Arts grants for Hunter performers and companies, and which are open now
Most small arts projects in the Hunter are paid for by a few grants: the state's arts fund, the regional arts boards and the councils. Two of them close in October. Here is what each pays for, who can apply and when.
Closing soon: Create NSW's Regional Arts Touring Round 2 closes at 2pm on 13 October 2026 (AEDT). Arts Upper Hunter's Country Arts Support Program and Micro Grants close on 28 October 2026.
Create NSW: the state's arts fund
Create NSW runs the NSW Government's Arts and Cultural Funding Program, with rounds for individual artists, arts and cultural workers, and organisations through the year. Its funding calendar lists what is open and what is coming.
Open now is Regional Arts Touring Round 2, for artists, workers and organisations touring work across regional NSW, with tours funded from $10,000 to $75,000. It closes at 2pm on 13 October 2026. A Hunter company taking a show on the road, or a touring production coming to a Hunter venue, is the kind of project it is for.
Arts Upper Hunter: small grants for community arts
Arts Upper Hunter is the regional arts board for the Upper Hunter. Its Country Arts Support Program (CASP) is the long-running small grants program for community arts across regional NSW, with grants of up to $3,000 for community groups and council bodies. This round also includes Micro Grants of up to $1,000, which individuals and businesses can apply for. Applications for projects in 2027 opened on 21 September and close on 28 October 2026, and the board runs a how-to-apply workshop in October.
Councils
City of Newcastle funds performances, exhibitions and community arts through the Arts, Culture and History stream of its Community Support Grants. The 2026 program has closed; watch the page for the next round.
City of Cessnock funds community and cultural projects each financial year through its Community, Sporting and Environment Grant Scheme.
Before you apply
- Read the guidelines first. Each program says who can apply, what it will not fund and how it scores applications.
- Start early. Grant portals such as SmartyGrants ask for a budget, a timeline and support letters, which take longer than the form.
- Ask. Most programs offer a contact officer or a workshop; Arts Upper Hunter runs one for CASP.
- Plan the venue. If your project is a show, cost the hire, crew and ticketing early. Our venue hire guide covers what a Hunter theatre charges for.
What arts grants are open in NSW right now?
On 5 October 2026, Create NSW's Regional Arts Touring Round 2 (tours from $10,000 to $75,000) was open until 2pm on 13 October, and Arts Upper Hunter's Country Arts Support Program and Micro Grants were open until 28 October.
Can an individual artist get a grant in the Hunter?
Yes. Create NSW funds individual artists through its Arts and Cultural Funding Program, and Arts Upper Hunter's Micro Grants of up to $1,000 are open to individuals and businesses.
How much is a CASP grant?
Arts Upper Hunter's Country Arts Support Program offers grants of up to $3,000 for community groups and council bodies, and Micro Grants of up to $1,000.
Sources
- Create NSW, funding opportunities calendar
- NSW Government, Arts and Cultural Funding Program
- Create NSW SmartyGrants, 2026 Regional Arts Touring Round 2 (closes 2pm 13 October 2026 AEDT)
- NSW Government Neon Marketplace, Regional Arts Touring Round 2 (tours from $10,000 to $75,000)
- Arts Upper Hunter, Country Arts Support Program and Micro Grants for 2027 (open 21 September, close 28 October 2026)
- Arts Upper Hunter, home page (CASP grants up to $3,000)
- City of Newcastle, Arts, Culture and History Grant
- City of Cessnock, Council grants