CLIRP Arts and Cultural Assets Program (ECAP Arts)

• Funding is available for eligible, directly damaged arts and cultural infrastructure in all disaster declared LGAs under AGRN 1012 and/or AGRN 1025. Priority will be given to 19 targeted LGAs as indicated in Appendix A of the guidelines (PDF 336.99KB).
• Other applicants not within the target 19 LGAs but disaster declared under Australian Government Reference Number (AGRN) 1012 and 1025 are eligible to apply for funding, but must be able to substantiate robust alignment to program guidelines
• The applicant must have arts and cultural activity or services as part of their core activity, business, or business units. This can be demonstrated through the description of the organisation activities, and what activities take place in the damaged property.

Applicants must be:

• an incorporated entity or trust (including a trust with a corporate or individual trustee) and hold an Australian Business Number (ABN), Australian Company Number (ACN), or
• registered with NSW Fair Trading under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 or another act.

An applicant must be 1 of the following entities:

• arts and cultural organisations (including service organisations)
• local councils
• not-for-profit organisations
• Regional Arts Development Organisations (RADOs).

For-profit organisations may be considered eligible applicants only where projects will deliver a demonstrated community benefit.

A fund administrator may apply on behalf of an unincorporated organisation, sole trader, individual, or group.

Applicants must have, or be willing to purchase, at least $20 million in public liability insurance.

Applicants may submit more than one application if these are for separate projects.

• businesses or organisations that do not satisfy eligibility requirements
• unincorporated organisations (unless the application is by a fund administrator on their behalf)
• individuals or sole traders (unless the application is by a fund administrator on their behalf)
• pre-schools, primary and secondary schools
• Australian or NSW Government agencies, state-owned corporations, or statutory authorities.

Projects must:

• be for the restoration, replacement and betterment of infrastructure that has arts and culture as a core activity and was directly impacted by the severe weather and flood events in February-March and June-July 2022 (declared as Australian Government Reference Number (AGRN) 1012 and/or AGRN 1025)
• support or upgrade accessibility and inclusion/universal design standards to promote broad access and inclusion for people with disability/the ageing to the arts and cultural infrastructure
• be able to commence within 12 months of receiving confirmation of the funding
• not include works or purchases that have already taken place prior to application or be due for completion before the funding period starts.

Eligible costs include:

• Capital works directly related to damage from severe weather and flood events in February and June 2022 (AGRN 1012 and/or AGRN 1025) that have not been covered through other government funding and/or insurance claims.
• Administration costs and project management costs not exceeding 10% of the requested funding.
• Contingency and cost escalation allocation up to 20% of the estimated cost for the proposed capital works.
• Restoration, replacement, and betterment works directly related to flood damage, including works to make the damaged infrastructure more resilient to future disasters without changing the asset functionality.
• Betterment works on directly damaged infrastructure not yet commenced to support disaster resilience.
• Leasing and fit-out of temporary facility to ensure creative activity can continue whilst the permanent facility is being restored.
• Planning and design works or studies for eligible projects. 
• Salary/wages and entitlements for employees specifically engaged for the project(s).
• Equipment replacement and fit out items, such as shelving, if part of a larger project that is eligible.
• Retrospective costs may be eligible in exceptional circumstances on the basis that the works were required to be undertaken in order to ensure safety and/or accessibility to the public or property. This will be determined at the discretion of the assessment panel. It is recommended that applicants applying for retrospective costs contact the department to discuss their project prior to applying for funding.

• Costs that have already been covered or claimed under insurance or from other Australian or NSW government programs.
• Local council costs for the primary purpose of waste clean-up.
• Repayment of existing debts or budget deficits.
• Financing of budget deficits or insurance.
• Administrative, overhead and/or operational costs not related to the project.
• Improvements or repairs to infrastructure not directly affected by flooding.
• Business as usual and/or commercial activities.
• Salary/wages and on-costs for existing, budgeted employees.
• Costs related to buying or upgrading non–fixed equipment or supplies unless it is a small component of a larger fixed project.
• Costs that require recurrent or ongoing funding from the federal or state government.