Creating great places involves giving people more reasons to spend time in them. The City Renewal Authority's placemaking grants program is one way we’re making the City Centre and Braddon more enjoyable for residents, workers, and visitors.
The program is funded by the City Centre Marketing and Improvements Levy, a levy paid by commercial property owners, and each year the program supports creative initiatives that generate interest, increase visitation, and improve appeal.
The grants have enabled some fantastic projects. Climate-wise garden beds on Lonsdale Street helped attract native pollinators, the Belco Bowl Jam Welcome Party skateboarding event drew crowds to Garema Place’s Saraton Lane, Blank Space by Creative Guild transformed a vacant commercial tenancy into a a dynamic coworking hub by day and an arts platform by night. Artworks like ‘Big Swoop’ and Haig Park’s interactive mural by EggPicnic have also come to life with the support of the program.
These activities aim to bring people into these areas and strengthen the community’s connection to our city’s public spaces.
Belco Bowl Jam Welcome Party skateboarding event, held in Saraton Lane near Garema Place.
In the 2024-25 funding cycle, four grants were awarded to bring energy and activity to the City Centre and Braddon.
'you’ll make me cry when it comes to an end' by Louis Grant, artwork supported by the Canberra Art Biennial Placemaking Grant.
Pitch applications are now open for the next round of our Placemaking Grants program. Community groups, organisations, and individuals are invited to share their ideas and apply for multiple grants of up to $50,000 to bring their projects to life.
Applicants can submit projects in various categories, including events, arts, marketing, vacant space activations, and installations. The program welcomes exciting ideas that generate interest, increase visitation, and enhance the appeal of the City Centre and Braddon.
An in-person information session and workshop will be held on Thursday, 6 February 2025, to provide details about the grants, assist with applications, and answer questions. An online Q and A session will follow two weeks later, on 18 February 2025 to help applicants finalise their pitches.
Pitch applications close on Tuesday, 11 March 2025. Shortlisted ideas will be notified in April 2025 and invited to submit a full application. Successful projects must be delivered between July 2025 and June 2026.
Check out more information about the Placemaking Grants program, including workshop registration and how to apply.
An art exhibition at ‘Blank’ by Creative Guild.
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.
