Central Coast Council is hoping to expand the annual Flavours by the Sea event at Terrigal thanks to grant funding being made available by the State Government to councils across the Six Cities..
A spokesperson said Council welcomed the Government’s announcement that it will be investing in major council-run festivals and events.
“Delivering major events is an important part of Council’s work to support businesses, the creative sector and tourism, and (we) will be applying to expand our existing Flavours by the Sea event at Terrigal aligned with Harmony Day, plus investigating the feasibility of an additional event in the Gosford CBD,” the spokesperson said.
Grant funding of up to $500,000 a year for two years is available for councils across the Six Cities to host major cultural events in partnership with the Government.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the partnership will help celebrate the mega-region’s rich diversity, drive tourism and boost local economies.
“We are talking about working with councils to host events that will attract tens of thousands of people from far and wide that want to experience our state’s diverse cultures,” Perrottet said.
“By partnering with councils, we will be able to support them cater for bigger crowds, which will benefit their local economies and especially small businesses.”
The funding was announced as part of the 2022-23 Budget, which saw $28M invested into the state’s multicultural future.
Minister for Multiculturalism, Mark Coure, said cultural events help celebrate NSW’s greatest asset—its people.
“Councils in our major cities all have a major event that is synonymous with their local community,” he said.
“Every year, people wait in anticipation for those events to enjoy the vibrancy, the colour and the culture they are known for.
“That is the beauty of our multiculturalism—you don’t need to travel overseas to experience other cultures; you can do it right here in NSW.”
All councils across the Six Cities are eligible to apply to support existing major cultural events or to establish a new one.
Minister for Local Government, Wendy Tuckerman, said councils understand local needs, and are best placed to drive social and cultural events.
“Local Councils are the level of government closest to the community, so the NSW Government working directly with councils in our Six Cities will ensure these celebrations benefit their communities directly,” she said.
Terry Collins