Six community groups launching popular events with Council grants

The north’s most popular folk festival and Townsville’s signature adventure biking competition are among six local sporting, cultural, community-building and environmental groups to be supported by Townsville City Council’s grants program this month.

Totalling more than $151,000, Chair of Council’s Community and Cultural Development Committee Ann-Maree Greaney said all grant recipients were clearly delivering experiences, events and services that contributed to making Townsville one of the top 10 most liveable cities in Australia.

“In the current financial year, more than $708,000 in grant funding has been provided to local community organisations because council has a strategic focus on our role as an advocate and enabler.

“Council provides these grants because these community organisations have demonstrated that they make an incredibly positive contribution to Townsville.

“They each deliver the sorts of events and activities that help us realise our goal to grow a sustainable city where people can actively engage in arts, sports, events and recreational activities.”

The Townsville Folk Club has been successful with its request for a grant of over $49,700 to present the Townsville Folk and Acoustic Festival (formerly the Palm Creek Folk Festival) in June.

Townsville Rockwheelers Mountain Bike Club will utilise its grant of over $13,600 to hold the 22nd Paluma Push, a mountain bike event in July that showcases the beautiful Paluma region north of Townsville.

Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare Inc. will receive more than $3600 to hold its Junior Landcare School Holiday Program later this year.

“It’s great to see Townsville Rockwheelers, Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare and Townsville Little Theatre creating opportunities for young people to participate and be active in our city,” Cr Greaney said.

With a grant of over $21,000, Community Gro Inc. will have the capacity to hold its 2023 Family Fun Day that targets the Upper Ross Community.

The arts are also a key focus for Council grants, with the Townsville Little Theatre Group Inc. receiving more than $8,500 to hold a series of directing, acting and playwriting workshops to enrich the already prolific talent existing in Townsville.

In another crowd-pleasing move, the Townville Choral Society will stage the hugely popular show 9 to 5: The Musical in January next year, assisted by a Council grant of $50,000.

“These community groups depend on the volunteers from across Townsville who have the energy and passion to organise and run events that make our city one of the most liveable in Australia, and Council’s grants are a small, cost effective and tangible way to ensure these sorts of activities continue,” Cr Greaney said.

In addition to grants up to $50,000, councillors also agreed to support the Sealink Magnetic Island Race Week in September with a $50,000 sponsorship in 2023 and 2024.

Councillors agreed at the 26 April Ordinary Council meeting to endorse the Community and Cultural Development Committee’s recommendation that the community organisations receive the grants to support their initiatives being held between now and January.

Visit Council’s Grants and Partnerships page for more information.

Summary of grants up to $50,000: