City of Melbourne Allocates a Casual $2.6 Million in Public Event Funding

If anyone knows a thing or two about hosting events, it's the good folk of Melbourne — a city where not a week goes by without some sort of festival, street party, or public celebration. Just this week, we're gearing up for a glorious all-nighter, as White Night Melbourne returns.

And it looks like that events calendar is about to get even more chockers, with the City of Melbourne announcing it'll be throwing $2.6 million in funding behind three events sponsorship programs this year.

The programs have been running for a few years now, with the Business Events Sponsorship Program covering business events and conferences, an Event Partnership Program focusing on boosting local free events, and the Triennial Sponsorship Program going towards delivering those major, hot-ticket events and festivals.

Aimed at beefing up the diversity and accessibility of Melbourne's various events, this support ensures there remains free and budget-friendly ways to get involved in all the major happenings — including events like the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival and the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.

"The number of events and festivals in our city is constantly growing and we are always open to new suggestions and ideas," Acting Lord Mayor Arron Wood explained. "We encourage applications for funding of events that reflect creativity, inclusion, sustainability, knowledge and economic prosperity."

If you've got a ripper idea for an event and fancy applying for the Event Partnership Program or Business Events Sponsorship Program, the submission deadline is Tuesday, March 14. Applications for the Triennial Sponsorship Program close on Tuesday, March 20.

Image: White Night.