Creating great places involves giving people more reasons to spend time in them. City Renewal'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 co-funded by the City Centre Marketing and Improvements Levy, a levy paid by commercial property owners in the City Centre and Braddon. Each year the program supports creative initiatives that generate interest, increase visitation, and improve appeal of these areas.
Over the years the program has supported some great initiatives and projects. Canberra’s giant magpie, Big Swoop, is a local favourite, while climate-wise garden beds brought pollinators to Lonsdale Street. World-class skateboarders and freestyle BMX riders thrilled crowds at the Belco Bowl Jam welcome party and ACT JAM. Blank Space turned a vacant tenancy into a coworking hub and community space. Most recently, Lawrence Tan’s ‘Flourish’ mural now covers the southern wall of the Branx Building, adding even more colour to Braddon.
These activities aim to bring people in and improve the appeal of these areas, in-turn strengthening the community’s connection to our city.
In November, crowds gathered on Elouera Street for two days of freestyle BMX action from some of the world’s best.
In 2025-26, we awarded four grants for projects to bring energy and activity to the City Centre and Braddon.
Elsie’s Film House by Alice Taylor showcased beloved cinema to activate a vacant tenancy in Civic Square.
Pitch applications for the 2026-27 round of our Placemaking Grants program are open from 28 January until 11 March 2026. 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 Tuesday, 3 February 2026 to outline the grants, assist with applications, and answer questions. A follow-up online Q&A session will take place on 17 February 2026 to help applicants finalise their pitches.
Pitch applications will close at 2pm on Wednesday 11 March 2026. Shortlisted ideas will be notified in April and invited to submit a full grant application. Successful projects must be delivered between July 2026 and June 2027.
Check out more information about the Placemaking Grants program here.
The Flourish mural by artist Lawrence Tan turned drab to fab on the southern wall of the Branx Building in Braddon.
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.
