50 community organisations receive a 2025 Community Heritage Grant, and the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre is one of them.

The Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre will receive $5,138 which will support the purchase of a large display case for iconic items.

A spokesperson for the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre, said, “thanks to the Community Heritage Grants, the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre has made significant strides in preserving and understanding our cultural collection.”

“Over the past five years, these grants have enabled us to assess our preservation needs, enhance our display and storage facilities, and deepen our knowledge of collection care.”

“We are sincerely grateful for the clarity and support these opportunities have provided.”

Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre is a not for profit organisation representing post Second World War reconciliation between Japan and Australia.

The garden and cultural centre pays respect to the soldiers and prisoners of war from the Cowra POW campsite, and the breakout that occurred in 1944, the largest prison escape of the Second World War.

Alongside the Garden, the Cultural Centre houses a significant collection of Japanese art and artefacts.

The Cultural Centre has received four Community Heritage Grants, completing all three program stages.

The Community Heritage Grants program is currently in its 31st year of operation.

It provides grants to community organisations in all States and Territories to care for Australian cultural heritage collections.

Since 1994, it has provided a total of $9.7 million dollars to more than 1,750 projects across Australia.

The Community Heritage Grants program is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts; National Library of Australia; National Archives of Australia; National Film and Sound Archive; and National Museum of Australia.

Director-General of the National Library of Australia, Dr Marie-Louise Ayres FAHA, said, “it is a privilege to work with the Office for the Arts and fellow national cultural institutions to support the work of local community organisations through the Community Heritage Grants program.”

“This year the Australian Government has awarded funding of $421,479 to 50 different groups to continue their work in safeguarding their nationally significant collections, ultimately preserving the stories they tell for generations to come.”