Image: Mowanjum Festival - credit Matt Scurfield
Tourism WA's Regional Events Scheme (RES), supported by Royalties for Regions, is an annual funding round for smaller, developing regional events across the State.
New to the 2018-19 RES is the inclusion of the Regional Aboriginal Events Scheme (RAES), a quarantined pool of $150,000 that only events delivering Aboriginal activities and experiences through the leadership and participation of Aboriginal people are eligible to apply for.
The scheme is administered by Tourism WA and supports regional events in WA that:
- bring additional tourism income to regional communities by increasing visitor numbers and expenditure in the host community (economic impact);
- attract media coverage that will help raise the profile of the region as a tourist destination (media impact);
- involve and inspire the local community (social benefits);
- extend the length of the traditional tourist seasons and better utilise tourism facilities and services during off-peak or shoulder periods; and
- improve the vibrancy and vitality of the State.
In addition, it is advantageous if the event has a strong point of difference and/or profiles the unique features of the town and/or region.
The scheme is administered through a competitive application process. Applications are reviewed and assessed against criteria then compared against each other. Regional dispersal and the diversity of funded events will also be considered in the assessment process. Funding is competitive and on some occasions, events that sufficiently meet the criteria may not be awarded funding.
RES is supported by Royalties for Regions, a funding program delivered by the State Government to reinvest 25 per cent of mining and offshore petroleum royalties into regional WA. Royalties for Regions recognises that the sustainable development of regional WA is vital to the State's future. The focus of the Regional Development Strategy 2016-2025 is to build vibrant regions with strong economies through jobs growth, economic growth and capable people.
2018-19 Regional Events Scheme
Sixty-nine events have been awarded funding as part of the 2018-19 Regional Events Scheme, including the newly established Regional Aboriginal Events Scheme. The events will be held between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019.
FOR REFERENCE ONLY, the 2018-19 RES guidelines, application and budget spreadsheet are available for download at the below links.
2018-19 RES Guidelines (PDF) - Document 1 of 3
2018-19 RES Application - Document 2 of 3
2018-19 RES Budget spreadsheet (XLS) - Document 3 of 3
If you wish to view a sample sponsorship agreement for event holders successful for Regional Events Scheme funding, please follow the link below.
Sample Regional Events Scheme Sponsorship Agreement (PDF)
The 2019-20 RES round for events that fall between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020 will open around October 2018.
Risk management for event holders
Event holders who receive event funding through RES are required to have a risk management plan that complies with the latest Australian standard for risk management and the appropriate insurance requirements.
An Introduction to Risk Management For Event Holders in Western Australia provides practical guidance to event holders to help manage risks associated with events. The resource has been developed to support Regional Events Scheme funding recipients however it can be used by any event holder as it aligns with the Australian New Zealand Standard: Risk Management – Principles and Guidelines (AS/NZS ISO 3100:2009).
Managing your event risks is a video presentation that provides an overview of event risk management and information on the importance of risk management to ensure a successful event.
Resource for Events in Western Australia
The Resource for Events in Western Australia contains important information, contact details and advice for event holders.
More information
For more information about the Regional Events Scheme email the Events Division.