Funding

The Regional Arts Fund (RAF) is an Australian Government Ministry for the Arts initiative supporting the arts in regional and remote Australia and delivered in Tasmania in partnership with Tasmanian Regional Arts.

Small and Major Community Grants
The next funding Round for Small and Major Grants opens on 12 January, 2015 for projects commencing after 1 July, 2015. For information about the Regional Arts Fund, download the Grants Information Pack here. This round closes on Friday 13th March 2015

We have simplified the application process and now use one form for both the Small and Major Community Grants. Please select either Small Community Grant or Major Community Grant on the application form.

 

Regional Quick Response Grants
Regional Quick Response Grants for Jan – June 2015 have now closed.

The next Quick Response Grant round is expected to open in July 2015

 

ABOUT THE REGIONAL ARTS FUND (RAF)

While the Attorney-General’s Department through the Ministry for the Arts is responsible for the Regional Arts Fund (RAF), it is delivered by the peak regional arts organisation in each state, and by arts departments in the territories. TRA administrated RAF in Tasmania for the period 2009–2012 on behalf of the Commonwealth and will do so for the period 2013-2016.

A key focus of the Regional Arts Fund (RAF) program is to encourage the formation of productive partnerships to support home-grown arts activities and the creation of networks to reduce isolation, exchange ideas and promote all artforms through the provision of dedicated funding.

The program also assists the professional development of, and provides employment opportunities for, artists based in regional areas.

Providing opportunities for community members to learn arts and broader skills is another RAF priority. With RAF support, professional artists provide workshops and collaborate with community participants on a wide range of creative projects.

A popular component of RAF are the Regional Quick Response Grants – providing small grants to artists to attend developmental events and workshops or to support smaller projects that fall between other funding rounds. Regional Quick Response Grants are supported by larger more developmentally focused grants that fund projects of local and regional significance.

RAF Regional Quick Response grants provide funds up to $1,500 for an individual artist or arts worker to access professional development opportunities, or for smaller developmental projects. As of 2012, a new category of Quick Response Grants is now available to organisations for small cultural projects. This category will provide funds of up to $3,000 for approved projects. Any application from an organisation for this category must be discussed with the RAF Program Manager prior to making such a submission.

Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for the program which are outlined in the information kits (to be uploaded soon).

Notification of success or otherwise of Quick Response Grants is provided by TRA within ten working days. Advice on the grant application process is available from the TRA Latrobe office.

RAF decisions on grants other than the Quick Response Grants are made by a peer assessment panel of Tasmanian based artists and arts workers appointed by the Commonwealth Arts Minister.

Two RAF Community Grant categories are offered by TRA. Category 1 is called the Small Grants Program and funds developmental projects and activities up to the value of $5,000. Category 2 is the Major Grants Program which supports larger projects that develop partnerships and collaborations within communities through the arts. Major Grants are capped at a maximum of $10,000, with no minimum.

 

GRANT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Successful Grant recipients are required to acknowledge the RAF Program in all promotional materials. Download the guidelines and logos here:

  • Guidelines for displaying logos correctly
  • Tasmanian Regional Arts (TRA) logo
  • RAF logo 1
  • RAF logo 2
  • RAF logo 3
  • RAF logo 4

Grant recipients who do not appropriately acknowledge any funding received are advised that lack of program recognition may adversely impact on further submissions to this program.

RAF Grants can be used in conjunction with other funding sources, such as Arts Tasmania, Australia Council, Events Tasmania and the Tasmanian Community Fund.

To download the Statement by a Supplier form click here.

Further resources are available from the Regional Arts Australia website.

Regional Arts Fund (RAF) August Round announced

The Minister for the Arts, Senator the Hon George Brandis QC has announced the successful applicants of the August Regional Arts Fund round. Click here for a full list of all successful Tasmanian projects.

SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS – RAF MARCH ROUND 2014

$44,526 IN REGIONAL ARTS FUNDING ANNOUNCED FOR TASMANIA
The Minister for the Arts, Senator the Hon George Brandis QC has announced that funding for seven projects totalling $44,526 will go to regional and rural Tasmanian communities from the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund – delivered in Tasmania by Tasmanian Regional Arts.

President of Tasmanian Regional Arts, Sue Baker is impressed with the quality and diversity of the projects proposed and funded through the program, stating that “It is inspiring that Tasmania’s artists are so active and so highly creative. In this round, the fund has supported individual artists seeking to develop projects that highlight contemporary Tasmanian arts practices, drawing on our culture and heritage to develop new narratives and projects that open the doors to communities less visible to mainstream society “.

As all of Tasmania is considered regional under the Regional Arts Fund program guidelines, a number of southern based applicants were successful in this round. The Regional Arts Fund continues to reach out to regional locations, with projects funded in Queenstown, the West Tamar and Launceston. Importantly, approximately 50% of all applicants to the program are new to the Regional Arts Fund, demonstrating that the arts community is alive and growing in Tasmania.

Specific projects funded in this round include:

Aboriginal artist Julie Gough receiving funds to develop The Effect, an exhibition based on colonial impacts on indigenous cultures but developed through new media technologies; Queenstown’s unique heritage will be presented through the commissioning of new story telling film documentaries to be developed by Roar Film as part of the Big Stories: Small Towns project; and Hobart based metal band Infernal Outcry, whose membership comprises UTAS Conservatorium of Music Students/graduates, will be commissioned to develop new music for performance and recording.

“What is pleasing is that the projects funded in this round demonstrate interesting collaborations, often forming new partnerships and new outlets for the work. While the number of grants awarded in this round is smaller than last year, their quality and diversity shone through” added Ms Baker.

The Regional Arts Fund is an Australian Government program that supports sustainable cultural development in communities across regional and remote Australia. The funding is targeted at activities that will have long term cultural, economic and social benefits for individuals and communities through the development of partnerships and cultural networks, by providing artists with professional development and employment opportunities, and by supporting arts and community development projects that provide local communities with the opportunity to participate in, and access cultural activities. The Regional Arts Fund has an emphasis on youth, disadvantaged, remote and Indigenous communities.