RADF Guidelines and FAQs

The Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) is delivered as a partnership between the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and eligible local councils across the state.

RADF promotes the role and value of arts, culture and heritage as key drivers of diverse and inclusive communities and strong regions. RADF invests in local arts and cultural priorities, as determined by local communities across Queensland. RADF is a flexible fund, enabling local councils to tailor RADF programs to the needs of their communities. For information on other Arts Queensland programs and opportunities please visit www.arts.qld.gov.au.

RADF is a flexible fund, enabling local councils to tailor RADF programs to suit the needs of their communities. For information on other Arts Queensland programs and opportunities please visit www.arts.qld.gov.au

The RADF liaison officer is a Council officer who is your main contact for the RADF Program. They liaise with officers at Arts Queensland to ensure appropriate management of the RADF Program and RADF Committee. Please note that Cairns Regional Council’s nominated RADF liaison officer is the Cultural Services Arts and Cultural Grants Coordinator.

It is a RADF requirement that applicants contact the RADF liaison officer to discuss their project prior to submitting the application. The RADF liaison officer can provide vital information and resources and, if necessary, can either meet with you to discuss your project idea and assist with your application, or arrange for you to meet with a RADF Committee member.

The RADF Committee is a local advisory group to Council. The Committee assesses RADF applications against criteria, recommends to Council whether it is funded or not, and is governed by the Council’s RADF Committee Terms of Reference General Policy.

The grants are open to individual professional artists, emerging professional artists, arts workers, cultural workers, project coordinators, incorporated arts and cultural organisations and collective/artist-run initiatives and groups. (Note: non-incorporated groups must be auspiced by an incorporated organisation, or an individual with an ABN).

Categories of individuals and organisations can apply for a RADF grant:

• Individual professional artists, emerging professional artists, arts workers, cultural workers or project coordinators who:
  • are permanent residents or Australian citizens;
  • have an Australian Business Number (ABN) or who will be auspiced by an incorporated organisation or individual with an ABN; and
  • are based in the Cairns Regional Council area or can demonstrate the project having strong outcomes and benefits for arts and culture in the Cairns Regional Council area.
• Collective/Artist Run Initiative/Group: (non-incorporated) that are
  • based in the Council area, or those based outside the Council area must be able to demonstrate how the project will directly benefit arts and culture in the Council area.
  • Applicants must be auspiced by an incorporated organisation, or an individual with an ABN.
  • One person must be nominated as the accountable representative of the collective for management, reporting and financial matters.
• Incorporated arts and cultural organisations
  • based in the Council area, or those based outside the Council area that can demonstrate how the project will directly benefit arts and culture in the Cairns Regional Council area.

Small Arts and Flame.Arts Access grant applicants are not required to have an ABN or be auspiced by an organisation or individual with an ABN if they are able to instead provide Council with a completed ATO Statement by Supplier form.

Each professional or emerging professional artist receiving financial benefit from a RADF grant must meet a minimum of three of the eligibility criteria, listed below:

• Possess a professional arts and/or cultural qualifications.
• Have an Australian Business Number (ABN).
• Have devoted significant time to arts practice.
• Recognised as a professional by peers.
• Held public exhibitions or given public performances (not as part of a competition).
• Work held in public collections.
• Won important national and/or international prizes or awards.
• Held public discussions and/or have had articles written about my work.
• Been commissioned or employed on the basis of art skills and/or earning income from sales of art work.
• Member of a professional association (or associations) as a professional artist.
• Artistic or cultural knowledge has been recognised as professional by peers or the cultural community.
• Artist whose artistic or cultural knowledge has developed through oral traditions.

NB Flame.Arts Access Leg Up grants also include a pre-emerging checklist.

This checklist has been developed to determine the professional or emerging professional status of all artists receiving RADF grant money.

It is not mandatory for RADF applicants to possess an ABN. However, if you do not have an ABN the application must be auspiced by an incorporated organisation or an individual with an ABN (known as the auspice body) who manages the grant on behalf of the applicant.

The auspice body is responsible for providing a financial report on completion of the project. The auspice body is not responsible for the artistic direction or quality of the project.

NB: Small Arts and Flame.Arts Access grant applicants are not required to have an ABN or be auspiced if they are able to instead provide Council with a completed ATO Statement by Supplier form.

If you are registered for GST, Council will pay the grant, plus GST (10%). Do not include this amount in your grant budget or calculations.

RADF grants can be used for a wide range of arts projects and professional development. These initiatives must enhance our community and increase creative opportunities to win funding. Each grant has its own requirements and limitation so please check the information related to the grant you are applying for.

RADF grants can be used to cover direct costs related to (but not limited to) the following:

• Artists’ fees
• Creative facilitators’ fees
• Travel and accommodation
• Production and materials
• Promotion
• Skill sharing

The following categories of individuals and organisations are not eligible for funding through the RADF Program:

• Amateur arts activities, EXCEPT for professional services to amateur arts activity. One of the main RADF aims is to develop professional artists in the regions.
• Applicants who submit unsigned applications.
• Applicants who have failed to acquit previous RADF grants.
• Activities that commence before Council approval is given (RADF should not be used as a ‘top-up’ fund and RADF funds may not be used to reimburse any expenses already paid for).
• Craft workshops, UNLESS a professional artist or arts worker is employed to work with a craft group to apply their skills in an innovative way to an arts development outcome.
• Murals: alternative funding may be available for murals from government sources as part of anti-graffiti programs. RADF grants can only be allocated to murals that adhere to the RADF eligibility and program criteria.
• School arts activities, EXCEPT where those activities form part of broader community cultural development processes or are part of professional arts development.
• Framing or freight: only a small proportion of these costs can be covered as part of presentation costs for significant exhibitions. As a guide only, 10% of the total framing and freight costs would be considered a small proportion. NB: The Small Arts Grants will fund 100%.
• Catering costs: openings, launches and parties are not eligible for RADF grants, even if they are part of an exhibition or community project.
• Entertainment: funding is not available to pay for entertainment for events, UNLESS there is a developmental aspect included, e.g., musicians performing at a community event could run developmental workshops for community members prior to the event, etc.
• Competitions/Eisteddfods: the competitive environment does not necessarily nurture emerging artists.
• Summer/Winter schools: Council will not support more than two placements per year.
• Publishing costs: requests for grants to publish books should be directed to organisations that provide print- on-demand services. A small proportion of printing costs are eligible as part of the presentation costs for significant projects. As a guide only, 10% of the total publishing costs would be considered a small proportion. NB: The Small Arts Grants will fund 100%.
• Purchase of capital items, e.g., equipment, buildings, or vehicles.
• Recurrent funding: local arts and cultural organisations that have regular community activities may apply for funding annually for different projects, which may have a project management component. Applicants, projects, events and activities that have received RADF funds in the past will not be highly regarded unless significant progression or development can be demonstrated. Proposals from applicants who have not received funding through the RADF program in the past may be prioritized over previously supported applicants seeking funding for proposals of similar merit.
• Operational expenses are ineligible under RADF including wages for permanent staff and office expenses.
• RADF does not support funds for accredited study, training or university courses - RADF does not fund any components of a student’s curriculum or projects towards accreditation of their studies.
• RADF does not support 100% of the total cost of any project. Applicants are required to make a significant contribution, which may be in-kind. RADF is not intended to be used as the main income source for any professional artist or arts worker. As a guide only, projects requiring more than 60% of the total project’s expenses from RADF will not be as competitive. NB The Small Arts Grant, Flame.Arts Access Leg Up and Individual Professional Development grants will fund 100%.

• Read Cairns Regional Council’s Arts and Cultural Policy and Strategy for Culture and the Arts 2022 to understand the community's values, goals and Council’s priorities.
• View the Arts Queensland resource for assistance to build a clear and compelling case for funding - Arts Acumen - Funding application writing toolkit.
• Ensure your application is for an activity that the local community will benefit from either directly and/or indirectly.
• Establish your eligibility; the checklist can be found at the beginning of the online application form.
• Contact the Arts and Cultural Grants Coordinator (Council’s RADF liaison officer).
• Reflect on ways your activity develops your professional life.
• Read everything thoroughly.

RADF supports arts and cultural activities that:

• provide public value for Queensland communities
• build local cultural capacity, cultural innovation and community pride
• deliver Queensland Government’s objectives for the community.

• Infrastructure, resources and skills that support and stimulate the cultural and creative life of our community.
• Culture, heritage and place are valued, shared, celebrated and promoted.
• A robust cultural economy fuelled by an international reputation as a tropical, cultural and creative hub.

Read the full Cairns Regional Council Culture and the Arts Strategy. ( PDF, 3.22 MB )

RADF Committee decisions will be based on the following criteria, which address Arts Queensland’s RADF Key Performance Outcomes. All applications are also assessed on merit and the proposal’s ability to align with Arts Queensland’s RADF 2022-23 aims and Council's key arts and cultural priorities outlined in Council’s Strategy for Culture and the Arts 2022.

In addition to the Cairns Regional Council RADF assessment criteria, the City of the Arts Hero projects applications are contains specific criteria in regards to:

• the applicant’s creative track record and high degree of artistic and creative achievement
• the applicant’s experience in managing and acquitting grant funding
• evidence that the proposed work is of exceptional standard and will have a strong regional, national or international impact
• demonstrated cash investment from other funding sources
• demonstrated cross sector and/or cross artform collaboration.

If you are successful, before you receive your grant money and begin your activity, you will receive from Council:

• a RADF Letter of Offer specifying what the funding is being allocated for and any special conditions that may apply to your application
• all relevant forms you have to complete and return for the release of funds
• all relevant information you need to acknowledge the State Government and Council who are providing the grant.

No funds will be released until you sign and return all relevant documents to your RADF liaison officer.

The RADF Committee may ask for special conditions of funding to be included in your contract. These must be met through your funded activity.

Some conditions of the grant are common to all RADF recipients, such as:

• wherever possible, all funded activities must begin within the financial year of the receipt of funding
• grants can be withdrawn if an activity is unduly delayed—you will need to reapply
• your acknowledgement of RADF funding in all publicity about your activity and as part of the outcome
• requesting approval for any changes to your application.

Other conditions may be developed by the Council, such as:

• more information and/or evidence of the community need for a proposed activity
• more information and/or evidence that individuals cited as being involved in an activity have been contacted, have given consent and are available
• a request to:
  • address a gathering of peers after a funded activity
  • offer a workshop demonstrating new skills.

• The RADF Major Round grant is open for applications twice a year.
• The City of the Arts Hero Grant is open once a year.

Three smaller grants in the RADF program are open for application all year to the extent of available funds:

• Small Arts Grant
• Individual Professional Development Grant
• Flame.Arts Access Program Leg-Up Grant

Complete applications for these grants must be received at least two weeks (10 business days) prior to activity start days to allow for assessment and processing.

You must complete and submit an Outcome Report to Council no more than 8 weeks after completing your funded activity. If you fail to acquit your grant, you will be ineligible to apply for future funding through the RADF Program. In some circumstances, you may be asked to repay the grant.

Your outcome report must show evidence of the outcomes of the activity and how the RADF money was spent. It is a chance to reflect on the level of success your activity achieved by:

• identifying key outcomes
• assessing the benefits and drawbacks
• checking your financial estimates against your actual expenditure
• learning from any difficulties—these can often teach more than successes
• recognising the potential for growth or new directions in your work
• setting new priorities.

All RADF funded activities are required to complete a Project Outcome Report. A template will be provided to you by Cairns Regional Council. The Project Outcome Report includes information about the success of your project, budget and support material which are required to be submitted to Cairns Regional Council within eight weeks of the completion of your project.

RADF funded activities must acknowledge the Queensland Government and Cairns Regional Council in all promotional material, publications and products by inclusion of the RADF acknowledgment text and logos - as provided to you by Cairns Regional Council.

Acknowledgement text for RADF:

The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Cairns Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

All RADF grant recipients are provided with a RADF ‘lock-up logo’ containing both the Queensland Government and Cairns Regional Council logos.

In addition to the outcome report, it is compulsory for all projects receiving RADF funds to complete a RADF Project Highlights document at the completion of their activity. This is a way to showcase your funded activity through Council’s website and social media outlets. All RADF recipients will receive a RADF Project Highlights document as a part of their funding agreement email.

It is compulsory for all RADF projects with a public outcome to capture audience/participant/partner feedback from your project, e.g. exhibitions, events, engagement projects, creative developments, performances, place making projects, publications and public workshops.

Survey resources are available for download from this page or by emailing radf@cairns.qld.gov.au.

In-kind support includes volunteer labour, administrative support, rent-free accommodation or donations of materials or equipment. These contributions should be given a dollar value and must be included in your proposed budget.

The Cairns Regional Council Arts and Cultural Assistance (Individual) is available to individuals to access Council resources for their arts and cultural projects.

The Cairns Regional Council Arts and Cultural Assistance (Organisations) is available to organisations to access Council resources for their arts and cultural projects.

These grant programs are intended to:

• encourage the development of local community arts and cultural programs and activities
• foster opportunities for local arts and cultural activities that make a positive creative contribution to the region
• to make Council resources and capabilities available to support arts and cultural projects and activities.

Assistance of Council resources and/or services can be provided as a contribution to a project, activity or event, up to the grant amount. For example: permit application fees, facility booking fees, and Council venue hire.

• The funds will cover venue hire and resources cost only – not cash.
• The minimum amount per application is $500, the maximum amount per application is $5,000.
• Applications can be submitted at any time during the year.
• Applications should be lodged at least six to eight weeks prior to the start of the project, event or activity and details of each application must be discussed with the Arts and Cultural Grants Coordinator prior to submission.

Apply for an Arts and Cultural Assistance grant

• For individuals
• For organisations

Ask yourself these key questions when developing your activity:

• How does the project respond to and align with the RADF Key Performance Outcomes?
• Which activity do I want to do?
• Why do I want to do it?
• Which people will be involved?
• Do they have the skills to make it happen?
• Who in the community will benefit?
• How much will it cost?
• Where will I get the money and support from in addition to a RADF grant?
• Are other individuals being employed? If so, think of using employment contracts.

Your application should give a snapshot of a potentially successful activity. All information required is requested on the form, so:

• research thoroughly and prepare your proposal accurately and honestly
• provide all information on the official RADF Grant application form
• describe your activity in terms that relate to Council’s RADF Program.

Brief and clear support material strengthens your application. Include only relevant support material, such as:

• letters of support from community groups who will benefit
• letters of acceptance from a community Elder, workshop leader, project partner, gallery owner etc
• quotes from tradespeople, publishers or other businesses cited in your budget
• CVs of all professional arts and cultural workers employed in the activity with RADF funding.

Please note – support material will not be returned, so:

• provide online links to videos or music files or provide a dropbox link for larger files
• provide copies of all support material, if mailing your application (and keep the original).

Sign your application. Unsigned applications are not eligible for funding. Keep a copy of your completed application. If your application is successful, you will use it when you prepare your outcome report at the end of the activity.

RADF committees may want more information or support material if they are uncertain about an application. If this is the case, you will usually have a short time to respond.

Your CV should:

• be up-to-date in all personal and professional details
• show the important information on the first page
• start at the current year and work backwards to build a history of your employment or experience
• preferably be no longer than one A4 page.

Include the following information:

• your contact details
• education and qualifications
• current and past employment details
• community involvement
• awards, grants, achievements, exhibitions, performances, screenings, publications, committee and
  professional memberships (don’t use abbreviations or acronyms)
• the names of at least two referees.

Some tips for success:

• Think about what your CV says - whether it is easy to read and how it is ordered.
• Be dynamic in how you present your work history and skills.
• Describe yourself in positive language.
• Remember, you get only one chance to make a good impression.

Sometimes circumstances change and you cannot carry out your activity exactly as described in your application.

When this happens, you MUST:

• notify the RADF Committee through the RADF liaison officer by email
• receive approval of any change before beginning your activity.

The RADF Committee (or a sub-committee) might:

• approve the changes
• request that you complete a new application form
• ask you to return the funds and re-submit your application in the next round.

Any agreement to alterations must be:

• made in writing
• approved by a Council officer nominated by the Cultural Services Manager.

Please note: If you change your activity without approval, Council can ask for the funds to be returned.

It is compulsory to include a comprehensive budget using the template on the application form. You must:

• ensure your budget estimates are as accurate as possible – inflated budget claims may affect the funding decision for your activity
• account for all costs of your activity – expenses and income; monetary and voluntary, this includes all items listed in the income column as in-kind
• ensure you list all forms of income, including any in-kind, and other grants you have applied for
• mark an asterisk (*) beside grants which have already been approved
• indicate the amount of the RADF grant that will go towards any expenditure in the column RADF Component column.
• in the space provided, include the total amount you are seeking from RADF as income and ensure the income and expenditure columns balance.

Occasionally, conflict can arise between applicants and Committee members or Council staff. If this happens, you should, in the first instance, tell your RADF liaison officer about any disagreement or conflict with your application. You have the right to request a meeting with a Committee member or Council staff member to get feedback about your application.

Arts Queensland (AQ)

Rates, Fees and Awards Schedule Information

• Australian Government Fair Work Ombudsman
• MEAA Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance
• NAVA National Association for the Visual Arts