First Call Fund Subsidy Program

The Victorian Arts Centre Trust ABN 83 295 983 059 trading as Arts Centre Melbourne (“ACM”) is a member of Live Performance Australia (“LPA”) and adheres to the LPA Ticketing Code of Practice. Read ACM's Terms and Conditions of Purchase

Confirming your First Call Fund booking

First Call Fund bookings can only be made through the online booking form with the unique subsidy code provided in subsidy confirmation email and are subject to availability.

First Call Fund tickets receive 100% subsidised tickets to all performances, workshops, tours, and teacher professional development sessions in Arts Centre Melbourne’s Annual Schools Program.

Bookings should be made at least six weeks prior to event date*.

*Bookings may still be made within the 6-week period, the team will work with you to fast track the booking process

Amending or Cancelling your First Call Fund booking

Changes can be made up to 6 weeks before the event. Ticket numbers may only be reduced by a maximum of 10% of the original booking. Ticket numbers may be increased, pending availability.

You must advise ACM via email (schools@artscentremelbourne.com.au) of any changes or cancellation to your booking.

If there is an emergency cancellation (on the day or day before) please email (schools@artscentremelbourne.com.au) and call us on (03) 9281 8582.

The school may also be liable to pay a late cancellation fee for considerable reductions in numbers or cancellation within six weeks.

Travel Reimbursement Requests

Arts Centre Melbourne is proud to provide travel subsidies for First Call Fund schools. The school is responsible for advising us that a transport reimbursement is required and should organise transport with their preferred supplier.

Transport subsidies are for transport to and from the school within 24 hours of the performance or workshop time.

The school is required to pay for the transport and will need to provide a quote or receipt via email 10 business days prior to attending their performance or workshop to get reimbursed by Arts Centre Melbourne.

Arts Centre Melbourne must be advised a transport reimbursement is required prior to the date of your visit. Transport reimbursements are subject to availability.

Please note the First Call Fund does not reimburse fuel or staffing costs such as a driver if the school provides their own transport e.g., a bus owned by the school. The First Call Fund also does not reimburse the cost of parking vehicles incurred by the school.

We encourage schools to seek other sustainable forms of transportation including train or tram where possible, and we are also able to organise a reimbursement for this. If your group is small and a taxi or uber is more cost effective, please seek out an estimate of this cost and send it to us as per the process.

If travel reimbursements are required, the Business Manager/Bursar may be required to complete EFTSure onboarding if the school is not an active supplier of ACM. The Business Manager/ Bursar is required to complete EFTSure within 4 weeks from the initial onboarding email. Please note we cannot reimburse school staff directly for travel reimbursements.

If a performance or workshop is cancelled by Arts Centre Melbourne, ACM will inform schools as soon as possible to cancel any buses.

First Call Fund Partner School Feedback

First Call Fund Partner Schools are required to offer feedback, quotes and anecdotal evidence of their experiences in the program to ACM. Where possible, appropriate and convenient to all parties, Partner Schools will be open to requests for media calls (including interviews, photography etc.) to communicate the impact of the program to potential donors.

First Call Fund Partner School General Terms and Conditions

The school is responsible for supervising all members of the school group and for providing the required number of teachers and/or authorised supervising adults to accompany the group.

The school must ensure that all members of the school group, including teachers and authorised supervising adults, comply with:
• the ACM Conditions of Entry; and
• any lawful and reasonable direction given by an ACM team member or representative while they are at ACM premises.

The school warrants that all teachers and authorised supervising adults hold Working with Children Checks and other such checks, as required by law, to prove the suitability of a person to work with children and young people. For more information see our Child Safety Policy.

The school indemnifies ACM against all loss, damage and costs incurred, sustained or suffered by ACM arising out of, or in connection with, or as a consequence of, whether directly or indirectly, the entry or presence of the school group at ACM premises or any failure by the school to comply with these schools requirements.