarded more than $360,000 in funding to music venues and small businesses, with the focus being on expanding – and in some cases reintroducing – live music programs, as well as purchasing or improving equipment.
The first round of the new business support grants program will give 18 localoperators, including Oxford Art Factory, Freda’s and The Roosevelt, matched grants, and also looks to support new night-time activities across the city.
Projects funded in this round will start from April and must be completed over the next 12 months.
According to Lord Mayor Clover Moore, the new late-night grant program is part of the City’s “dedicated support for a thriving night-time economy”.
“These grants will help venues across the city introduce new night-time performances, talks and film screenings, and fund important infrastructure upgrades to enable and improve live music for artists and audiences alike.
“We know the NSW Government’s lockout laws have had a significant impact on Sydney’s night-time economy, so we are finding practical ways to help local businesses and live music venues get back on their feet.”
Among the grant recipients is The Imperial Hotel, who will use the funding to introduce regular live music and performance nights featuring local artists when the venue reopens in early March.
Other projects that will benefit from the matched grant funding include:
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new staging and audio equipment to allow the return of live jazz and acoustic performances at The Roosevelt in Potts Point
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upgrades to the mixing equipment, speakers and PA systems at the Oxford Art Factory in Darlinghurst and The World Bar in Kings Cross
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upgrades to audio equipment and in-house musical instruments at Hudson Ballroom in the city centre
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acoustic upgrades at the Knox Street Bar and Freda’s in Chippendale and Staves Brewery in Glebe
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a monthly program of music trivia, slam poetry and live music in the foyer of the City Recital Hall in the city centre
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an after-midnight live music and dining program at Foundry 616 in Ultimo
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fortnightly ‘paint and sip’ evenings and ‘beanbag and popcorn’ arthouse movie nights at The Tribe creative retail store in Darlinghurst
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small-scale cabaret performances between theatre seasons at the Eternity Playhouse in Darlinghurst
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fortnightly ‘in conversation’ evenings with local authors at Ariel Bookshop in Darlinghurst
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new flooring, staging and lighting at the East Sydney Community and Arts Centre in Darlinghurst
The City’s grants program offers matched grant funding up to $30,000 across two streams – night-time diversification and live music and performance.
Funding is available for both non-profit and for-profit organisations, as well as retailers and non-licensed and other non-traditional premises who want to introducesuch activities.
The inaugural round of applications was open from September to November 2017. The next round of the program is open until 12 March, and more information can be found at the City of Sydney’s website.
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