Adelaide City Council has endorsed $1.6 million in grants and sponsorship funding over the next year to support a diverse range of arts, cultural events, festivals, sports and recreation and community development programs.

“Council provides assistance each year to individuals and groups whose activities, events and programs support our objectives of a sustainable, connected and culturally vibrant city,” Acting Lord Mayor David Plumridge said.

“Our grants and sponsorship funding makes a big difference to a lot of people and in many cases, without our funding, these programs and events wouldn’t be possible.

“It’s a good feeling knowing that we can redirect pivotal funds straight back into the community, where it is needed most.”

This year sponsorship and grant funding falls under four main categories: Community Development Grants, Arts and Living Culture Grants, Recreation and Sports Grants and Sponsorship of Events / Festivals.

1. Community Development Grants

Over $215,000 will be provided in Round 1 Strategic Partnerships grants for services and programs that address social inclusion, health, well-being and housing issues for homeless and other marginalised groups in the city.

Recipients include the Adelaide Day Centre for Homeless Persons, Brian Burdekin Clinic Health and Welfare Services, Catherine House, Hutt Street Centre, RecLink Inc, Shelter SA and Unity Housing.

“These agencies provide vital services to the community such as accommodation and support as well as health, recreation and employment advice to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness,” David said.

CEO Ian Cox from the Hutt St Centre, who will receive $33,000, said the funding would be used for the provision of meals and other professional services for homeless and vulnerable adults in the city.

“This is fantastic news and our partnership means Hutt St Centre can continue to work together with Adelaide City Council to reduce homelessness.”

Community grants will also be provided to 4 city-based organisations to provide community building events or programs that engage the local community. Programs that are being supported by Council this round include Carols in the Square 2012 (Whitmore Square), a Social and Cultural Exchange program for international students living in the city, a mobile community arts project and also an inclusion and well-being program for families and students of the Sturt Street Community School.

A Reconciliation Strategic Partnership Grant will be provided to Tandanya to deliver the 2013 Spirit Festival, an event dedicated to supporting and presenting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. The event in Rymill Park / Mullawirraburka attracts around 10,000 people including visitors from interstate and overseas.

Another Reconciliation Grant will also be provided to the National Aboriginal and Islander Day of Observance Committee (NAIDOC) of SA to support the 2012 Rally, March and Family Fun Day, a key element of the annual NAIDOC celebrations.

2. Arts and Living Culture Grants

The purpose of the Arts and Living Culture Grants Program is to assist art and cultural groups deliver inspiring art and activities that make a positive and creative contribution to the city.

Recipients of Round 1 include Carclew Youth Arts, The Adelaide Youth Orchestras Inc., the Helpmann Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts, the Pride March (Adelaide), The City of Adelaide Band Inc. and the City of Adelaide Pipe Band Inc.

Gail Kovatseff from the Media Resource Centre, who will receive a $14,000 in funding, said the money will to go towards three separate programs it runs throughout the year.

“The Media Resource Centre and Mercury Cinema are very grateful to the Adelaide City Council for their continued support for our key moving image programs, Adelaide Cinémathèque, Screenseekers and Seniors on Screen,” Ms Kovatseff said.

"All of them bring people into the city on a regular weekly basis contributing to the vibrancy of the CBD, and Adelaide Cinémathèque, with its strong youth audience is now the most successful program of its type in the country.”

Over $45,000 has been granted to a range of local artists for public art within the City of Adelaide, including Matt Stuckey, Margit Brunner, Craig Arndrae, Frey Micklethwait and the Contemporary Arts Centre of SA.

3. Recreation and Sports Grants

Funding will be allocated to city-based clubs and organisations for the development and delivery of recreation or sport programs that encourage the community to be active and maintain their health and wellbeing.

The grants include $15,000 for the South Australian Volleyball Association to deliver a range of programs in the city to increase participation in volleyball and beach netball and $1,300 for the Tennis Seniors Association of SA Inc to improve the existing community court facilities and amenities in Kurrangga (Park 20)

Funding will also be provided to the Adelaide Sanitarium Weet-bix Kids TRYathlon, which will be held for the first time in the city in 2013 and will use the Adelaide Aquatic Centre. Life Be In It will also receive a grant for a Bocce Team Challenge in the city’s squares later this year and to assist in the launch of the revitalised Bonython Park, once work on the Activity Hub and ‘Learn to Ride Track’ are completed.

4. Sponsorship of Major Events / Activities

Council allocates significant funding to high profile major events and activities that provide significant economic benefit and create vibrancy within the city.

This year Council is continuing to support the Adelaide Festival of Arts, the Santos Tour Down Under, WOMADelaide, the Credit Union Christmas Pageant, Carols by Candlelight and the History SA Festival as well as the 2012 Australian University Games, the 2012 Australian International 3 Day Event and the 2013 Come Out Festival.

Karen Bryant Adelaide Festival Chief Executive said, “2013 marks the first annual Adelaide Festival and financial support from our partners is crucial to ensure we bring the very best productions and arts events from around the world to Adelaide each year.”

“It’s fantastic that Adelaide City Council has chosen to sponsor the Adelaide Festival, Australia's preeminent International Arts Festival. The funding will help us deliver a program that will make the city a vibrant, exciting and entertaining place for everyone.”

Multicultural Festivals and Community Events will also benefit with the Malaysian Carnival 2012, African Festival 2013, Mela 2013, 8th Korean Culture and Food Festival, the Islamic Information Centre for EID al-Fitr Festival and the EID ul-Udha Festival and the 2012 Laziza Mediterranean Festival.

Council will also provide general sponsorship to Indofest 2013, CheeseFest 2012 and 2012 Sci World Sunday at the Zoo.

26 June 2012