Funding

While the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet through the Office for the Arts (OFTA) are responsible for the Regional Arts Fund, or RAF. it is delivered by the peak regional arts organisation in each state, and by arts departments in the territories. TRA administrated RAF in Tasmania for the period 2009–2012 on behalf of the Commonwealth.

A key focus of the Regional Arts Fund (RAF) program is to encourage the formation of productive partnerships to support home-grown arts activities and the creation of networks to reduce isolation, exchange ideas and publicise opportunities.

The program also assists the professional development of, and provides employment opportunities for, artists based in regional areas.

Providing opportunities for community members to learn arts and broader skills is another RAF priority. With RAF support, professional artists provide workshops and collaborate with community participants on a wide range of creative projects.

A popular component of RAF are the Regional Quick Response Grants - providing small grants to artists to attend developmental events and workshops or to support smaller projects that fall between other funding rounds. Regional Quick Response grants are supported by larger more developmentally focused grants that fund projects of local and regional significance.

RAF Regional Quick Response grants provide funds up to $1,500 for an individual artist or artsworker to access professional development opportunities or for smaller developmental projects. Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for the program which are included on the application forms and information kits (see link below).

Notification of success or otherwise of Quick Response Grants is provided by TRA within ten working days. Advice on the grant application process is also available from the TRA Regional Arts Development Officers located in Latrobe and Hobart.

RAF decisions on grants other than the quick response grants are made by a peer assessment panel of Tasmanian based artists and arts workers appointed by the Commonwealth Arts Minister.

Two RAF grant categories are offered by TRA. Category one is called the Small Grants Program and funds developmental projects and activities up to the value of $5,000. Category two is the Major Grants Program which supports larger projects that develop partnerships and collaborations within communities through the arts. Major grants are capped at a maximum of $10,000, with no minimum.

Both Small and Major Grants have two closing dates each year. in 2011 they are:

Friday16 March for projects commencing after 1 July 2012

Note that due to contractual agreement requirements, all small and major grants funded in Round One in 2012 must be completed by no later than December 31. 2012.

Friday 17 August for projects commencing on or after 1 January 2013

Quick response grants can be submitted at any time. A maximum of $1,500 applies to Quick Response Grants although smaller amounts are regularly awarded.

Applicants are requested to discuss their proposals with the RAF Program Manager in Latrobe if they have any questions about their ideas.
Application forms and guidelines were revised in February 2011 and are available by following the link below:

View RAF application forms.

Successful Grant Recipients are required to acknowledge the RAF Program in all promotional materials. Guidelines and Logos are available by clicking here. Grant recipients that do not appropriately acknowledge any funding received are advised that this may adversely impact on further submissions to this program.

RAF Grants can be used in conjunction with other funding sources, such as the Tasmanian Community Fund and Arts Tasmania.

NEW EMAIL ADDRESS FOR RAF APPLICATIONS FROM 2012

As of 1 January 2012, All RAF grant applications (for both grant rounds and regional quick response grants) are to be submitted to the following email address:

gra...@tasregionalarts.org.au

Applications sent to i...@tasregionalarts.org.au continue to be received: However TRA advises that the use of the gra...@... email address guarantees receipt of your application.

RAF 2012 Closing Dates:

Friday16 March for projects commencing after July 1 2012

Note that round one small and major grant recipients must complete their projects on or before 31 December 2012 due to contractual obligations for this year only.

Friday 17 August for projects commencing after January 1, 2013

Quick Response Grants are now available.

RAF in Tasmania 2004-2008: A Snapshot

For the period 2004-2008, TRA awarded 255 grants totaling $686,515. The impact of these funds have been significant, with RAF funding 2,812 artists, securing 6,596 volunteer hours of support with a cash value of $131,925 (based on $20/hr).

RAF funded projects generated over 107 partnerships and attracted regional audiences of over 298,646 to the funded projects.

Over $2,503,148 in cash and in kind project support was leveraged from Tasmanian Communities, indicating that, for every dollar expended, 3.1 dollars of cash and in kind support were leveraged from the RAF investment in Tasmania.