Our Purpose

What We Do and Why

Our aim is to foster the performing arts locally.  To achieve this, we run annual Eisteddfod competitions that provide the opportunity for the youth of Grafton district to showcase their talents on stage in a supportive environment.

Young amateurs can compete in:

• Dance
• Music – Instrumental, Singing, Battle of the Bands
• Speech & Drama
• Schools Day (sections for school groups in the above areas)

Some competition sections are for defined age groups, while others are open.  At an event, each entrant is given written feedback by an Adjudicator on their performance, including suggestions on how to improve.  Awards are made in each section where there are enough entrants and the standard of performance is sufficiently high.

Our Funding

We are a non-profit organisation.   All our members and helpers are unpaid volunteers.   Our expenses are met through entry fees, Program sales, grants, donations, sponsorships, and fundraising.

Our History

The City of Grafton Eisteddfod Society was established in 1954 as a philanthropic society, to provide a performance and competition event for children and young people of the Clarence Valley. Since then, the eisteddfod society has grown to include participants from surrounding regions and afar. The eisteddfod society also evolved to become a not-for-profit community organisation incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act of NSW (Certificate 128 2336).

In 2013 we ran four competitions, with a total of 25 disciplines and 486 sections.  There were entries from 11 schools, 9 Dance Studios and 280 individuals, most of whom competed in multiple sections.