The City of Sydney last week approved a $3 million fund to support more live music, research and cultural events as the city re-emerges from the pandemic.

The money provided by the council will boost Sydney’s Covid recovery and help build and sustain the social, cultural and economic life of the city. 111 projects across eight grant programs have been chosen by City of Sydney, due to their ability to meet the emerging needs of local communities and priorities for Sydney’s future during the remainder of 2021 and 2022.

Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, says the grants include support for First Nations businesses, assistance for creative industry professionals, a mentorship program to support Asian students, as well as the regeneration of urban spaces in the city to provide shading and reduce the heat island effect.

“As we emerge from lockdown and begin our recovery from the pandemic, these projects will foster and celebrate Sydney’s culture and creativity, support the local economy, and encourage sustainability and business growth,” she says.

“We want to help our communities survive and recover from the impacts of the pandemic, but also ensure that we’re creating a better, more resilient city in the process.”

Included in the funding is the desire to investigate and create a design tool for architects, which is aimed at reducing the construction sector's 20 million tons of waste going to landfill every year. Given the significant impacts of the construction industry towards carbon emissions, the study will help the city to ensure its waste does not interfere with the city’s aim to be net zero by 2035.

Other projects that will benefit from the latest round of grant funding include:

a new live performance space in Redfern
a series of music, food and art events in Angel Place
a festival of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and culture in The Rocks
a new pop-up comedy and cabaret theatre featuring drag acts and musicians in Surry Hills
a series of industry-led meetings and roundtables that focus on the recovery and rebuilding of Sydney's night-time economy
an electronic music festival and conference held at a variety of venues across the local area featuring established and emerging artists
a winter jazz festival featuring performances in businesses and spaces across the local area to increase foot traffic and spending
a research project to analyse the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses in the local area
a Young Carers Festival at Darling Harbour to reduce social isolation and celebrate young people aged four to 25 in caring roles
a month-long series of events to support the local hospitality industry and encourage consumers to rediscover the city's precincts
dance classes for Indigenous students to practice, explore and showcase Aboriginal culture and create pathways into the performing arts industry
the development of a Tech for Good hub for startups working on smart cities and sustainable energy solutions.

The City of Sydney’s grants and sponsorship Program supports projects that build the social, cultural, environmental and economic life of the city and assist in the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The council’s next round of grants and sponsorships opens in February 2022.

To find out more regarding the community grants, click here.

Jarrod Reedie

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