Creativity drives culture


The Greater Geelong community values

  • The contribution of the arts to community vibrancy, diversity, and inclusiveness;
  • Spaces that support and celebrate local artists through public exhibitions;
  • Modern facilities that allow the region to host world-class events;
  • Start-ups and innovation;
  • Involvement with local art, music, heritage, contemporary culture and Wadawarrung culture;
  • Preserving our heritage and encouraging creative design.

Success will be achieved by

  • Investment in a diverse range of local community festivals and events;
  • Development of creative industries and a culture of thinking outside-the-square;
  • Attracting creatively oriented and artistic industries to the region;
  • Creative re-use of heritage assets.

Mountain to Mouth (M~M) biennial extreme-arts walk

Latest project


Creative Seed Grants

This grant provides artists and creatives with small grants to initiate, explore or activate new ideas or new approaches to their work.

Grant guidelines

To confirm the eligibility of your organisation and activity, please read the grant guidelines before applying.

The 2025-26 guidelines will be available on 26 July 2025.

 

Who can apply?

This grant is suitable for emerging artists and creatives exploring, testing and developing a new creative arts project, as well as mid-career and established artists and creatives exploring a new direction or developing a new innovative or experimental project.

Applicants must reside or operate in Australia and deliver the proposed project or activity within the City of Greater Geelong’s municipal boundaries.

You must be one of the following applicant types:

  • Not-for-profits - incorporated bodies, co-operatives or associations
  • Registered charitable organisations – refer to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission
  • Unincorporated bodies with an auspice
  • For-profits - commercial entities, businesses
  • Individual/Sole Traders (entity type with Australian Business Register)

What can you apply for?

Artists/creatives fees, materials, venue hire, equipment purchase/hire, inclusion/access costs and documentation/evaluation.

 

How much can you apply for?

There is a total grant pool of $25,000 available.

Applicants may ask up to $2,500.

 

How to Apply

  • Read the grant guidelines.
  • Check you are an eligible applicant.
  • Check your activity is eligible.
  • Get in touch with us - please discuss your activity with us before applying.
    [email protected] or phone 03 5272 5560
  • Collate your supporting documents.
  • Answer the questions in the application form.
  • Don't forget to hit the submit button.

We recommend you click Save Progress every 10 to 15 minutes when you are filling out a form. If you leave your computer idle for 20 minutes without saving your work, and then return, the session duration may have ended (or been timed-out).
 

Applications open/close

This grant is now closed.

Notification of outcomes

16 September 2024





Measures of success

  • Progress towards the target
  • Progress away from the target
  • No change
  • Baseline data only
What we’re aiming for by 2047 Current trend towards success Current data

Creative occupations - Increasing the percentage of the workforce employed in creative occupations.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Frequency of data: Every five years

5.11% (2021)

The percentage of the workforce employed in creative occupations continues to increase (+ 0.36% from 2016). The next census will be conducted in 2026.

An innovation economy - Greater Geelong rated in the top 200 of the Global Innovation Cities Index.

Source: Innovation Cities™ Index, 2thinknow.
Frequency of data: Every two years

Geelong 255 (2022-23)

Greater Geelong has moved up the Global Innovation Cities index 79 places since 2017.