Australia Council funds 221 projects

Art Grants for Australians 2017-2018The Australia Council for the Arts recently 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 (35%) 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,” 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,” Grybowski said.

 

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. 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 3, 2017! If you are heading to the National Dance Forum on September 26, the Australia Council will be running a Grants Information Session from 1:15 – 1:45 p.m. in Studio 221 of VCA’s Dance Department. This session is open to all (not just delegates of the National Dance Forum). A grants officer will be available after the session and throughout the Forum for follow-up questions.