What Victorian Multicultural Commission does

The Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) is a statutory body of the Victorian Government, established in March 1983 (originally as the Ethnic Affairs Commission) and reconstituted under the Multicultural Victoria Act 2011. It functions as the principal advisory bridge between culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Victoria and the state government, advising the Minister for Multicultural Affairs on laws, policies, programs, and services. Its core service offering is non-commercial: it conducts community consultations, commissions research, and delivers independent policy recommendations to improve outcomes for multicultural Victorians across racism, employment, housing, family violence, mental health, settlement, and youth justice.

VMC's portfolio comprises five flagship annual programs (Cultural Diversity Week, Victorian Multicultural Festival, Multicultural Film Festival, Premier's Multicultural Gala Dinner, and the Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence), the VMConnect online community platform (built on Hivebrite), and three grassroots advisory structures: 8 Regional Advisory Councils, a 29-member Multifaith Advisory Group, and a 20-member Multicultural Youth Network. It does not develop proprietary technology products; the VMConnect platform is a community-connection SaaS leased from Hivebrite. There are no patents, APIs, or AI/ML assets disclosed.

VMC generates no commercial revenue. It is funded through annual Victorian Government appropriations and departmental grants, supplemented by ticket revenue from select events (e.g., Community Rate $100 per ticket for the Premier's Multicultural Gala Dinner). Its "customers" are not transactional buyers but the Victorian Government (sole principal funder), CALD communities, faith communities, multicultural youth, and regional community organisations that receive services, advocacy representation, and event access at no or subsidised cost. Headcount is in the 11–50 range; specific financial figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Victorian Multicultural Commission

Legal name

Victorian Multicultural Commission

Website

https://multiculturalcommission.vic.gov.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Victorian Multicultural Commission is a Victorian Government statutory body that advises the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and connects culturally and linguistically diverse communities, faith groups, and multicultural youth across Victoria to government through regional advisory councils, policy advocacy, and flagship cultural programs and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Multicultural Affairs Advisory Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD), Cultural, Arts & Humanities Community Education (Museums/Arts Councils) (EDAAAFAD)

Keywords

• Multicultural advisory services
• Community engagement programs
• Cultural diversity advocacy
• Government statutory body
• Multifaith community liaison

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a statutory authority of the Victorian Government, the VMC operates under annual government appropriations and departmental funding. The Commission does not generate commercial revenue but receives public funding to fulfill its mandate of supporting culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Victorian Multicultural Commission is a Victorian Government statutory authority that advises the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and engages with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), multifaith and multicultural youth communities across Victoria. It delivers an annual portfolio of programs and events (Cultural Diversity Week, Victorian Multicultural Festival, Multicultural Film Festival, Premier's Multicultural Gala Dinner, Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence) and operates three community advisory structures: eight Regional Advisory Councils, a 29-member Multifaith Advisory Group, and a 20-member Multicultural Youth Network.

Product overview

The Victorian Multicultural Commission operates as a statutory government body delivering a portfolio of programs, events, and advisory services. Core programs include Cultural Diversity Week, the Victorian Multicultural Festival, Multicultural Film Festival, Premier's Multicultural Gala Dinner, and the Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence. The Commission also maintains the VMConnect online community platform. Advisory services include Regional Advisory Councils across eight Victorian regions, the Multifaith Advisory Group, and the Multicultural Youth Network. Additionally, the Commission provides policy and advocacy services to inform government decision-making.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cultural Diversity Week Victoria's largest annual celebration of diversity, bringing Victorians together to celebrate and reflect on multicultural communities. Held annually as the Commission's flagship public program.
• Victorian Multicultural Festival A vibrant festival celebrating Victoria's multicultural communities, packed with food, entertainment and activities, held as part of Cultural Diversity Week.
• Multicultural Film Festival An annual short film festival that celebrates diversity and advocates for inclusion through films that inspire dialogue and understanding. Delivered in partnership with Swinburne University of Technology and SBS.
• Premier's Multicultural Gala Dinner An annual celebration where people from all over Victoria come together to celebrate the vibrancy of multicultural communities and its cultures. Ticketed event with Community Rate and General Admission pricing tiers.
• Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence Victoria's longest-standing multicultural awards, celebrating outstanding individuals and organisations who champion cross-cultural understanding and support Victorians from migrant, refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. Features the Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll.
• End of Year Event An annual event that highlights VMC strategic priorities, reflects on the program delivery and acknowledges contributions.
• VMConnect Online community platform linking multicultural communities, government and service providers, enabling direct connection and engagement.
• VMC Regional Advisory Councils Grassroots advisory connections across Victoria's eight regions that inform the VMC about issues affecting multicultural communities.
• Multifaith Advisory Group Comprises religious leaders across Victoria's faith communities providing advice on issues affecting faith communities.
• Multicultural Youth Network A network of 20 young people aged 18 to 25 who represent multicultural affairs in their region, advising the VMC and Victorian government.
• Policy and Advocacy Policy development and systemic advocacy to ensure the voices of multicultural communities inform government decision-making.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 participants at the 2025 Regional Advisory Forum including RAC members, government representatives, community leaders, and service providers discussing six key themes: racism, employment, housing, family violence, mental health and youth justice.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Swinburne University of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers the Multicultural Film Festival in partnership with VMC and SBS. Swinburne's Department of Film and Animation and Department of Humanities and Social Sciences collaborate on the annual festival. Sponsors Best Victorian Short Fiction Film category.
• SBS (Special Broadcasting Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent partner and sponsor of Best National Short Film category. Films from the Official Selection are hosted on SBS On Demand. Provides industry professional development sessions for award winners.
• Yarra TramsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner for the Premier's Multicultural Gala Dinner 2026 and Gold partner for the Multicultural Film Festival 2026.
• NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner for the Premier's Multicultural Gala Dinner 2026.
• Department of Transport and PlanningmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold partner for both the Premier's Multicultural Gala Dinner 2026 and Multicultural Film Festival 2026. Silver partner for the Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence.
• SegmentomajorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner for Multicultural Film Festival, sponsoring the People's Choice Award for Best Short Film.
• The Bruce Wong FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Best Victorian Short Non-Fiction Film category at the Multicultural Film Festival.
• CinespacecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides Independent Film Financing package for award-winning films in Victorian categories, including 5 consultation sessions, auspice service support and bespoke support.
• Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides MIFF Membership valued at $78 for award-winning Victorian filmmakers with exclusive perks.
• Victoria's Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner for the Premier's Multicultural Gala Dinner 2026.
• Foot SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver partner for the Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence 2026.
• John Stonemart Pty LtdminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver partner for the Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence 2026.
• LanguageLoopminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver partner for both the Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence 2026 and the Multicultural Film Festival 2026.
• Think HQminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver partner for the Multicultural Film Festival 2026.
• Victorian Electoral CommissionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver partner for the Multicultural Film Festival 2026.
• Northern Grampians Shire CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner hosting Multicultural Film Festival tour screenings at Halls Gap Hub Centenary Hall and St Arnaud Cinema.
• Mornington Peninsula ShireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner hosting Multicultural Film Festival tour screening at Peninsula Cinemas, Rosebud.
• Bunjil PlaceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner hosting Multicultural Film Festival tour screening at Narre Warren venue.
• Federation SquareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner hosting Multicultural Film Festival screening in Melbourne CBD.
• RMIT UniversityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner for the Multicultural Film Festival 2026.
• The University of MelbourneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner for the Multicultural Film Festival 2026. Previously sponsored People's Choice Award for Best Victorian Short Film.
• Monash Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with VMC's Multifaith Advisory Group to host the Victorian Leaders Unite for Peace Forum at Parliament House on 11 April 2025.
• Australian Centre for Christianity and CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with VMC's Multifaith Advisory Group to host the Victorian Leaders Unite for Peace Forum at Parliament House on 11 April 2025.
• Calm in the CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with VMC's Multifaith Advisory Group to host the Victorian Leaders Unite for Peace Forum at Parliament House on 11 April 2025.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Centre for Multicultural Youth: Victorian-based organisation supporting young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds. Operates in an overlapping mandate space with VMC's Multicultural Youth Network and youth leadership focus.
• Multicultural Affairs SA: South Australia's state government multicultural affairs function, delivering policy advice, community engagement, and grants programs — analogous to VMC's mandate within Victoria.
• Australian Multicultural Council: The Australian Government's advisory body on multicultural affairs, providing independent advice to the federal Minister. Directly comparable to VMC as the federal-level statutory equivalent performing the same community advisory, policy, and engagement mandate at a national scale.
• Queensland Multicultural Affairs (Department of Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Multiculturalism): Queensland's state-level multicultural affairs function, delivering policy advice, community grants, and engagement programs for culturally diverse Queenslanders — directly comparable to VMC's role in Victoria.
• Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA): National peak body representing Australia's state and territory ethnic and multicultural community councils. Comparable to VMC in mandate (multicultural policy advocacy and community representation) but operates nationally as an NGO umbrella rather than as a statutory advisory body.
• Office of Multicultural Interests (Western Australia): Western Australia's state government office for multicultural policy, community engagement, and settlement support. Closely comparable to VMC as a state-level multicultural advisory body with similar functions.
• Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria (ECCV): Victoria's peak advocacy body representing ethnic and multicultural community organisations. Directly comparable as a community-facing policy and advocacy organisation serving the same CALD communities that VMC engages, though structured as an independent NGO rather than a statutory body.
• Multicultural NSW: New South Wales' state government agency responsible for multicultural affairs, community engagement, and policy advice. Operates an analogous model to VMC with regional advisory structures, community programs, and events targeting CALD communities in NSW.

Broad incumbents

• Australian Human Rights Commission: Federal statutory body with broader human rights remit, including racial discrimination and multicultural inclusion functions. Comparable to VMC's anti-racism and inclusion mandate but operates at the national level and across all human rights domains.
• SBS (Special Broadcasting Service): Australia's multicultural and multilingual public broadcaster, with whom VMC partners on the Multicultural Film Festival. Comparable as a major institutional vehicle for multicultural storytelling and engagement in Australia, though operating in media rather than advisory/policy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@multiculturevic
• Facebookfacebook.com/multiculturevic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/victorian-multicultural-commission
• Instagraminstagram.com/multiculturevic
• Xx.com/multiculturevic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Victorian Multicultural Commission