Donate on or before AusArt Day 23 October 2025 to make next years small grants program possible.
A national giving day to the arts may come just in time to save the much-valued small grants program in the NSW Central West.
Arts OutWest needs to raise $10,000 this month to be able to offer microgrants again in 2026.
National body Creative Australia has named Thursday 23 October as AusArt Day. For Arts OutWest it could be the lifesaver for the small projects and arts activities we support each year.
“Normally we’d be opening our annual CASP small grants program now, but CASP was one of the things no longer funded in the new NSW government arts funding model. The coffers are dry for 2026,” said Arts OutWest executive director Kylie Shead.
Instead, Arts OutWest is calling on the Central West community to donate to the Arts OutWest Cultural Fund to provide these vital small grants for grass-roots, life changing arts projects and activities in the region.
Arts OutWest will dig into our own funds to double all donations (up to $10,000).
Over the last three decades Arts OutWest has provided more than 350 CASP grants and around 50 emergency microgrants.
“A microgrant supported a community choir in Eugowra after the flood; this year through CASP a composer worked with performers with disability to create music for new children’s theatre show ViV! – just two of the really life-affirming examples of art making we’ve been able to support with small grants,” said Ms Shead.
“Microgrants have paid artists to work in and with communities across all artforms and heritage, across all parts of the region. The arts projects benefit both locals and the arts sector. Each dollar of a grant we give contributes around $2.16 of economic activity in the region,” Ms Shead said.
The demand is strong. For the final, 2025, round of CASP Arts OutWest received 40 applications asking for over $105,000 – only 8 projects, totalling $17,000, could be funded.
“The need for small, flexible, easy to apply for, local arts grants grows year on year. The quality of ideas and work gets better every year. There’s never been enough money. A pool of $20,000 could provide a dozen or more small grants in 2026,” Ms Shead said.
“When we open up microgrants, it’s communities and artists who come up with the ideas, they run the projects. Microgrants are extraordinarily good value of money. An effective, impactful way of doing a lot with a little – something we’re really good at in the arts!” Ms Shead said.
Creative Australia’s AusArt Day is a new initiative to support artists and arts organisations to fundraise on one national day, and to increase the donor pool in support of Australian creativity whilst elevating the public value of the arts in the consciousness of everyday Australians. Arts OutWest is one of more than 300 Australian artists and arts organisations officially participating.
Donate to the Arts OutWest Cultural Fund (all donations over $2 are tax deductable) anytime between now and 23 October: https://artsoutwest.org.au/donate/
Arts OutWest is a registered charity and has Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.