HCCDC's sponsorship program is currently closed.
Applications for new sponsorships cannot be accepted at this time.
Through sponsorship, HCCDC has provided support to local initiatives that enhance, celebrate and provide lasting benefit to the communities of the Hunter and Central Coast.
We have sponsored a diverse range of activities, programs, research and thought leadership initiatives that contribute to the delivery of our strategic objectives to:
- deliver strategic outcomes to grow economic capacity and enhance communities
- drive industry diversification to grow more jobs to attract and retain talent to the regions
- create engaging, sustainable and attractive public spaces, connected to better transport options
- unlock opportunities and realise the full potential of government and land assets
- respect existing character, culture and heritage
- work in collaboration and partnership with community and stakeholders.
Some initiatives we've sponsored
Details of all sponsorships granted by HCCDC are published in our Annual Reports.
City of Newcastle’s flagship cultural arts festival, New Annual brought ten days of contemporary art, culture and creativity to the centre of Newcastle for its inaugural event in 2022. The festival's mission is to foster a prosperous, diverse and resilient economy, and build capacity in the arts and cultural sector.
New Annual creates immersive and interactive experiences of visual art, contemporary dance, First Nations music and workshops, as well as theatre and comedy. The Station's piazza was also part of the event for the production of a collaborative film-piece RADIAL, and as part of the interactive Chalk The Walk art trail.
Contributing to the city's rich street art legacy, the internationally recognised The Big Picture Fest has brought high calibre murals to Newcastle's streets, leaving an enviable professional mural trail that locals and visitors will be able to explore for years to come.
The live art-making event is fitting with our commitment to support the community and revitalise Newcastle's public spaces. We're proud to have sponsored the inaugural Big Picture Fest in 2020, and again 2022 in partnership with NSW Government's The Festival of Place.
Newcastle Afoot's Education Program delivers immersive K-12 city tours that share and celebrate Newcastle through fun and informative exploration – focused on heritage, revitalisation and creative placemaking.
 |  |
As part of the 2022 sponsorship, a beautiful platform mural was also painted at The Station, honouring Newcastle’s unique history, culture and character through contemporary storytelling. The mural continues to provide a landmark meeting place for Newcastle Afoot tours, and a vibrant addition to the city’s much-loved and growing street art trail.
Newy with Kids' Scavenger Hunts are engaging and educational maps providing an accessible, fun and free outdoor activity for families.
HCCDC sponsored the production of two maps encouraging exploration of Newcastle's revitalised Museum Park (PDF, 2.2 MB) and The Station (PDF, 2.3 MB) – where participants can uncover clues and solve mystery phrases, while learning about the unique history of the former railway precincts.
Maps are available from The Station's shops and Newcastle Visitor Information Centre – and can also be downloaded via the link below.
HCCDC partnered with The University of Newcastle for Biomes 2020 – an innovative virtual art exhibition bringing the science of conservation out of the lab, and into the community.
In celebration of National Biodiversity Month, the interactive Biomes displays engaged, educated and empowered the community to take action, overcome eco-anxiety, and see their Newcastle region as a living, sustainable and diverse environment. Biomes shared local biodiversity stories, and celebrated conservation successes, including HCCDC’s remediation of Kooragang Island, and our successful protection of the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog habitat.
HCCDC was proud to sponsor Newcastle Fringe 2021, a five day live performance and art festival including over 100 events across Newcastle, covering everything from burlesque to theatre, comedy to magic, music of all genres, film, workshops and streaming on demand.
We were pleased to support open access events that attract families, locals and visitors to our regions, and loved seeing the city come alive with the quirky personality and fun that Fringe events are known for.
HCCDC sponsored the Hunter Research Foundation's Smaller and Smarter Cities International Symposium 2018. The conference brought together a line-up of 30 expert speakers and panelists sharing national and international perspectives for addressing the opportunities and challenges facing major, non capital cities here and overseas.
Through the Revitalising Newcastle program, HCCDC supported a major cultural sponsorship with core funding support for the 2018 Newcastle Writers Festival.
The Writers Festival attracted thousands of people into the city centre for a highly acclaimed series of cultural and creative events for all aspects of the community.
The festival aligned with Revitalising Newcastle’s ‘Still open for business’ campaign.
HCCDC supported the Hunter Chapter of the Property Council as a corporate partner in 2018. The support provided marketing and public relations exposure to a wide range of professionals in the NSW property sector. HCCDC supported the Hunter Chapter to enable the local community to hear about the NSW Government’s Newcastle and Hunter programs focused on economic development, new jobs, homes and public spaces for the community
The Vanguard Conference is an experiential urban leadership gathering of the best and brightest young urban leaders working to improve cities across sectors, including urban planning, community development, entrepreneurship, government, transportation, sustainability, design, art and media.
The 2017 Newcastle Vanguard Conference was the first to be held outside of North America.