Synchronised swimming — now officially called artistic swimming — is an aquatic sport combining swimming, dance, and gymnastics to music. Australia competes internationally in the sport, and state-based clubs provide pathways from recreational to elite. This guide covers the key funding sources.
Artistic Swimming Australia (formerly Synchronised Swimming Australia) is the national governing body:
- National championship events
- Club affiliation and development
- International competition pathway
Contact Artistic Swimming Australia and your state association for access to national programme investment.
Sport Australia funds artistic swimming through Artistic Swimming Australia:
- National programme investment
- Participation growth
State sport agencies fund artistic swimming:
- NSW Office of Sport: Artistic swimming clubs and programmes
- Sport and Recreation Victoria: Artistic swimming development
- Queensland, SA, WA: State sport grants
Artistic swimming requires pool access:
- Deep water (3+ metres for underwater figures)
- Quiet lap pool or dedicated artistic swimming pool
- Underwater speakers for music synchronisation
Local council pools: Most artistic swimming clubs train at council aquatic facilities. Relationship with the aquatic centre is essential.
Gaming trusts: Can fund pool hire as a programme cost in grants.
Gaming grants fund artistic swimming clubs:
- NSW ClubGRANTS: Equipment and programme grants
- State gaming trusts: Club development and equipment
- Costumes and performance attire
- Music equipment and underwater speakers
- Competition entry and travel
Equipment needs:
- Swimwear and costumes: Performance costumes for competition — significant per-team cost
- Nose clips: Essential training equipment
- Underwater music systems: Hydrophone speaker systems for training
- Coaching tools: Timing systems, video analysis
Junior development is the sport's primary pathway:
- Learn to sync programmes: Entry-level recreational artistic swimming
- Junior teams: Age-group competition divisions (under-10, under-12, etc.)
- Solo, duet, and team: Different competition formats
- Junior national championships: Pathway to elite
Artistic swimming has very high female participation — essentially a women's and girls' sport in most countries:
- Sport Australia: Women in sport participation investment
- State sport agencies: Female participation grants
- The female-dominated nature of the sport is a strength for women-in-sport grants
Masters artistic swimming (25+) is a growing area:
- Masters nationals in Australia
- Recreational masters participation at club level
Strong applications demonstrate:
- Participant numbers: Swimmers by age, programme level, and competition category
- Pool access: Confirmed facility relationship for deep water training
- Junior development: Children and youth in programmes
- Women's participation: The overwhelmingly female membership is a strength
- Competition participation: Teams entered in state and national championships
- Equipment specifics: Costumes, underwater music systems — justified per programme
- Club governance: Financial health, affiliation to Artistic Swimming Australia
- Community access: Making artistic swimming accessible regardless of cost
Tahua's grants management platform helps artistic swimming clubs manage grant applications across multiple funders, tracking participation and programme outcomes that funders value.