Country Arts Support Program

Click here for the CASP 2026 Guidelines

Key Dates

Applications Open 9am, Monday 8^th September 2025, AEST.

Applications Close 5pm, Friday 31^st October 2025, AEST.

Projects to be delivered from 1^st January 2026 and be completed by 31^st October 2026.

All applicants will be notified of the outcomes of the round by 30^th November 2025 and successful applicants can expect payment of grant monies, post 1^st January 2026.

Overview

The Country Arts Support Program (CASP) is an annual small grants program funded by Murray Arts, and for the first time in 2026 will be open to the entire Murray Arts footprint including Local Government Areas in Victoria (Full list of LGA’s: Albury City, Federation Shire, Greater Hume, City of Wodonga, Indigo Shire, and Towong Shire).

CASP is guided by the Murray Arts’ Strategic Plan and the following values:

• Artistic Endeavour, creativity and integrity.
• The arts as a medium to challenge us and explore our humanity.
• The opportunity to access, participate & express ourselves through creative practice.
• Community wellbeing, connection and lifelong learning.

Objective:

Support community arts and cultural development in within the Murray Arts footprint through small grants that:

• Assist locally determined community arts and cultural activities.
• Increase opportunities for regionally based groups to access a diverse range of arts programs.
• Enable communities to explore and express their cultural identities.
• Bring social and economic benefits to the community through training, employment and promotional opportunities.
• Lead to greater awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity.
• Increase the sustainability and resilience of regionally based community arts organisations.

Eligibility – Who Can Apply?

• A not-for-profit incorporated body
• A local government authority
• An individual or sole trader with an ABN
• A collective with a nominated administering/auspicing body (see further details regarding auspicing body below)
• Applicants who live, work, or connect in an ongoing way with the geographical footprint of Murray Arts (Albury City, Federation Shire, Greater Hume, City of Wodonga, Indigo Shire, and Towong Shire LGA’s)

• Applicants are required to have a current certificate of currency for Broadform Liability or ‘Public Liability’ Insurance. In the case of individual or group applicants, each individual/sole trader involved/paid as part of the funding, will need to hold and show proof of their own ‘Public Liability’ Insurance.

Who Is Not Eligible to Apply?

• Individuals and Groups based outside of the Murray Arts footprint who do not work, or connect in an ongoing way with the LGA’s in the Murray Arts footprint, or for projects based outside of this area.
• Professional touring groups
• Commercial enterprises
• Groups/ensembles and unincorporated associations with no administering body
• Regional Conservatoriums
• Previous recipients where the use of the grant did not, in the opinion of the CASP assessment panel, conform to the spirit and intentions of these guidelines
• State and federal government departments, including schools (except P&Cs who are incorporated).
• Organisations that have overdue reports or acquittals for any funding programs administered by Murray Arts.
• Applicants who live in another Regional Arts Development Organisation’s geographical footprint, and do not work or connect in an ongoing way with the LGA’s in the Murray Arts footprint (i.e. outside of Albury City, Federation Shire, Greater Hume, City of Wodonga, Indigo Shire, and Towong Shire LGA’s).
• Applicants who have not discussed their project with a Murray Arts Staff member.
• Each individual or organisation may submit only one application per funding round.
• Applicants who apply as an individual are not eligible to also be listed as the lead applicant on an organisational application in the same round.
• Individuals may, however, be involved as a collaborator or participant in other applications, provided they are not the lead applicant.

Funding Range

Grants of between $500 and $5,000 are available primarily for professional artists’ fees, travel and accommodation.

Eligible Activities

Projects including but not limited to:

• Workshops
• Arts activities as part of community festivals or events
• Artist-in-residence programs
• Public art and design projects
• Performances
• Community seminars and forums
• Exhibitions
• Other local arts initiatives

CASP Will Not Fund:

• Core administrative costs, office costs or the purchase of equipment
• Capital expenses
• Production costs of films, videos, books or other publications
• Competitions
• Fundraising events
• Prizes and adjudication fees
• General operating expenses or ongoing costs of long-term continuous projects
• Projects that have commenced or are completed
• Non arts-related activities
• Activities which could be considered part of the curriculum for schools or tertiary institutions

Administrator or Auspicing Body

When applying for a grant, majority of funding bodies require the applicant to be a legal entity (such as an Incorporated Organisation) or to have an Administrator or Auspicing body. This is to ensure there is some protection in that any grant money is spent in line with the successful application. There is often too much risk for a funding body to deposit funds into someone’s personal bank account. By giving the funds to a legal entity that has audited financial statements, they can be sure the funds aren’t misused.

For the 2025 CASP Murray Arts round non-incorporated groups/collectives will be required to have an Administrator or Auspicing body. Don’t hesitate to contact the Murray Arts Team, as we can help brainstorm out who could be the best Administrator or Auspicing Body for your project and it is worth noting that majority of Administrators or Auspicing Bodies will charge a fee for this service, generally between 5-10% of the total grant money and this will need to be factored into your budget. Note: Murray Arts is an Auspicing Body and can Auspice CASP applications.

Applications

Please follow the below steps:

1. Download the application word doc and excel spreadsheet budget template here.
2. Complete all relevant fields in the application word doc and excel spreadsheet budget template.
3. Email the completed application word doc, excel spreadsheet budget template, and any other relevant supporting material to Julien Bonnel prior to the application closing time and date.

*** If you have any issues filling in the application word doc or the excel spreadsheet budget template, please contact Julien Bonnel.