Local Event Funding – Applications Open
Events and festivals play an essential role in the Kiama visitor economy. They are a great way to showcase our personality, build community pride and social connections, and are important drivers of tourism visitation and economic development, boosting businesses, creating jobs, and helping the local area to thrive.
Kiama is lucky to host a number of very successful events (of all shapes and sizes) that showcase our passion for arts and culture, live music, sport, and food and wine. Kiama Municipal Council has a proud history of supporting many of these events.
Events that support the visitor economy are invited to apply for funding (financial and in-kind) via the Destination Events Funding Program.
This program supports events that are categorised as major or destination events that assist in achieving the objectives set out in Kiama Council's Tourism and Events Strategic Plan (2022-2026) and fit the eligibility criteria.
Specifically, these are events that:
- attract intra and interstate visitation
- appeal to Kiama's key visitor markets
- occur outside of recognised peak periods
- encourage overnight stays and inspire repeat visitation over the longer term.
Examples of events previously funded via this program include:
- Red Hot Summer Tour
- Kiama Sevens
- Kiama Jazz and Blues Festival
- KISS Arts Festival
- Surflife Music Festival
- Jamberoo Car Show and Family Fun Day
- Kiama Coastal Classic
- Kiama I Do Wedding Trail
- Folk by the Sea
There will only be two Destination Event Funding rounds in the 2023-24 financial year. One that opened on 11 May and is closing 22 June 2023 and the second opening in December and closing in January 2024.
If you are interested in hosting a new event in the Kiama area, and don't know where to begin we encourage you to complete the Preliminary Events Application Form and we will contact you with the next step.
