Create NSW celebrates the rich and vibrant influence people of diverse backgrounds bring to the arts in our state.
First Nations
We recognise and respect the vital role of First Nations artists and culture in NSW. We provide funding, consultation, partnerships and resources for Aboriginal arts and culture.
See Aboriginal Arts and Culture for information on programs including Creative Koori funding and webinars. Also see the Aboriginal Arts & Cultural Protocols
People with disability
We’re committed to ensuring people with disability are recognised and given access within the arts, screen and cultural sectors of NSW.
For more about internships, funding and other programs see Arts and people with disability
LGBTQI+
Our diverse NSW LGBTQI+ communities play a strong role in fostering creativity and inclusivity in the arts.
Create NSW provides a range of funding and support to LGBTQI+ arts and cultural practitioners.
Recently this included supporting more than 30 arts and culture projects and events as part of Sydney WorldPride Festival in 2023.
In regional areas, we recently provided funding to Coastal Twist LGBTIQA+ Arts & Culture festival. We also funded the New England Regional Art Museum Ltd, Winter Blooming Festival that celebrates Indigenous, multicultural and LGBTQIA+ arts, culture and communities.
Multicultural diversity
Create NSW provides funding and support to Diversity Arts Australia. This is Australia’s national voice for ethno-cultural and migrant racial equity in the arts, cultural and creative industries.
Their Creative Equity Toolkit is an essential resource for everyone involved in the arts and cultural sector, and beyond.
Create NSW funds and promotes the work of artists of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Earlier in her career, Miles Franklin Literary Award winner, Shankari Chandran, author of Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens, received the Create NSW 2018/19 NSW Writer’s Fellowship and an Early Career Writer’s Grant.
She says this helped give her confidence and validation for her future work. See From Create NSW Fellowship to Miles Franklin Award: In conversation with Shankari Chandra
Other recent Create NSW funding recipients include:
- Rossano, Orchestra Diaspora. This is an ensemble comprising musicians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds living on Gumbaynggirr country. Their work is described as "Songs that connect people and cultures, migrant sounds finding a new home."
- Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta, Guards at the Taj, written by Rajiv Joseph.
For more resources see:
- Multicultural NSW
- Towards Equity: a research overview of diversity in Australia’s arts and cultural sector - Australia Council for the Arts
Policy and research
The NSW Government is developing a new arts and cultural policy, after holding a public consultation process in 2023. The discussion paper poses the question: How can we create better, more inclusive, support and pathways for practitioners in the arts, culture and creative industries?
The existing NSW strategic policy framework for arts, culture and creative industries Create in NSW identified priority areas including: Aboriginal arts and culture, People with disability, Young people, Western Sydney and Regional NSW.
Applying for funding
Go to our Grants and funding finder to view some of the funding programs we provide.
If you're new to applying, see Get started with arts and culture funding
At the end of each grant in the Grants and funding finder there's information on contacting Create NSW for help with:
- understanding the guidelines for a grant
- submitting an application in a way that is accessible to you
- arranging an interpreting service for people applying in a language other than English
- arranging an Auslan interpreter service
- arranging a National Relay call.