Greek clubs scoop over $60,000 in Victorian multicultural funding program

And Lonsdale Street Greek Festival gets a share of the pie as part of a further $12 million invested over four years in festivals and events.

The Lonsdale Street Greek Festival is one of the 25 multicultural events supported through a $12 million fund over the next four years. Photo: Neos Kosmos.

24 June 2023 5:09am

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At least 27 Greek community associations and clubs are among the total 346 successful applicants in this year’s Multicultural Festivals and Events Program run by the Victorian government

The funding program, totalling a $1.3 million investment aims at supporting organisations in delivering events that celebrate and showcase Victoria’s diverse cultures and communities.

“As Minister for Multicultural Affairs I’ve been lucky enough to see just how many members of our community benefit from these shared cultural celebrations,” Minister Colin Brooks stated.

“No-one does multiculturalism as well as Victoria and these wonderful events and festivals help us to celebrate the different cultures and communities that are thriving all over our vibrant state.”

Grants provided through the program to organisations in metropolitan and regional areas reach up to $50,000 each for events to be held between 1 July and 31 December 2023.

This comes on top of a further $12 million pledge over four years for more than 25 multicultural festivals and events including the Lonsdale Greek Festival, African Music and Cultural Festival, Melbourne Italian Festa, Polish Festival, Hispanic Latin American Festival, Tamil Festival and Springvale Lunar New Year.

It follows Daniel Andrews’ pre-election pledge, matched by then Opposition Leader Matthew Guy on supporting the Lonsdale Street Greek Festival through a $800,000 grant over a four-year term.

Successful grant recipients supported to hold cultural festivals and events for their local communities, include the following Greek ones:

-Greek and Cypriot Social/Welfare Centre, supported to hold Dekapentaugoustos (15th August) events ($2.000)
-Greek Cypriot Cultural and Theatrical Centre Paradise Incorporated, 28th October OXI Day, $2.000.
-Greek Australian Ex Service men’s Reserve Whittlesea and Districts, Dormition of the Virgin Mary Celebration, $2.000.
-Greek Women’s Club of Northern Suburbs «Anemones», Celebration of Culturally Diverse Women, $1.970.
-Federation of Messinian Organisations of Melbourne and Victoria, Messinian Family Day, $1.850.
-North Eastern Greek Elderly Citizens Club Inc., Greek Cultural Day, $2.000.
-Western Suburbs Greek Seniors Group Inc, Greek Seniors Community Connection, $2.000.
-Mill Park Greek Elderly Citizens Club, Greek Orthodox Christmas Celebration, $2.000.
-Boroondara Camberwell Greek Senior Citizens Club, National Day Celebration 28 OCT 1940, $2.000.
-Greek-Australian Recreational & Instructive League of Victoria Incorporated, A Multi-cultural Christmas Event, $2.000.
-Hellenic Women’s Federation of Victoria, Multicultural Celebration Lunch, $2.000.
-Greek Senior Citizens Club of Frankston & Peninsula, Greek Oxi Day Commemoration, $2.000.
-Society Kalamata 23 March Brotherhood Inc., Oxi Day celebration, $2.000.
-Thomastown East Greek Senior Citizens Club Inc, Greek Orthodox (Father’s) Day, $2.000.
-Whittlesea and District Greek Elderly Citizen Club Inc, Oxi Day (Day of No) Greek Community Day, $2.000.
-Thessaloniki Association «The White Tower», Our Forefathers and Foremothers struggle, $2.000.
-Panagia Soumela Pontian Association of Whittlesea Senior Citizens Group, Panagia Soumela Pontian Cultural Celebration, $2.000.
-Greek Orthodox Community of Whittlesea, Celebration of OXI Day, $2.000.
-Australian Greek Ex-Servicemen’s Association, 28th October 1940, Ochi Day National independence commemoration, $2.000.
-Greek Elderly Citizens Club of Manningham Incorporated, Kala Christougena, $2.000.
-Ayios Therapon Welfare Association, Ayios Therapon Day, $2.000.
-Greek Youth Generator Incorporated, Footscray’s Hidden Hellenism, $2.000.
-John Pandazopoulos Hall Committee of Management, 25th Anniversary, $2.000.
-Lemnian Community of Victoria, Paniyiri Cultural Festival, $1.690.
-Nafsika Stamoulis Hellenic Museum Limited, Hellenic Museum Multicultural Festival (Working Title), $5.000.
-Central Pontian Association of Melbourne and Victoria «Pontiaki Estia», 202 Celebration of Greek Independence via Anatolia, $7.250.
-Association of Greek Elderly Citizen Clubs of Melbourne & Vic Inc., Multicultural Ohi Day celebration, $6.000.