Audience Development Program

Funding for the Audience Development Program is generally open to:

• Not for profit incorporated bodies
• Co-operatives, trusts or local government authorities.

“For profit” organisations may be able to apply for a project. Applications will need to be discussed with Screen NSW prior to making an application.

To be eligible for funding, organisations must be legally constituted. Applicants need to provide proof of their legal status.

A consortium or a group of organisations working collaboratively may make applications. In this case, one eligible organisation must be nominated as the lead organisation. The Funding Grant Agreement will be with the lead organisation.

Applications may be considered from non-NSW based organisations where the applicant can demonstrate that the project occurs in NSW or has significant benefit for NSW residents.

Applicants must also adhere to the general eligibility requirements under the Screen NSW Terms of Trade.

Applications for the Audience Development Program will generally not be accepted from:

• Individuals, partnerships or groups of individuals and unincorporated organisations
• Government departments and agencies, primary and secondary schools, tertiary institutions and TAFE colleges
• Previous Screen NSW or Create NSW funding recipients who have not fulfilled the conditions of the funding and/or who are overdue in acquitting prior funding.
   

Funding is available for activities that deliver opportunities for audiences to see and experience quality screen content and innovative practice, in single or multiple venues.

Eligible one-off or annual events include:

• Public screenings
• Festivals
• Tours.

The minimum funding amount for the Audience Development Program is $2,000.

Organisations applying for funding are expected to secure other sources of income or in-kind support wherever feasible. Income may be derived from sources such as sponsorships, grants or subsidies from other agencies, revenue from ticket sales, fund raising and other activities.

Applications that do not include other sources of income or in-kind support are not considered as competitive.

Single Year

Applications for Single Year Audience Development Program funding cover activities occurring over a single financial year, for example 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024.

Funding is generally not offered above $10,000 for a Single Year project. However, funding above that amount may be considered for a program of activities, or in exceptional circumstances.

Multi Year

Applications for Multi Year Audience Development Program funding cover activities occurring over multiple financial years, for example 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2025 (for 2-year funding) and 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2026 (for 3-year funding).

Funding for Multi Year is uncapped. However, grants to the majority of organisations will be in the range of $10,000 - $30,000 per year. To be considered for the upper amounts, organisations will need to demonstrate an outstanding track record (i.e. a history of three Screen NSW or Create NSW grants in three of the last five years, at the time of the application) and impact on the NSW screen sector.

Funding for the Audience Development Program will generally not be available for:

• Publications or magazines about screen
• Development or production of screen content
• Travel
• Awards or competition component of a film festival or initiative
• School focused programs.
  
  

Applications should include:

• A clear outline and rationale for the project including evidence of the need for or demand for the project, intended audience and location(s)
• Information about the personnel who will deliver the project including details of their roles, relevant experience and key achievements
• Details of the key activities, milestones and dates
• Key result areas, indicators and targets for the project. 
  
  

Applications should include well developed strategies for engaging people in opportunities to experience quality screen content and innovative practice including:

• Evidence of the need or demand for the project and why it should be regarded as a priority for funding
• Strategies for engaging people in quality screen content and innovative practice, for example, workshops, networking opportunities, capacity building
• Appropriate measures to assess the success of these strategies and to integrate knowledge gained into future programming. 
  
  

The application should demonstrate that the project will build the capacity of screen practitioners, stimulates innovative screen industry practice in NSW and provides opportunities for participation in screen industry development for one or more of the following priority areas:

• Regional NSW
• Western Sydney
• First Nations people
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• People living with disability
• LGBTQIA+ people.
  
  

The application should provide brief information regarding the organisational capacity to deliver the project, including:

• An outline of the core business, aims and objectives of the organisation
• An outline of the experience and expertise of the organisation as it relates to the project
• Comprehensive details of the organisation including board or committee, staff and governance arrangements
• Financial information for the previous year (actual) and current year (estimated)
• Evidence of the organisation’s legal status.
  
  

The budget should provide sufficient detail to demonstrate that the project is cost effective, includes realistic income and expenditure targets and makes adequate provision for insurance and other liabilities. Explanatory notes should be used where needed.

Recurring projects must include previous year’s budget actuals. Confirmation of in-kind and cash support should be substantiated by supporting documentation. Please refer to the template budget link in the application form.

Support material plays a vital role in how we understand and assess your application. Choose high-quality support material that is concise, current and directly relevant to your application.

Support material for proposals involving the Aboriginal arts and cultural sector and/or Aboriginal people, organisations and cultural material must include letters of support and confirmation of involvement from the relevant communities and/or organisations (see NSW Aboriginal Arts and Cultural Protocols).

Other support material may include:

• A program of activities
• Relevant and recent examples of your artistic work (images, video, recordings, written material or links to websites)
• A brief biography or CV for any screen practitioners or key collaborators involved in the project (maximum one A4 page per person)
• Confirmation letters and/or letters of support related to your project (provided as one document), such as from partners, venues, key sector contacts or other funding agencies.

Please submit your support material in the amount and format required, including:

• Combined files not exceeding 25MB
• Up to five minutes of video or audio recording
• No zipped or compressed files
• Documents in PDF format where possible
• Links for externally hosted work only.
  
  

Multi Year applications must also include a business plan that demonstrates the viability of the organisation for the period of funding (2 or 3 years) including other sources of funding and the most recent annual report, including the most recent financial statement.

Evidence of a significant positive track record of achievement and delivery of services for the screen industry in NSW. An example of a track record includes a history of three Screen NSW / Create NSW grants in three of the last five years (at the time of application).

Applicants will be notified on the outcome of their application via email.

Information regarding the assessment process will be provided when the program re-opens.

If successful, the applicant must enter into and abide by the terms of a Funding Grant Agreement with us, which will include the funding’s deliverables and acquittal requirements.

For Single Year applications, funding will generally be paid in one lump sum per financial year, funded upon receipt of a signed Funding Agreement.

For Multi Year applications, funding will generally be paid in one lump sum per financial year funded upon receipt of a signed Funding Agreement for year one and specified times in subsequent years.

Screen NSW will not enter into agreements until all previous grants with Screen NSW or Create NSW have been acquitted.