Council voted unanimously to increase its Cultural Development Fund (CDF) as part of a raft of changes designed to strengthen support for local arts. Faced with significant decreases in state and federal support, the additional Council funding was described as a “steady force during very uncertain times” for the arts.
A major component of the approved reforms is a substantial increase in the annual CDF budget, which will rise from $440,000 to $610,000. The additional $170,000 will be funded through savings from the St Kilda Festival.
The increase will be distributed across the three existing CDF streams:
- Key Arts Organisations: up $130,000 to $310,000 per annum.
- Festivals and Events: up $35,000 to $170,000 per annum.
- Projects: up $5,000 to $130,000 per annum.
Funding limits also increased
In tandem with the budget uplift, Council approved higher maximum funding limits for individual applicants to help address rising costs:
- Key Arts Organisations: up from $30,000 to $45,000 per annum.
- Festivals and Events: Tier 1 up from $5,000–$10,000 to $6,000–$12,000; Tier 2 up from $10,000–$25,000 to $12,000–$30,000.
- Projects: up from $12,000 to $15,000.
An extra year for long-term grants
The new policy also offers greater funding certainty and streamlined processes. Changes include extending funding agreements for Key Arts Organisations from three to four years, introducing multi-year funding opportunities within the Festivals and Events stream, simplifying reporting requirements, and refining assessment criteria to better consider sustainability, collaboration, cultural value and community impact.
All funded bodies must commit to complying with the Victorian Values Statement Commitment to Social Cohesion.
Council also approved the establishment of the Makespace Fund in 2026/27, with a $40,000 allocation to support affordable access to creative infrastructure.
[TOP] Images from some previously funded Key Arts Organisations. Main image: Rawcus; then clockwise from top left: Red Stitch, Doll Trilogy; Jewish Museum, ZAHALKAWORLD; Theatre Works, Crapbox; Space2B.
