Queensland Government Delivers $500,000 to Support 70 Multicultural Events Across the State
The Crisafulli Government is delivering a fresh start for multicultural communities across Queensland by announcing the successful recipients of the Round 1 grants of the Celebrating Multicultural Queensland program. These grants will provide support to 70 community organisations and their cultural events, spanning geographically from the Gold Coast to Cairns.
The successful organisations in Round 1 will collectively share 500,000.
**While the total funding pool is half a million dollars, each organisation received varying grant amounts, upto a maximum of 20,000.
The first round of funding is specifically designated to support cultural events taking place between 1 January and 30 June 2026.
The primary goal of the Celebrating Multicultural Queensland program is to promote social cohesion and community participation.
Minister for Women and Women’s Economic Security, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, and Minister for Multiculturalism, The Honourable Fiona Simpson, emphasized the significance of the funding. Minister Simpson noted that the program celebrates the diverse heritage of Queenslanders while simultaneously building social cohesion and increasing participation.
“The Celebrating Multicultural Queensland program received significant interest during Round 1, and I’m glad we will be supporting a spread of 70 culturally diverse events across the State in the first half of 2026,” Minister Simpson said. She added that the Crisafulli Government believes in building stronger communities and delivers on this commitment, contrasting the current efforts with what she described as a “decade of decline under Labor” for multicultural communities.
Diversity in Grant Recipients
The Round 1 grant recipients showcase the wide range of cultures and locations benefiting from the support. Successful community events include:
- The Cairns Greek Festival, run by St Johns Community Care.
- Afrekete 2026 Rhythm & Roots Intercultural Day in Townsville.
- Murweh Shire Council’s Welcome to Charleville 2026 event.
- The Whitsunday Multicultural Festival.
- The Sri Lankan Association of Central Queensland’s Sinhala and Tamil New Year Celebration 2026.
- The Gladstone Islamic Open Day and Eid Celebration.
- The 13th International Food Festival and Mosque Open Day in Toowoomba.
- The St George Dragon Boat Festival in Southern Queensland.
- The Sunshine Coast Chinese Association’s Lunar New Year Lantern Festival.
- Celebrating Iraqi Cultural Day in Moreton Bay.
Events in Brisbane include the Indian Traditional New Year Celebrations 2026 in Brisbane City, the Queensland Fiji Football Association’s QCUP 2026 in Brisbane’s South, and Mandela Cup 2026 in Brisbane’s South-West. On the Gold Coast, funded events include the Philippine Independence Day Celebration Gala and the Holi (Colour) Indian Festival.
Second Round Applications Open
The Celebrating Multicultural Queensland grants program has been split into two funding rounds of $500,000 this year to ensure year-round support.
Applications for Round 2 remain open for community organisations planning events in the second half of 2026. The second round will support events scheduled between 1 July and 31 December 2026, and the funding must be used for multicultural events, including intercultural sporting events. Applications for Round 2 close on 13 December.
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