Ready to get out and give back to the community with your next local events? Your timing is great, with local and state governments across Australia offering grants for initiatives to bring communities back together. To be a part of that important effort, you’ll need to coordinate with local councils to comply with local event regulations, maximise community reach, and drive event success.

We’re here to show you how it’s done with our top tips for running a safe and compliant community events calendar while boosting your network of local council and state government contacts. While you’re reading, remember that this isn’t an exhaustive list and you should always check your local guidelines, which are subject to change.

Your community event checklist

When putting together the plan for your community event, the devil is in the detail. Brainstorm your community engagement event ideas and write down all of the specifics before formalising it all into an event plan for your government application/s. Your event plan should include the following key information.

A high-level summary of your proposed event

A one-page executive summary can help stakeholders understand your vision and intent more quickly. Focus on the benefits to your community and include information like:

  • The type of event you’re proposing (for example, a concert or sporting event).
  • How your event will benefit your community, both directly (for example, via direct attendance of local community members or fundraising for community causes) and indirectly (for example, through increasing awareness of your community to those outside it or increasing revenue for local businesses around your event).
  • Whether your event is a for-profit event that you’ll make money from or a not-for-profit (NFP) event raising awareness or funds that are given to a charitable entity. Some councils or government authorities provide additional support options for NFP events.
  • How many guests you’re expecting at your event. This is particularly important if your event will bring a large crowd, with extra risks but potentially greater community rewards.
  • How you plan to advertise your local event to attract guests. It’s a great idea to attach a sample community event invitation or sample press release for community event promotions across different channels in your appendices (not in the summary).

Remember, you need to sell your vision, so follow our guidelines for pitching your big idea for tips to keep your event summary short and effective.

Your proposed event location

Council and government requirements for approval of event locations depend on:

  • The type of location you’re using (public or private).
  • If your event is being held in a council or state-owned public space, details of the specific space you’d like to use (for example, a specific park or sporting ground).
  • Whether your event is indoor or outdoor, particularly during COVID-19 recovery where additional, specific restrictions apply to both indoor and outdoor events.

Council and government regulations vary by location, but as a general guide, public events do not include private, ticketed events where a venue is being used within its intended purpose and capacity – like private art galleries, bars, or sporting facilities. If your event is an indoor event, provide a floor plan and put together a simple seating plan to show how your venue will be used and that you’ve considered COVID-Safe capacity limits and social distancing requirements for your state or territory.

A detailed summary of activities and services you’ll provide at your event

Creating a program is essential for government applications (for example, music permits or temporary licensing). It’s also a great way to identify any logistical requirements you might have missed. Hosting an event with parking? You might need to provide or pay for traffic management planning and costs. Maybe you’re entertaining children? You’ll need to demonstrate that your event staff have successfully passed the required working with children checks.

Here are some of the possible approvals and/or permits you might need to seek for your event (check your local guidelines for full details):

  • If you’re providing musical entertainment: You may need a noise permit.
  • If you’re serving food and drinks: If you’re doing this outside a venue that has its own food and alcohol permits and you’re not using a service provider with their own licences (for example, a food truck), you’ll need to get temporary permits to offer food and drink for your guests. Check out our top tips for safely running food events to build a better understanding of safety requirements you’ll need to meet.
  • If you’re hosting a large-scale event: You’ll need to get the mandatory COVID-Safe plan for your event approved by public health authorities (check local guidelines for attendee thresholds).

How to approach your local council or state/territory government

Once you’ve put together your event plan and have an idea of any applications or permits you might need, time to start talking to the right people to bring your vision to life.

Approaching your local council for support

The benefit of working with your local council? They’re local. Jump onto their website, do some initial research about event support options, and find the details of people you need to contact before reaching out. When it comes to introducing yourself, make contact either in-person or over the phone, with email as a backup option. If you can’t find the right contact, get in touch with your local council offices for more information or support.

If you’re really looking for a lot of buy-in and support from your local council, as opposed to permit applications and approvals, consider approaching your local councillor for a chat and warm introduction to the key people who can help you. Local councillors pride themselves on being accessible to their communities, with many offering appointments to members of the public that can be booked easily through their office or website.

Approaching your state or territory government for support

State government agencies you’ll need to engage with vary depending on your type of event and there can be a lot of them to contact. Fortunately, most state and territory governments provide handy event support guides online to point you in the right direction.

Check out event support materials available for your state or territory here:

Get your next community event out there

Once you’ve planned the logistics of your next local event and have the approval and support of your local council or state government, it’s time to start sales and promotion with Eventbrite. We recommend starting with our complete overview of tools and resources for event organisers.