Create NSW has announced the first round recipients of its Arts and Cultural Funding Program 2019/20 grants, with Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra, Pinchgut Opera, Sydney Chamber Opera, Four Winds and the Omega Ensemble among the organisations chosen for funding. The new process, touted as a “streamlined approach” by Arts Minister Don Harwin, sees Artform Assessment Boards assess applications and provide recommendations to the Minister, who has final say on any funding decisions. Round 1 includes a little over $7 million in funding across Annual Organisations and Projects.

Australian Romantic and Classical OrchestraAustralian Romantic & Classical Orchestra. Photo © Nick Gilbert

“We set out to deliver a simpler arts funding process with fewer barriers to entry, that provided stability and certainty to more organisations,” said Harwin. “With Annual Organisation applications up 71% on the previous year, and a 20% uplift on the amount of Annual Organisation funding compared with 2018/19, it’s safe to say this has been achieved.”

In the Classical Music sector, the big winners for Annual Organisations funding were Four Winds, with $200,000 to present its festivals and year round activities, the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra, with $125,000 in...