The Regional Community Bands Program supports the work of community bands in regional NSW through an annual program providing small grants to support their activities.

Through on-demand, quick response funding, the program will address challenges in sustaining community bands in regional NSW due to limited access to funding, dispersed populations from which to draw membership and travel required for members to participate.

The intended outcomes of the Program are:

• Increased access to music activities and education in regional communities
• A stable or increased number of active regional community bands across NSW
• Increased community connections in regional communities
• Increased youth engagement and participation in regional NSW community bands.

Examples of eligible projects include but are not limited to:

• Youth workshops that develop skills in brass musical instruments
• Community bands performance event that celebrates local talent
• String music activities and education for people living with disability

Examples of eligible costs include, but are not limited to:

• Activities that contribute to group and individual skill development
• Purchase of new equipment
• Travel costs related to band activity
• Commissioning of new works
• Marketing and fundraising costs.

The project should be started by 17 March 2026 and the project must be completed by 30 June 2027.

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be a recognised community band located in regional NSW

• have an Australian Business Number (ABN) for an entity that is registered in NSW.

• have a business account with an Australian financial institution.

• have not received funding from Create NSW (either directly or through devolved grant programs) in the previous 12 months.

For the purpose of this program, a 'community band' is defined as a concert band or brass band or string ensemble composed of musicians representing a specific community, geographic area or community entity.

• Email: arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au