A diverse range of going-out districts are set to emerge across Greater Sydney with the NSW Government announcing the first successful recipients of the Uptown Grant Program.
Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said 21 successful districts across eight different local government areas in Sydney will each receive up to $200,000 to coordinate their efforts and build further consumer engagement.
“This is an exciting opportunity for groups of businesses and creatives in areas across Sydney who’ve laid out their visions to create well-known precincts with unique offerings for locals and visitors to enjoy,” Mr Graham said.
“Owners have enough on their plate with the day-to-day running of their businesses. The Uptown Grant Program allows these districts to hire dedicated resources to manage their combined initiatives, including events, marketing and operations.”
“The Gathering in Blacktown has one of many exciting visions. Their program aims to attract people to hundreds of events, artists and collectives, from HipHop to the best Afghan and Filipino food, to the incredible work of Solid Ground, haunted ghost tours and films like Here Out West. The project will focus on supporting the emergence of youth culture, a local arts and music scene and amplifying and connecting existing offerings in the community.”
Recipients include Harris Park (City of Parramatta), an LGBTQIA+ Rainbow District in Darlinghurst (City of Sydney), a Koreatown in Eastwood (City of Ryde), plus other precincts in the Northern Beaches, Inner West, Hornsby, Woollahra and Blacktown councils, among others.
NSW 24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said the program follows the successful completion of the Uptown Accelerator late last year, in which more than two dozen district teams took part in capability and vision-building workshops.
“With an Uptown Grant, districts can bring their visions to life and deliver brilliant experiences that celebrate what’s best about their community,” Mr Rodrigues said.
“The Uptown Program is a key element of our 24-Hour Economy Strategy, encouraging place-based collaboration, branding and storytelling within districts, and providing a platform for them to innovate with reduced risk and ultimately become self-sustainable in the future.”
The Uptown Accelerator has also returned for 2023 with applications now open for the expanded eight-week program of workshops scheduled to take place from August to October 2023.
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