NSW Boosts Aboriginal Culture with $1.4M in Grants

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The New South Wales (NSW) government has provided $1.4 million in cultural grants to more than 70 Aboriginal community organizations to support activities aimed at preserving and promoting both traditional and contemporary Indigenous culture.

The funding is managed by Aboriginal Affairs NSW and is intended to help communities design and deliver a variety of events, workshops, and programs that maintain and strengthen Aboriginal heritage. The grants cover initiatives such as cultural education, artistic expression, and intergenerational knowledge sharing.

One of the recipients, the Gujaga Foundation in La Perouse, will use its funding to run cultural workshops in Dharawal Country. These workshops will include activities focused on native plants, language, art, weaving, cooking, and local history. According to the foundation, the sessions will be led by Dharawal knowledge holders and are designed to provide young people with opportunities to connect with their cultural heritage.

The Gundyarri Narrandera Aboriginal Corporation (GNAC) in Narrandera has also received a grant. The organization plans to host a Welcome Baby to Country ceremony, which formally acknowledges newborns within their traditional river and land areas. GNAC representatives have described the ceremony as a way to foster cultural continuity and strengthen ties between families, community members, and their traditional Country.

In Moree, the Sports Health Arts and Education Academy will use its grant to deliver a weekly youth program in Kamilaroi Country. This program will offer creative arts workshops that aim to deepen participants’ cultural understanding and engagement through hands-on activities.

NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, David Harris, stated that the grants support communities in celebrating and preserving their heritage. He said the initiative aligns with the objectives of the Closing the Gap agreement, which includes improving social and emotional wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal people.

The current round of grants will be available until March 2025 or until the allocated funds are fully distributed. This program follows the 2024 funding round, which supported 66 projects across the state. Past initiatives have included dance and language workshops on Worimi land and art programs in Tamworth.

The grants are part of ongoing state government efforts to provide resources for Aboriginal-led cultural initiatives. According to Aboriginal Affairs NSW, the aim is to enable communities to develop and deliver programs that meet their specific cultural needs while also sharing knowledge across generations.