Funding flows for Festivals but
River of Art runs dry
Council grants and donations program – Recipients announced:
56 recipients of Council’s Community Grants and Donations Program for 2025–26 have been announced with funds totalling just over $223,000 to be distributed across six funding categories supporting local events, community wellbeing and education.
Iconic event recipients were Narooma Oyster Festival and Sea Otter Australia, each receiving $75,000 dollars across three years, and Sculpture for Clyde receiving $45,000 dollars across three years.
Major events recipients include Crank It Up Batemans Bay, Narooma Forest Rally, Sharkskin NSW IRB Championship, Fungi Feastival, Fox Superflow Eurobodalla Gravity Coast Racing, and Coastrek South Coast.
After 21 years of operation, the River of Art Festival was not awarded funding for the 2026–2028 period.
The Festival reported “River of Art has received support from Eurobodalla Shire Council over many years and was previously recognised as one of only two ‘Hallmark Events’ in the Shire, a status we held for six years across two funding rounds in acknowledgement of our significant cultural and economic contribution.
In 2024 alone, the Festival contributed over $14 million in economic return for the region.
Since 2022 River of Art has consistently contributed approximately $10 million annually to the Eurobodalla economy. (2024 Outcomes Report linked 2024 Outcomes Report).”
“The data speaks for itself. But relying solely on economic metrics is an incomplete picture — and misses the deeper value of what the Festival brings to this region.”
Eurobodalla Mayor Hatcher said Council’s focus was on supporting events, projects and programs that align with Eurobodalla’s Community Strategic Plan. Recipients of the event funding streams also aligned strongly with the Eurobodalla Destination Action Plan and the Eurobodalla Events Strategy.
“While grant funding isn’t intended to be the primary source of income for events, it plays an important role in helping organisers add extra elements or elevate their event to the next level,” Mayor Hatcher said.
“Council’s support enables these opportunities to happen.”
Mayor Hatcher said this year’s program was hugely competitive, with assessment panel judges reviewing 122 applications, totalling over $950,000 in grant funding and donations requested – more than quadruple the budget allocated.
“Even though we could not fund everyone, the response has been great to see there’s still strong interest in Council supporting events, projects and programs across the region,” Mayor Hatcher said.
A full list of recipients is available on Council’s website.
Mayor Hatcher mentioned how challenging it can be to run an event and, while not all applicants received funding, Council’s events team continues to help organisers navigate the process and provide plenty of in-kind support.
“Each year Council helps facilitate around 90 events on community land,” he said.
“Events not only bring people together, but they also bring real economic value. Regional NSW sees more than a billion dollars of event-related visitor spending each year, and that money lands directly in local cafes, accommodation, shops and tour operators.
“Council’s investment in local events pays off for the whole community. When we back events, we are backing local jobs and a stronger regional economy.”