Make Music Day (21 June each year) is an internationally celebrated day of music making, featuring music in all its forms, encouraging people to band together and play in free public performances, jams or workshops, in many different locations.
Wyndham City Make Music Day Grants support accessible, participatory music-making activities and performances to celebrate Make Music Day on Sunday 21 June. Individuals or groups are open to apply for grants of either $500 or $1,000. There is a total grant pool of $10,000.
Make Music Day activities can take place in a variety of places within Wyndham (with appropriate permissions/licenses). Applicants are responsible for securing the appropriate venue or location to hold their activity.
Make Music Day activities must be free for community members to participate. One of the founding principles of this global celebration is that events are free at the point of entry, and therefore accessible to the greatest number of people.
Individual applicants must live within Wyndham City, or organisation applicants must have a strong existing connection with Wyndham City. All activities must be delivered within the Wyndham City area.
Successful applicants will be expected to be dedicated to developing and delivering their chosen activity and reporting outcomes upon completion.
Image credit: Lizzy Jacobs Photography.
Grant Objectives
The make Music Day Grants aim to:
- Encourage and promote music-making activities in Wyndham.
- Support networks and connections between creative communities in Wyndham.
Who Is Eligible?
Applicants can include:
- musicians – amateur or professional
- bands or ensembles
- community music groups
- schools or other training institutions (for extra curricula activities)
- private music teachers
- producers, presenters or venues
What Can Be Funded?
Examples of events Council may consider funding include, but are not limited to:
- live performance for live audience
- hosting an open rehearsal
- hosting an open music jam
- hosting an open music workshop
Funding can support:
- venue hire
- artist fees
- promotion
- production / equipment hire
Where Can Events Be Held?
Please note that activities funded by Council must be presented within the Wyndham City Council area. Examples of venues or locations where activities could take place include, but are not limited to:
- established music venue
- hall / community centre
- church, or other faith-based community centre
- library
- shopping centre / retail store
- outdoor space such as park, garden, town square
Assessment Criteria
Applications will be assessed against the following key assessment criteria:
- meeting grant eligibility requirements
- alignment with grant objectives
- articulation of proposed activity and perceived merits
- demonstration of capacity for delivery of the proposed activity
- Clearly articulated and achievable budget and timeline of activity
What Successful Applicants Commit To
Responsibilities of successful applicants:
- Sign an agreement
- Develop their proposed music activity
- Manage all aspects of production and event coordination
- Provide all equipment and materials to deliver the event
- Deliver the event on Make Music Day, Sunday 21 June 2026
- Promotion as per requirements below
- Ensure the actvitiy is free for participants or audiences
- Submit acquittal items as per requirements below
Successful applicants will be required to promote their activity as follows:
- Register your activity as a Wyndham City What’s On listing by Monday 25 May
- Register your activity on Make Music Australia Events Guide by Monday 25 May
- Pormote your activity through your own channels and media partnerships. The Make Music Day logos are available for free download via their website.
- Signage acknowledging Wyndham City Council support
Successful applicants will be required to submit the following acquittal items by Monday 29 June 2026:
- 5-10 still images and video footage of approximately 1-minute duration of your activity taking place, submitted to Wyndham City Arts & Culture. Applicant will ensure appropriate photography permissions have been received.
- A written summary report of 250-500 words describing the activity, planning and promotion, who was involved, who participated or observed, benefits and challenges of running the activity, and what the funds were spent on, submitted to Wyndham Arts & Culture.
- Completion of a post event survey issued by Wyndham City Council
- A selection of photos and/or video uploaded to the Make Music Day website
Key Dates
- Tuesday 7 April: Applications open
- Monday 4 May, 1pm: Deadline for applications
- Wednesday 6 May: Notification of outcomes
- Monday 13 May: Acceptance paperwork due
- Monday 25 May: Deadline for completing promotion tasks
- Sunday 21 June: Make Music Day
- Monday 29 June: Acquittal report & items due
How to Apply
Applications are currently open until Monday 4 May, 1pm.
Background to Make Music Day
Held annually on 21 June, Make Music Day is part of the international Fête de la Musique, taking place in a thousand cities and places across 120 countries. The day-long, free activations celebrate music in all its forms, encouraging people to band together and play, for free and for the public, in many different locations and online.
The concept of Make Music Day is simple - on 21 June, create music making activities and events to celebrate the fundamental role that music plays in our lives. The idea originated in France in 1982 as the Fete de la Musique, where the Ministry of Culture declared the 21st of June to be a day where citizens could take to the streets to make music with friends, families, neighbours and strangers alike. It is now a public holiday in France, with 64% of the entire population engaging with the day either as audience members or participants and has now grown to be a global celebration. Australia has been participating since 2017, as part of an international alliance of Make Music Day.
Make Music Day encourages both amateur and professional music making and empowers individuals, groups, ensembles/bands or organisations to seek out ways to celebrate making music in their community.
Make Music Day is presented in Australia by the Australian Music Association and the NAMM Foundation.
More Information
For enquiries about the application process, please contact Wyndham Arts & Culture: arts@wyndham.vic.gov.au.