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Australia Council delivers more than $6 million for arts projects

The Australia Council for the Arts has today announced a $6.1 million investment through its latest grants round.

The funding will support 221 projects delivered by 147 individual artists, 25 groups and 49 small-to-medium arts organisations across Dance, Music, Theatre, Literature, Emerging and Experimental Arts, Community Arts and Cultural Development, and Visual Arts.

The latest grants round saw increasing numbers of applicants incorporating the use of emerging technologies, such as computer programming, 3D scanning, and Virtual and augmented reality. The round also attracted high numbers of first-time applicants, as well as increasing numbers of applications from regional and remote areas.

Australia Council CEO Tony Grybowski said he was impressed by the ambitious projects as well as the consistent diversity of applicants, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the Australia Council’s grants program.

“Since the new grants model opened in early 2015 we have received nearly 10,000 applications and we’re seeing an increasingly diverse range of artists creating and presenting art in new and innovative ways. We’re excited to be able to empower artists to push boundaries and deliver compelling works,” Mr Grybowski said.

Many of the works funded will appear in major festivals, such as the Adelaide Biennial or the Biennale of Sydney, as well as MONA FOMA, which attract hundreds of thousands of regional and international visitors, providing a boost to local economies.

In addition to project grants the Council’s career development grants support artists at key moments in their careers and create long term benefits for both the individual and their communities.

“We’re proud to be able to support Australia’s artists to develop the skills and networks they need to create great art and expand to reach new audiences across Australia and the world. We can’t underestimate what powerful cultural ambassadors our artists are for Australia,” Mr Grybowski said.

Some highlights include:

  • Virtual Reality artist Josh Harle (NSW) will receive funding for an experimental lab allowing a group of Australian artists to explore the possibilities of emerging techniques.
  • Phunktional Limited (VIC) will be supported to work with young people in Far North QLD to create contemporary art, working in partnership with Indigenous Elders, as well as local and emerging artists.
  • Eve Klein (QLD) will receive funding for her touring operatic performance and sound installation using audio and video feeds taken from inside the body of a singer.
  • Australian Indie rock band Rudely Interrupted (VIC) made up of people with disability will be supported to travel to Berlin for the Arts and Disability Festival.

Australia Council grant applications are selected through a rigorous process of peer assessment by a panel of experts with knowledge and experience across all areas of artistic practice.

Key statistics:

  • First-time applicants made up 35% of applications received this round, and represented 20% of all successful applications.
  • 19% of grants funding was awarded to applicants based in remote and regional Australia.
  • Of the 101 peers used to assess the June round, 31% were based in regional and remote areas, 22% identified as culturally and linguistically diverse, 21% identified as First Nations, and 7% identified as people with disability.

A full list of the grants outcomes can be found on the Australia Council for the Arts grants register.

The closing date for the next grants round is October 3rd, 2017.


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