The awards recognise councils that show leadership in arts and culture and excel in strategic policy, planning, delivery and evaluation.
This award honours the late Councillor Leo Kelly - a passionate and dedicated LGNSW Board member, long-serving Blacktown City Councillor and champion of the arts, who passed away in January 2017.
LGNSW member councils are encouraged to submit projects or initiatives which demonstrate:
- innovation and improved cultural planning, policy, delivery and/or evaluation
- achievement of intended goals with measurable cultural outcomes
- leadership to other councils and a strong legacy of the project.
In 2025 there are two award categories, for work substantially completed in 2024:
Arts and Cultural Project | Arts and Cultural Strategy/Plan |
Recognises innovative delivery and competent outcomes assessment for arts and cultural projects. | Recognises integrated cultural planning and policy and creative stakeholder engagement in the arts and cultural sector. All councils entering a cultural plan/policy will be judged together. |
Councils enter and are judged within their divisions:
- Division A – population less than 30,000
- Division B – population 30,000 – 100,000
- Division C – population more than 100,000
- Division D – JOs, ROCs and County Councils and other associate members.
The awards will be presented during Local Government Week, at the Local Government Week Awards on Thursday 7 August 2025 at Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney. To book your tickets, CLICK HERE.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm Sunday 4 May 2025. Some tips for entering:
- Before applying, please ensure you have the approval from your General Manager and/or your manager, and that your council is a member or an associate member of LGNSW.
- We suggest you read the FAQ's on our website.
- Please ensure you complete every section of the form.
- Please be patient when you submit your form as the upload may take a couple of minutes.
- Please ensure you receive a confirmation email, otherwise your entry has not been submitted successfully.
If you have any queries, please contact Jia Ballentine-Zhu 02 9242 4059 or jia.ballentine-zhu@lgnsw.org.au.
2025 Leo Kelly OAM Arts and Culture Awards
The awards recognise councils that show leadership in arts and culture and excel in strategic policy, planning, delivery and evaluation.
This award honours the late Councillor Leo Kelly - a passionate and dedicated LGNSW Board member, long-serving Blacktown City Councillor and champion of the arts, who passed away in January 2017.
LGNSW member councils are encouraged to submit projects or initiatives which demonstrate:
- innovation and improved cultural planning, policy, delivery and/or evaluation
- achievement of intended goals with measurable cultural outcomes
- leadership to other councils and a strong legacy of the project.
In 2025 there are two award categories, for work substantially completed in 2024:
Arts and Cultural Project | Arts and Cultural Strategy/Plan |
Recognises innovative delivery and competent outcomes assessment for arts and cultural projects. | Recognises integrated cultural planning and policy and creative stakeholder engagement in the arts and cultural sector. All councils entering a cultural plan/policy will be judged together. |
Councils enter and are judged within their divisions:
- Division A – population less than 30,000
- Division B – population 30,000 – 100,000
- Division C – population more than 100,000
- Division D – JOs, ROCs and County Councils and other associate members.
The awards will be presented during Local Government Week, at the Local Government Week Awards on Thursday 7 August 2025 at Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney. To book your tickets, CLICK HERE.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm Sunday 4 May 2025. Some tips for entering:
- Before applying, please ensure you have the approval from your General Manager and/or your manager, and that your council is a member or an associate member of LGNSW.
- We suggest you read the FAQ's on our website.
- Please ensure you complete every section of the form.
- Please be patient when you submit your form as the upload may take a couple of minutes.
- Please ensure you receive a confirmation email, otherwise your entry has not been submitted successfully.
If you have any queries, please contact Jia Ballentine-Zhu 02 9242 4059 or jia.ballentine-zhu@lgnsw.org.au.