Organisers of new and second-year events held between July and December 2018 are being encouraged to apply for the NSW Government’s 2018 Incubator Event Fund which supports events held in rural and regional NSW.
Member for Upper Hunter Michael Johnsen said the fund offers a one-off grant of up to $20,000 for new and existing smaller-scale events.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for the event owners in our region who need extra support to help their event get off the ground or help it grow into something bigger,” Mr Johnsen said.
“Whether it’s for marketing, public relations, venue hire or attendee research, this $20,000 grant will assist in attracting more overnight visitors to the Upper Hunter, in the hope they stay longer and spend more time exploring our wonderful region.
“I encourage those eligible to apply soon so they don’t miss out on this wonderful NSW Government initiative.”
Mr Johnsen said the fund is part of the NSW Government’s record $43 million investment aimed at increasing overnight visitation and expenditure across rural and regional NSW.
“I am determined to ensure that we continue to empower and support event proponents, tour operators, hoteliers and visitor attractions, and that means investing in activities which help to turbocharge local economies and create more jobs,” Mr Johnsen said.
“The more events we support across our region, the more heads on hotels beds, diners in restaurants and shoppers in boutiques.”
The Regional Flagship Events Program is managed and administered through the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.
Applications for round two of the 2018 Incubator Event Fund are open until Sunday, March 18. To lodge an application and to view the criteria visit, www.destinationnsw.com.au/rfep
