---
title: Funding
type: taxonomy_archive
taxonomy: topic
slug: funding
term_id: 114
permalink: "https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/topic/funding/"
post_count: 45
---

# Funding

Posts in this archive: 45

- [Blueprint for Cultural Policy](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/report/blueprint-for-cultural-policy.md) — Key cultural policy challenges that cities are addressing in 2025 and the solutions they are using
- [Celebrating 25 years of aboriginal arts funding in Melbourne ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/melbourne-aboriginal-arts-grants.md) — For 25 years, Melbourne’s Aboriginal Arts Grants have supported First Nations artists through flexible, culturally responsive funding. Led by Aboriginal creatives and grounded in long-term investment, the programme has transformed the city's cultural sector and launched national careers. Despite challenges, it remains a model of equity in local cultural policy, celebrating Aboriginal voices and advancing self-determination through creative expression.
- [Supporting Melbourne’s d/Deaf and Disabled artists through The Warehouse Residency ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/warehouse-residency-for-deaf-and-disabled-artists.md) — The Warehouse Residency is City of Melbourne’s flagship programme for d/Deaf and Disabled artists, offering access-led support, funding, and leadership opportunities. Designed with artists and grounded in disability justice, it supports bold, interdisciplinary work while challenging structural barriers in the arts. Since 2021, the programme has supported 40+ creatives, with plans to expand into producing, digital formats, and enhanced access budgets through 2028.
- [Catalysing Creativity: How Oslo is distributing targeted cultural funding to activate urban life and drive innovation in the arts](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/catalyzing-creativity-how-oslo-is-distributing-targeted-cultural-funding-to-activate-urban-life-and-drive-innovation-in-the-arts.md) — To strengthen cultural vibrancy and inclusivity, Oslo has expanded its municipal grant schemes, supporting grassroots creativity, public space activation, and cultural innovation. In 2025, NOK  399 million will be distributed across arts and culture, in addition to initiatives like the Bylivstilskudd urban life grants funding both large festivals and small-scale projects. Innovation grants also back experimental work, including collaborations with business and tech sectors. These schemes place culture at the centre of Oslo’s evolving urban identity
- [Cultural Olympiad: How Paris embedded art and culture into the Olympic legacy ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/paris-2024-cultural-olympiad-cultural-policy-legacy.md) — The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games served as a turning point for the city’s cultural strategy. The Cultural Olympiad, launched in advance of the Games, significantly expanded the presence of art in public spaces and opened new avenues for civic participation. By merging cultural practice with the spirit of sport, the city activated public space and invited Parisians into a reimagined relationship with culture.
- [Tourism Tax: How San Francisco leverages its hotel tax to fund the arts](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/san-francisco-hotel-tax-arts-culture-funding.md) — Launched in 2018, San Francisco’s Proposition E law redirects a portion of the city’s hotel tax to directly fund arts and culture. This voter-backed initiative created a virtuous circle: since 2023 marketing San Francisco as a vibrant cultural destination attracted more culturally engaged visitors who contribute to the hotel tax. In turn, this revenue sustains cultural programming, fosters equity, and strengthens the city’s identity as a global creative capital.
- [Youth Culture Pass: How Seoul expanded access to the arts for young people](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/seoul-youth-culture-pass-access-to-arts.md) — Launched in 2023, the Seoul Youth Culture Pass provides KRW 200,000 annually to youth aged 20–23, enabling them to attend theatre, exhibitions, and more. The programme supported over 32,000 young people in 2024, promoting cultural access while stimulating Seoul’s post-COVID arts and culture scene. With high uptake and plans for future expansion, it sets a new benchmark for equitable, youth-focused cultural policy in global cities.
- [A New Era for Vienna’s City Museum](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/wien-museum-vienna.md) — Reopened in 2023 after a major city-funded renovation, the Wien Museum blends architectural preservation with bold expansion. A ‘floating’ concrete cube adds two new floors of exhibition space, while geothermal systems, solar panels, and inclusive design signal a commitment to sustainability and access. Operated by the Museums of the City of Vienna, the project drew on over a decade of public dialogue. Since reopening, the museum has become one of Vienna’s most popular cultural destinations, also earning the Austrian Eco-Label for sustainability
- [Culture Summer Vienna: Making summer culture accessible to all in Vienna ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/vienna-kultursommer-wien.md) — Kultursommer Wien (‘Culture Summer Vienna’) is a city-funded open-air festival offering free, high-quality performances across Vienna’s neighbourhoods. With a EUR 4 million annual budget, it supports fair pay for artists and promotes inclusion through sign language interpreters, induction loops, and decentralised venues—particularly in outer districts. Attracting over 86,000 visitors in 2024, the festival fosters community connection and cultural diversity, becoming a summer staple that brings the city’s creative spirit into public space.
- [Foto Wien: Strengthening Vienna’s cultural infrastructure ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/vienna-foto-arsenal-wien.md) — Foto Arsenal Wien is a publicly funded institution dedicated to contemporary photography and lens-based media. Following a EUR 3 million renovation of a historic building in the Arsenal complex, it offers exhibitions, workshops, and education programmes for all ages. With state-of-the-art facilities and up to 12 shows annually, it has quickly become a cornerstone of Vienna’s cultural infrastructure and a leading venue for photographic innovation and public engagement.
- [Culture for All: Expanding access to culture in Zürich](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/transformation-grants-for-cultural-participation.md) — Launched in 2024, Zürich’s Transformation Grants for Cultural Participation support cultural institutions in removing barriers to access and embedding diversity in their structures. Funded jointly by the City and Canton, the CHF 5 million programme offers phased support, from analysis to implementation, and requires partnerships with civil society organisations to ensure authentic inclusion. By focusing on organisational change rather than artistic output, the initiative aims to create long-term, sustainable cultural spaces that reflect and serve Zürich’s diverse population.
- [Creative Space: How Austin’s Cultural Trust has developed affordable art spaces ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/rally-austin-cultural-trust-for-affordable-art-space-2.md) — Launched in 2020, Rally Austin (formerly AEDC) protects Austin’s cultural identity by creating affordable cultural spaces through public real estate tools. Its Cultural Trust supports venues in key districts, including The Hole in the Wall and The Broken Spoke. With USD 152 million in active projects, Rally Austin is pioneering a model of artist-led stewardship, ensuring long-term affordability and sustainability for the city’s creative infrastructure.
- [Tourism Tax: Edinburgh is introducing the UK’s first Visitor Levy](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/edinburgh-visitor-levy.md) — From July 2026, Edinburgh will introduce the UK’s first Visitor Levy, generating sustainable funding for culture, heritage, infrastructure, and community wellbeing while promoting responsible tourism and strengthening the city’s global cultural leadership.
- [Arts Councils: How New York expanded cultural equity by boosting funding to borough-based arts programming ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/funding-new-york-city-arts-councils.md) — To address cultural inequities and affordability challenges, NYC's Department of Cultural Affairs increased funding for local arts councils through the Greater New York Arts Development Fund. By distributing $3.4 million to local arts councils in 2024, the fund has supported over 650 artists and arts organizations across the five boroughs. This investment expands access to the arts in underserved communities and reinforces NYC’s identity as a hub of inclusive cultural creation.
- [Infrastructure](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city/infrastructure.md)
- [WORLD CITIES TO TACKLE CREATIVE SPACE CRISIS AT INAUGURAL CREATIVE LAND TRUST SUMMIT ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/creative-land-trust-summit.md) — From 27-30 May 2025, cultural city leaders, funders, and developers from over 15 cities - including London, Sydney, Calgary, Helsinki, Austin - will be attending the inaugural Creative Land Trust Summit in San Francisco, where this model has been pioneered. 
- [How is San Francisco using tourism tax to boost arts and culture?](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/how-is-san-francisco-using-a-tourism-tax-to-boost-arts-and-culture.md) — San Francisco is a global “bucket list” destination and one of the top five tourism destinations in the U.S. Historically, the city has drawn tens of millions of visitors annually and has been a favourite location for business conventions.
- [Culture matters. So why is it always treated as an optional extra?](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/post/culture-matters-so-why-is-it-always-treated-as-an-optional-extra.md) — In London one in every five jobs is a creative one, yet these industries don’t get the attention they deserve.All around us culture is making a difference, often profoundly. Dance is reducing dementia, opera is helping rebuild Covid-damaged lungs and theatre is helping young people at risk find a positive new life path. Culture is revitalising neighbourhoods, building communities and dare I say it — hope. On the flip-side, when politicians do back culture, the rewards are immense.
- [Policies, prosperity and beyond: how Shenzhen is embedding culture into development planning](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/policies-for-the-development-of-cultural-industries.md) — In order to promote the high-quality
development of the creative industries, Shenzhen City and its districts have introduced a series of development plans and policies, with increasing policy funds.
- [What makes Minnesota Street Project a solution to San Francisco's property costs?](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/san-frrancisco-minnesota-street-project.md) — The City of San Francisco needed to address the challenges faced by artists and art organisations due to the booming property market, emphasising the urgent need to prevent artists from being priced out of the city. The solution? A privately funded model of affordable gallery and studio space for local artists
- [Is collaborative grantmaking the key to equitable funding in Vancouver?](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/advance-equitable-accessible-funding-leadership-organizational-practices.md) — The Grants and Awards team piloted a dedicated Cultural Equity Grants program, an invitation based, noncompetitive process for multi-year grants to support greater equity for the arts and culture sector.
- [Redefining Rio's cultural landscape: Zonas de Cultura continues its ambitious plans to decentralise culture](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/zonas-de-cultura.md) — The Zonas de Cultura (ZC) program, launched in 2021, was born out of the need to decentralise cultural resources in the post-pandemic environment. It aims to recognise and amplify the impact of peripheral artists by distributing cultural funding more widely. The core purpose is to shift the city's cultural investments towards specific neighborhoods, creating new cultural hubs throughout Rio.
- [Investing in equity: Rio targets historical disparities](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/decentralizing-funds-for-a-balanced-cultural-ecosystem.md)
- [How the festival 'Unboxed Bengalaru' will help ignite a cultural renaissance in the city](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/unbox-bengaluru-festival.md) — The Unbox Bengaluru Festival is an attempt to rally together creative and cultural institutions and unite city stakeholders (public, private and civil society).
- [The future of equitable funding: Arts Workforce Empowerment (AWE) as a model for change](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/arts-workforce-empowerment-awe-grant-programme.md) — The AWE grant programme provides targeted support for staff salaries at minority-defined DCA grantee organisations. AWE grants are targeted at organisations whose mission and programming serves a population specifically impacted by poverty, as well as other systemic discriminations, and are embedded in their community.
- [From vandalism to legitimate art: Lisbon's inspiring transformation](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/lisbon-urban-art-gallery.md) — Urban Art Gallery aims to continue to expand street art’s reach throughout the city, giving street artists more spaces to work.
- [Protecting the arts eco-system: how New York supported 3,000 artists during the pandemic](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/new-york-city-artists-corps.md)
- [Why equity-based reforms will reshape New York's cultural landscape](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/new-york-cultural-development-fund.md) — In 2018, building on recommendations from the CreateNYC cultural plan, the City’s Department of Cultural Affairs launched a comprehensive strategic evaluation and review of its Cultural Development Fund (CDF), the landmark cultural grant programme administered by the city.
- [Funding the future: 'FoRTE' supports young creative talent in Paris](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/paris-regional-fund-for-emerging-talent.md) — The Regional Fund for Emerging Talent (FoRTE) aims to support artists and creators as they develop their professional careers. Young creative talent is essential for the cultural and economic success of Paris and the Île-de-France region, but they often struggle.
- [Creative resilience: Seoul's initiatives to support artists during the pandemic](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/seoul-urgent-support-for-artists.md) — The ‘Artist Life Stabilization Fund Support’ was launched in 2021 and provided one million won in annual support to all artists living in Seoul who earned below a certain income level, provided that the artist had an activity certificate issued by the Korean Artists Welfare Foundation.
- [Toronto's pandemic response: transforming crisis into creative opportunities](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/toronto-covid-19-recovery.md) — The cultural sector was one of the hardest hit by Covid-19 restrictions, and one of the last to recover. Initially, the City acted quickly to support the sector with funds and rapid policy responses. In the aftermath, it worked to address structural challenges that the sector was facing long before the pandemic, helping it to flourish in the future.
- [Where art, politics and social change converge in Vienna: WUK performing arts](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/vienna-wuk-performing-arts.md) — WUK performing arts is a programmatic area of the WUK: a state-funded art and culture hub spanning 12,000 square metres in an ex-locomotive factory in Vienna’s eighth district, which has come to symbolise the essence of the city’s youth culture.
- [Cultural catalyst: Warsaw empowers NGO's for social change](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/cultural-catalysts-how-warsaw-empowers-ngos-for-social-change.md) — In 2018 the City of Warsaw announced an open competition for NGOs to address social issues through culture.
- [Saving the arts: Zürich supports the cultural sector during the pandemic](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/securing-the-future-of-artists-how-zurich-supported-the-arts-community-post-pandemic.md) — The City of Zurich created a temporary Covid Working Grant to help creatives through a difficult period and retain their talent in the sector.
- [How Brasília is shaping the city into a thriving hub of creative excellence ](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/conexa-cultura-culture-connection.md) — Brasilia is developing its creative businesses through a funding support programme that aims to up-skill creative workers and enhance the reputation of the city for cultural excellence on a wider stage. 
- [Why 'Mala do Livro' is revolutionising reading and building communities in Brasília](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/mala-do-livro-book-bag-micro-libraries-project.md) — The city of Brasilia is increasing reading opportunities and empowering communities by bringing micro-libraries to city neighbourhoods.
- [Chengdu's path to prosperity: making cultural financing accessible](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/innovative-cultural-financing-boost-to-both-economies.md) — An innovative capital fund created to support creative thinking in Chengdu's cultural and financial industries.
- [Why Brussels is redefining urban art as an expression of freedom and inclusivity](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/urban-and-public-art-in-brussels.md) — A pioneering approach to enabling a lively street art scene, ranging from music to contemporary sculpture, festivals, events, performance art and graffiti.
- [Thrown a lifeline: how Austin supported its creative community through the pandemic](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/pandemic-relief-for-the-creative-community.md) — In response to the enduring impacts of the pandemic, the City made concerted efforts to provide significant financial support to creatives who suffered income loss and audience reductions. Through the Economic Development Department (EDD), the City of Austin initiated and managed 12 emergency grant programs, totalling over $60.5 million in assistance for Austin families, nonprofits, and businesses affected by the pandemic.
- [A city for all: Vienna's vision for inclusive cultural participation](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/kulturpass-hunger-for-art-and-culture.md) — To encourage more access to Vienna's cultural offerings, The Kulturpass offers socially disadvantaged people free admission to numerous cultural institutions.
- [A stage for all: Zürich introduces transparent funding model with Kultur labour](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/culture-laboratory-zurich.md) — To diversify performing arts offerings, a new funding format has created a collaborative process between artists and experts from science, society and research settings.
- [Why new funding models are strengthening the performing arts of Zürich](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/concept-funding-revitalising-zurichs-dance-and-theatre-scene.md) — The City plans to radically overhaul its funding with a new grants system from 2024, as well as creating some targeted networks and funding pots to fill gaps in sector development support.
- [How Austin Cultural Trust is protecting the cultural community from unaffordable rents](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/city-project/austin-cultural-trust.md) — Taking inspiration from models like San Francisco's CAST and London's Creative Land Trust, a new Cultural Trust has been established as a component of the AEDC
- [THE RISE OF THE CREATIVE LAND TRUST MOVEMENT](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/event/the-rise-of-the-creative-land-trust-movement.md) — Join us for the launch of World Cities Culture Forum’s Creative Land Trust Toolkit, a practical guide researched by Left Bank Co, with global case studies and step-by-step advice for setting up a Creative Land Trust model.
- [Cultural Capital Revealed: Unveiling Global Expenditure in World Cities](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-mfa-exports/publication/world-cities-culture-finance-report-2017.md) — As large amounts of public and private money is spent on culture in our member cities, our report reveals how much is spent and where.