Audience Development Program

The Audience Development Program provides support towards public screenings, festivals or tours that deliver opportunities for audiences to see and experience quality screen content and innovative practice, for one off events or annual events in single or multiple venues.

Funding for the Audience Development Program is generally open to: 

• Not for profit incorporated bodies
• Co-operatives or trusts, 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 Agreement will be between Screen NSW and 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. 

Ineligible types of organisations 

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 and TAFE Colleges 
• Previous Create NSW, Screen NSW or Arts NSW funding recipients who have not fulfilled the conditions of the funding and/or who are overdue in acquitting prior funding.

Ineligible types of activities 

Funding for Audience Development 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 focussed programs.

The program is currently closed.

Applications for Single Year Audience Development Program funding cover activities occurring over a single financial year, for example 1 July 2022 – 30 June 2023. 

Applications for Multi Year Audience Development Program funding cover activities occurring over multiple financial years, for example 1 July 2022 – 30 June 2024 (for 2 year funding) and 1 July 2022 – 30 June 2025 (for 3 year funding). 

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

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. 

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. 

First-time applicants are required to discuss their application with Screen NSW either over the phone or in person. All returning applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their application.

Contact Amelia Carew-Reid on (02) 8289 6417 or email amelia.carew-reid@create.nsw.gov.au to discuss your proposed project. 

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. 

For Single Year applications, funding will generally be paid in one lump sum per financial year funded upon receipt of a signed Funding Agreement. Screen NSW will not enter into an agreement until all previous grants with Screen NSW or Create NSW have been acquitted or a variation of grant has been approved. 

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 or a variation of grant has been approved. 

All applications are assessed against a common set of five criteria. 

1. Project merit 

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. 

2. Audience development and participation 

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. 

3. Benefits 

The application should demonstrate that the project will build the capacity of screen practitioners, and 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: 

• people living and/or working in regional NSW
• people living and/or working in Western Sydney
• women
• Aboriginal people
• people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds 
• people with disability 
• LGBTQI people

4. Organisational capacity 

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, governance arrangements
• Financial information for the previous year (actual) and current year (estimated)
• Evidence of the organisation’s legal status (if not supplied previously). 

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). 

5. Budget 

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 years budget actuals.

Confirmation of inkind and cash should be backed up by support letters. 

The budget for projects being delivered on-line should be commensurate to actual delivery costs.

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.

Make sure to submit your support material in the amount and format required, including: 

• combined files not exceeding 25MB 
• five minutes of video or audio recording 
• no zipped or compressed files 
• documents in PDF format where possible 
• links for externally hosted work only. 

You will be notified of your successful application by email.

You will be notified of your unsuccessful application via email. Screen NSW is happy to provide feedback on the assessment of your application. please contact amelia.carew-reid@create.nsw.gov.au

If you would like to provide us with feedback, or believe you have cause for complaint, the details of our Feedback, Review and Formal Complaints Procedures are available here.

For more information about the Audience Development Program or to discuss your proposed project, contact Amelia Carew-Reid (02) 8289 6417 or by email to amelia.carew-reid@create.nsw.gov.au