Media Release
Seven Project Grants have received over $160,000 in funding through the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, delivered in Victoria by Regional Arts Victoria. Australian Government Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, congratulated the recipients and their contributions to Australia’s arts scene.
“Supporting the arts isn’t just about the biggest venues in the capital cities. It’s about every part of Australia.”
“That’s why we nearly doubled support for the Regional Arts Fund and that decision is now reverberating into every corner of Australia.”
Director, Strategic Initiatives at Regional Arts Victoria, Susie Lyons thanked everyone who applied in this round noting the high calibre of applications received.
“Regional Arts Victoria is proud to continue working with the Australian Government to deliver the Regional Arts Fund throughout Victoria and with the ongoing support through Revive. This support ensures that our regional artists and organisations contribute to a vibrant national arts sector that reflects Australia’s depth and diversity.
As always, we thank the members of the independent assessment panel for their time and commitment in supporting our artistic communities. We look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition.”
Please see the full list and description below of all recipients.
Information regarding upcoming rounds will be made available via www.rav.net.au
2023 SUCCESSFUL PROJECT GRANT APPLICANTS
Lorne Sculpture Exhibition Inc
Lorne
$29,600.00
Sculpture Plus Program – Lorne Sculpture Biennale 2024
Set along the dramatic coastline of the Great Ocean Road on Gadubanud Country, Lorne Sculpture Biennale commissions, presents and promotes a series of site-responsive artworks informed by place. The Biennale embeds creative cultural production and engagement in regional Victoria, enriching the experience of contemporary art and place for local communities and visitors from across Australia. In 2024, the Biennale will host an additional suite of public programs titled Sculpture Plus, aimed at connecting the exhibition with local artists and communities. These programs will have a regional focus: employing arts workers and artists, partnering with organisations and institutions, and providing opportunities for local artists to build skills, knowledge, networks and capacity through masterclasses. Sculpture Plus will be accessible and inclusive and celebrate characteristics of the Surf Coast’s environment and communities.
Ivan Sun
Bendigo
$30,000.00
Story of Loong
Loong, the Golden Dragon Museum’s prized exhibit and the world’s oldest intact imperial processional dragon, will come to life through a short documentary film featuring live action footage in the museum (including that of filmed narrator), multimedia assets from the historical archives, and original 3d animations re-enacting a historically significant dragon procession event.
Aunty Glennys Briggs, Aunty Glenda Nicholls, Treahna Hamm
Chesney Vale
$28,944.00
Grounded – Tribal affiliations and bloodlines
Three experienced First Nations artists – Aunty Glennys Briggs, Glenda Nicholls and Treahna Hamm – connected through family bloodlines, will collaborate through a three-week residency at Winton Wetlands in Northeast Victoria. Responding to a photograph from the 1800’s depicting their ancestors, the artists will create a new body of work that intertwines their cultural and creative practices. This new body of work will be exhibited at the Murray Art Museum Albury in 2024.
Beechworth Biennale Incorporated
Beechworth
$27,400.00
The Beechworth Biennale
The Beechworth Biennale is a unique community driven regional art event. Set within the heritage town of Beechworth in Northeast Victoria, artists from across Australia are invited to exhibit contemporary artwork for this special 5-day art event in March 2024. All the artworks will be site specific and temporarily installed at 15 exhibition sites around the town, outside of the traditional gallery walls. The artworks will all be created in response to each specific site, thereby reflecting on the history of place and suggesting opportunities for our futures.
Glenn Todd
Carrajung
$7,393.50
Bloom
Bloom is a large interactive kinetic flower sculpture. The elaborately decorated bio-mechanical flower utilises cutting edge materials and lighting effects to produce an interactive spectacle to inspire and entertain audiences across Australia’s regional landscape. This work requires the collaborative efforts of six artists. Featuring the children’s playground favourite, three see-saws power the flower’s mechanical transformation, revealing a kaleidoscope of moving colours and textures.
HotHouse Theatre
Gateway Island
$29,740.00
INDIpendent – Creative Development of a New Australian Musical
HotHouse Theatre will commission and develop a new Australian musical based on the remarkable story of the VOICES 4 INDI – a collective of regional Victorian citizens who began a grassroots political campaign in their area, in turn sparking a national movement.
Tegan Nash Ollett
Benalla
$7,500.00
Premiere of Access Memory at Gasworks Arts Park
Access Memory is a new dance performance installation by Tegan Nash Ollett in collaboration with sound artist Isadore. Through the manipulation of sculptural forms, it explores precariousness and stability, reflecting on personal histories and evoking universal experiences. Access Memory will Premiere at Gasworks Arts Park from the 30 May – 1 June 2024 as part of their supported premiere program which provides artists discounted presentation fees, in-kind rehearsal space, marketing, promotion, ticketing and technical staff.
Regional Arts Victoria:
Regional Arts Victoria backs artists and communities across regional Victoria to make, participate in, and experience creative work.
Regional Arts Victoria is an independent, not-for-profit, membership-based organisation working in long-term partnerships with every level of government, fostering contemporary and innovative regional cultural practice. We advise and impact on decision-making across multiple portfolios and levels of government.
Regional Arts Victoria is the peak body for regional artists and arts organisations, and the leading organisation for regional creative practice in Victoria.
Regional Arts Fund:
The Regional Arts Fund is an Australian Government program that supports sustainable cultural development in regional and remote communities in Australia. The program is managed by Regional Arts Australia and administered in Victoria by Regional Arts Victoria. The Regional Arts Fund plays a key role in the Australian Government’s National Cultural Policy Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place. Revive provides an increase to the Regional Arts Fund of $8.5 million over four years from 2023-24, recognising the importance of the arts in strengthening local communities.
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Media Contact:
Kate Gerritsen, Director, Communications and Engagement | communications@rav.net.au
Image: Successful Regional Arts Fund applicant Manna Gum Community House with Pearl Park Music Festival. Photo: Karli Duckett
Posted: 24 November 2023