The Community Film Festival Opening Night Fund offers grants of $5,000 to community-driven film festivals to enhance their Opening Night events and bring communities together through diverse screening experiences.

The aims of the program are to:

• Support film festivals right across the state via their Opening Night event
• Ease the financial burden on small and medium film festivals that demonstrate a strong community origin and base
• Complement existing funding available for NSW-based film and community festivals
• Impact audiences and communities in NSW through increasing access to diverse screening experiences
• Support underrepresented communities to tell their stories
• Showcase the rich cultural diversity of NSW.

Applicants 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, fundraising and other activities.

Applications that do not include other sources of income or in-kind support are not considered as competitive.

What you can apply for:

• Venue hire
• Interpreters (language and/or AUSLAN)
• Cost associated with hosting a Welcome to Country ceremony
• Marketing and promotional costs for the event
• Hospitality (e.g. catering) and entertainment (e.g. artist costs such as band/musicians)
• Transportation Costs (including reasonable travel expenses for the Opening Night film's key creatives to attend for a speaking opportunity)
• Licencing fee for the Opening Night film
• Equipment hire
• Documentation (photography or videography)
• Other event costs related to an Opening Night celebration.

To be eligible for funding applicants must:

• Be an Australian organisation, including:
  • Companies and not-for-profit incorporated bodies
  • Co-operatives, trusts or local government authorities
  • A consortium or group of organisations working collaboratively*
• Have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Be legally constituted, financially solvent, and able to provide proof of legal status
• Have demonstrated experience in delivering film festivals
• Adhere to the general eligibility requirements under the Screen NSW Terms of Trade.

*In the case of a consortium or group of organisations working collaboratively, one eligible organisation must be nominated as the lead organisation. If successful, the lead organisation will enter into a funding agreement with Screen NSW.

• Email: industry@screen.nsw.gov.au