- Published:
- Thursday 20 March 2025
The Allan Labor Government continues to support a busy calendar of events for every Victorian, with the opening of a new round of grants as part of its flagship multicultural festivals and events program.
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt today announced that grants of up to $50,000 are available through the first round of the 2025-26 Multicultural Festivals and Events (MFE) Fund and Regional Multicultural Festivals and Events Fund (RMFEF) – helping communities across Victoria celebrate cultural diversity and promote inclusivity.
More than $1 million in funding will be shared with multicultural and multifaith groups for festivals and events held between 1 July 2025 and 31 December 2025.
Since 2014, the Labor Government has delivered more than $42 million to deliver close to 10,000 multicultural festivals and events in every corner of the state through both the Multicultural Festivals and Events Fund, and the Regional Multicultural Festivals and Events Fund.
Previous recipients of MFE and RMFEF grants include the Bodhi Dhamma Buddhist Association in Bendigo that received $37,500 for their New Year Rice Festival, which marks the offering of the first harvest of newly harvested rice to Buddha symbolising gratitude and blessing for prosperity.
Another recipient was the Pakistani Students Association of Australia which received $20,000 for their Basant Kite Festival which represents the arrival of spring and is celebrated by flying colourful kites in the sky.
Victorians come from more than 300 ancestries, speak 290 languages and follow almost 200 different faiths, providing our state with a rich and unique social tapestry.
Applications for this round are now open and close on 17 April 2025.
To apply and for more information, please visit: vic.gov.au/multicultural-festivals-and-events-program
Quotes attributable to Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt
“The Multicultural Festivals and Events program reaches all corners of Victoria so our multicultural and multifaith communities stay connected to their culture, traditions and identity.”
“Ensuring Victoria’s diverse communities have every opportunity to celebrate their culture is key to strengthening social connection, inviting all Victorians to learn about and embrace different cultures.”