Thirty-nine venues across NSW will share in $2.89 million of grant funding to support the growth of live entertainment under the second round of the NSW Government’s Live Performance Venue Grant Program.

The program, delivered by the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner, supports small to medium hospitality venues intending to stage live performance or significantly increase their current offering by providing funding for staging and sound equipment, paying performers, and costs related to marketing and promotion.

This is the first time the Live Performance Venue Grant Program was open to venues across the state with eligible regional and metropolitan venues able to apply for grant amounts between $15,000 and $80,000.

The funding will support regional venues including Bonalbo’s Dog 'N Bull Hotel, Mortimer’s Wines in Orange, and Condobolin's Railway Hotel, alongside Sydney and western Sydney locations such as The Mitch in Alexandria, Zaffi Sydney and the Blue Mountains Gin Company in Katoomba.

This program aims to enable more local communities across the state to easily access a range of live performances including live music, theatre and musical theatre, cabaret, dance performance, First Nations storytelling, spoken word, comedy and more.

The program also seeks to increase the number of venues staging live performances, increase the number and diversity of performances, and create employment opportunities for artists, performers and people working in the hospitality industry.

For more information, click here.

24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said: “We know that people are seeking out nightlife experiences closer to home, and this program helps venues diversify their offering to meet this demand whilst creating opportunities for local performers to access the stage, hone their craft and build their audiences.

“I’m excited to see the program expand across the state.”

Dog N Bull Licensee Carl Agnew said: “Our town of Bonalbo is an essential hub west of the range, and without this type of support from the state government propelling the town forward, then elevating our venue onto the next stage might be virtually impossible.

“We are very grateful to be able to put this funding to good use in upgrading our equipment and we know that in doing so we will be able attract more live music to the area with bands being able to pack lighter and not have to lug loads of equipment on the road, something that can often be a deterrent in attracting live performances for small country town pubs like us.”

Full list of venues:

Oyster Cove Cocktail Bar (Batemans Bay)
The Commercial Hotel (Boggabri)
Dog ‘N Bull Hotel (Bonalbo)
Commercial Hotel (Braidwood)
Byron Bay Spirits Co. (Byron Bay)
Earp Distilling Co. (Carrington)
The Railway Hotel (Condobolin)
Condobolin Sports Club (Condobolin)
Big Little Brewing (Gosford)
Rouseabout (Inverell)
Shout Brewing (Islington)
Grainfed Brewing Company (Lambton)
Bulla Creek Brewing Co. (Monteagle)
South Yeast Brewing (North Nowra)
Badlands Brewery & Taproom (Orange)
Mortimers Wines (Orange)
Driftwood (Scotts Head)
The Thirsty Devil Brewery (South Albury)
Trojans Bistro & Bar (Terrigal)
Olivette (Wagga Wagga)
Scarborough-Wombarra Bowling and Recreation Club (Wombarra)
Yamba Distilling Co. (Yamba)
The Mitch (Alexandria)
Blackwattle Bar + Brewery (Alexandria)
Elliott's (Balmain)
Freshwater Brewing Company (Brookvale)
Manly Spirits Co. (Brookvale)
Bundeena Bowling & Sports Club (Bundeena)
Bar 53 (Canley Vale)
Cammeray Golf Club (Cremorne)
Wings and Tins (Dee Why)
Blue Mountains Gin Company (Katoomba)
Sunday Road Brewing (Kirrawee)
Leichhardt Bowling and Recreation Club (Lilyfield)
The Social Brewers (Mortdale)
Earl’s Juke Joint (Newtown)
Squinters Brewing Co (Penrith)
Sella Vinoteca (Randwick)
Zaffi (Sydney)