The inaugural Meg Viney-Bell Fibre Arts Fellowship which is for Gippsland artists wishing to grow their practice, explore their work, and develop new skills.
Meg Viney-Bell is a fibre artist living in Gippsland. From 1971 to 1978 Meg did a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Fiberworks (affiliated with San Francisco University). The teachers she had were all graduate students of the Department of Textiles run by Ed Rossbach, the so-called father of Textiles in the United States. They were all brilliant – Meg felt privileged to be a student of theirs, and was cognizant of this during those years.
Upon return to Australia in 1983 she felt this privilege even more acutely, given that fibre arts were undeveloped here, and knew that, in some way, she needed to express my gratitude.
Through her teaching years Meg gave to her students all she could. Her teaching philosophy has always been that ‘students are not vessels to be filled, but candles to be lit’. Seeing the faces of young students when they recognize the ‘I can, I understand, and now I can create’ is pure joy for Meg.
However, as the years have passed she has thought about what more she could do. Recently Universities and Colleges have phased out Textile/Fibre Art studies, and this presented her with an opportunity to realize how she can make a contribution. Meg conceived the idea of a Fibre Art Fellowship as a means by which Fibre Arts can have a resurgence – one that could benefit many artists and the community in general.
What is funded?
The Meg Viney-Bell Fellowship nurtures fibre artists in Gippsland practising with at least two years experience in fibre art. In the context of this fellowship, fibre arts is defined as materials consisting of natural fibres. It focus on the materials and on the manual labor on the part of the artist as part of the works significance and priorities aesthetic value over utility. Work coming from a Meg Viney-Bell Fibre Arts Fellowship must be a personal concept coming from within with a genuine place of interest.
The objectives of the fellowship are to:
- Increase the opportunity for artists to grow their practice in fibre arts.
- To provide opportunities to learn from mentors or teachers of their choice.
- To allow fibre artists to explore their work and develop new skills.
Who can apply?
Individuals who are 18 years and over can apply to the Meg Viney-Bell Fibre Arts Fellowship if they:
- have a primary place of residence in Wellington, South Gippsland, Bass Coast, East Gippsland, Latrobe or Baw Baw shire at the time of application and for the duration of the fellowship.
- have a minimum of 2 years’ experience in fibre arts
- are willing to abide with all of the conditions of application
How to apply
It is vital that you read the Meg Viney-Bell Fibre Art Fellowship Guidance Materials prior to starting your application:
Applications are now closed.
Applicants who require support to access the online application process should contact Tim Dakin, Creative Arts Facilitator.
Tim Dakin
Creative Arts Facilitator Gippsland
0428 403 386
Key Dates
Applicants are limited to one Meg Viney-Bell Fellowship in a lifetime. If the fund continues into the future, successful applicants will not be eligible to reapply. Funding is offered for the period 1 January 2020 “ 31 December 2020.
Opening Date
9.00am, Thursday 1 August 2019
Closing Date
5.00pm, Wednesday 30 October 2019
Please note: The Fellowship will finish on 31 December 2020.