Applications have opened for a $30 million recovery package to help rebuilt arts and culture, sports, and Aboriginal-owned community infrastructure damaged by the February/March floods, Federal Member for Macquarie and Special Envoy for the Arts Susan Templeman has said.

The Hawkesbury is one of eight Local Government Areas (LGA) to be eligible for the recovery package, with the majority of the works being funded by the joint Federal and State Government $150 million Community Local Infrastructure Recovery Package (CLIRP) announced in April, Ms Templeman said.

“As Special Envoy for the Arts, I am particularly pleased to see funding being made available to eligible arts organisations, as well as Local Aboriginal Land Councils, to assist our community arts and cultural sector,” Ms Templeman said.

“The initial focus after a disaster is always going to be getting the roads back or getting power connected, and the arts and cultural sector often gets overlooked.

“But we know there’s been a huge impact on the places where people go to be creative, or where our collections are housed, so this is modest, dedicated support for those arts and cultural sectors.

“There’s also support for sports organisations, which are another key way in which people can reconnect back into their communities after a disaster.

“The floods earlier this year contributed significantly to damage from the 2021 floods, and exacerbated the frustration felt particularly by members of many of our local sporting associations due to the devastating effect they had on infrastructure.

“The measures contained within this package will go some way towards helping to support connection, health and resilience of our community by providing funds to help repair that damage.

“This is one more way to help flood-devastated communities get back on their feet.”

The package includes:

• Up to $12 million in grants for councils ranging from $15,000 to $500,000 for community sport infrastructure projects;
• Up to $12 million in grants for eligible arts and cultural organisations, councils and regional arts development organisations ranging from $5,000 to $500,000; and
• $6 million for repairs to community infrastructure in the most impacted Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs), including $3.45 million in grants to support further repairs and rebuilds for LALCs and Aboriginal organisations.

Minister for Emergency Management, Senator the Hon Murray Watt, said, “Community arts and cultural facilities and Aboriginal Keeping Places across New South Wales are a vital part of our cultural fabric.

“They are also an important part of our economy, supporting thousands of jobs across New South Wales,” Minister Watt said.

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