Get Skilled Access
Supporting Venue Upgrade Grants 25/26 applications
Specialist partner for Accessibility Assessments
About the Venue Upgrade Grants 25/26
This program is a NSW Government initiative designed to support venues who demonstrate a commitment to increasing live music programming with advice from consultants and experts to create fit-for-purpose venues.
Advice may include:
- assessment reports to support infrastructure development (e.g. soundproofing, ventilation, accessibility)
- development application and planning expenses
- legal services and licensing consultants
- energy efficiency audits
This funding aims to:
- Increase the number of fit-for-purpose live music venues in NSW
- Increase sector knowledge and expertise in best practice sound management and sustainable live music programming
- Reduce sound impact on neighbours, leading to less complaints and increased business viability
- Increase diversity of live music offerings for improved audience and visitor experience.
This program is administered by Sound NSW (Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport).
Key Dates
- Program Opens: Monday, 30th March 2026
- Program Closes: Monday, 4th May 2026
Funding context
Funding context
- Total project funding: up to $20,000
- No matched funding requirement
- Consultancy, assessment, evaluation, and travel are eligible expenditure
Common focus areas for accessibility
- Venue audits to assess current conditions
- Advice and recommendations on how to improve existing environments
- Planning for future upgrade works
About Get Skilled Access (GSA)
Get Skilled Access (GSA) is a leading accessibility and disability inclusion consultancy with deep experience supporting government-funded inclusion initiatives across entertainment, sport, tourism, and community settings.
Our work is grounded in:
- Expert advice on disability access, diversity and inclusion
- Lived experience of disability, embedded across our team and associate network
- Practical delivery experience supporting organisations to move from intent to implementation
We work alongside organisations to strengthen asset capability, while ensuring ownership and leadership remain with sector partners.
Who is this program for
This grant is designed for eligible organisations, including NSW contemporary live music venue owners and operators who demonstrate a commitment to increasing live music programming.
Applicants must satisfy ONE of the following criteria:
- be an incorporated entity or trust (including a trust with a corporate or individual trustee) and hold an Australian Business Number (ABN), Australian Company Number (ACN)
- be registered with NSW Fair Trading under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 or the Co-operatives National Law (NSW) set out in the appendix to the Co-operatives (Adoption of National Law) Act 2012
Where GSA supports delivery
Get Skilled Access (GSA) supports organisations to deliver the Venue Upgrade Grants 25/26 - Advice and Planning projects by strengthening the asset capability that sits behind increasing live music programming.
As a delivery partner, we work with organisations to understand their current context, including where they are at in relation to accessibility and inclusion. This helps ensure delivery support is appropriately scoped, realistic, and aligned to both the organisation’s role and the objectives of the funded project.
Our role as a delivery partner includes:
- Supporting live music programming readiness and capability
- Embedding lived-experience-led co-design into project delivery
Engagements are tailored to each project and organisation, with scope and approach shaped through early conversations once funding outcomes are known.
Important role clarification
- GSA acts as a delivery partner or subcontractor
- We do not write grant applications
- We do not guarantee funding outcomes
- Project ownership, leadership, and decision-making sit with the applicant organisation
What delivery support can look like in practice
As a delivery partner, we work with organisations to understand their current context, including their role in inclusion, workforce readiness, and organisational capability, so delivery support is appropriately scoped, realistic, and aligned to the objectives of the funded project.
The examples below illustrate the types of delivery support GSA may provide, depending on project design, organisational readiness, and funding outcomes.
Supporting organisations to identify physical barriers affecting access to venues, and volunteering environments. Audit findings inform practical actions, upgrade prioritisation, and capital planning decisions that enable equitable participation for all members of the community.
Where appropriate, GSA also delivers time bound frontline activity as part of funded programs, alongside system and capability uplift, and works across regional, multi-partner delivery models to support coordinated outcomes.
Zack
Co-CEO
Zack Alcott is driven by a passion to create lasting social change for people with disability. Through innovative strategies, he has built understanding and confidence among clients, government officials, and the broader community. Zack spearheaded a national awareness campaign to challenge unconscious biases and dismantle invisible barriers faced by people with disability.
In 2018, he managed Australia’s first inclusive music festival, Ability Fest, internationally recognised as one of the most accessible and inclusive music festival to date. His leadership extends to universal access and inclusion programs for iconic organisations including the MCG/MCC, Tennis Australia, the Australian Open, Melbourne Airport, Transport NSW, and the Australian Sports Commission. Zack’s work continues to set new benchmarks for accessibility and inclusion across Australia.
Email: zack@getskilledaccess.com.au
Nicole
Co-CEO
Nicole brings over 15 years of experience in the disability sector. She is passionate about collaborating with organisations to enhance community participation and inclusion of people with disability and has advised clients across a range of industries including Government, Healthcare, Entertainment, Sport and Retail.
As an Occupational Therapist (OT) by background, Nicole has worked in mental health and community health services in Australia and the UK and owned and managed her own OT practice.
Nicole worked for several years at PwC Australia focusing on Diversity & Inclusion (D&I), accessibility, and preventative health and wellbeing. Most recently she worked for global law firm DLA Piper as the Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing Lead for the Asia Pacific region with responsibility for strategy development and implementation to facilitate a culture of inclusion and belonging.
Tanisha
Senior Access Consultant
Tanisha is an Occupational Therapist and experienced Access Consultant with deep expertise in universal and sensory design. She brings more than nine years of consulting experience across major public realm, transport infrastructure and health projects, combining strong knowledge of the Disability Discrimination Act, Building Codes and Australian Standards with practical, best-practice design advice. Tanisha is known for clear, solution-focused guidance, diligent quality assurance and constructive engagement with designers, builders and operators to resolve issues efficiently and improve accessibility outcomes.
Penelope
Consultant
Penny is a qualified Social Worker with over 10 years of experience in both Community and Education settings. She has worked with organisations in the Local Government and Education sectors to deliver projects such as training and accessibility audits.
Specialising in program and learning development and delivery within the Youth, Disability and Sport spaces, Penny has developed a strong track record of creating inclusive opportunities and building community engagement.
At 16 years old she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, an inherited rare eye disease that causes vision loss. With her lived experience of disability, love of sport and passion for inclusion, Penny was drawn to GSA's mission. She has delivered inclusive sports programs for Schools and Communities through our Sport4All program and has since joined our consulting team.
Some of our relevant experience
GSA brings experience supporting the delivery of inclusive, government-funded initiatives across entertainment and community-based settings. The examples below illustrate the type of delivery support GSA brings to partnerships, rather than prescribed models.
Ability Fest
Ability Fest is Australia’s first fully inclusive and accessible, not-for-profit music festival, founded by Dylan Alcott in partnership with Untitled Group. Held annually in Melbourne, it blends a diverse lineup with comprehensive accessibility features like elevated platforms, sensory areas, and Auslan interpreters. The event raises funds for the Dylan Alcott Foundation to support young people with disabilities.
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster has partnered with Get Skilled Access (GSA), to improve accessibility in the Australian/NZ live entertainment industry. This partnership focused on enhancing the online booking process for disabled fans, training staff on disability, and increasing accessibility options like elevated viewing, sensory areas, and Auslan interpreters at events.
Rising Festival Melbourne
RISING partners with Get Skilled Access (GSA), to ensure inclusive, accessible festival experiences, including curated access packs, Auslan interpretation, and staff training.
