2015 Sidney Myer Creative Fellows announced

Arts Review Tommy Murphy Sidney Myer FellowshipThe Sidney Myer Creative Fellows recognise talent and exceptional courage in mid-career artists. This year they have been awarded to ten talented artists from across Australia in dance, performance, visual arts, writing, theatre and music.

The 2015 Sidney Myer Creative Fellowships have been awarded to: Martin del Amo – dance (NSW); Marieke Hardy – live art / written word (VIC); Harry Angus – music (VIC); Lawrence English – music (Qld); Alexis Wright – writing (VIC); Tommy Murphy – playwright (NSW); Timothy Watts – theatre (WA); Gabrielle de Vietri – visual arts (VIC); Emily Floyd – visual arts (VIC); and Courtney Collins – writing (NT). Each Fellow is awarded an unrestricted grant of $160,000 over a two year period.

Established in 2011, the Sidney Myer Creative Fellowships have to date awarded $7.5 million directly to 47 mid-career artists. This uniquely places the Fellows and their artistic endeavours at the centre of the Fellowships.

“I strongly believe that a society can only flourish when all members are valued,” says Carrillo Gantner AO, Chairman of the Sidney Myer Fund. “For me, the arts are pivotal in creating this environment. We need to support and nurture artists, so we as a society can prosper.”

“Artists ask difficult questions, they celebrate and embrace, they prod and poke and hold a mirror up to society – we need this so that many viewpoints are presented in the public arena. We proudly support artists, and I am delighted that the Fellowships directly support artists, each creating works of excellence across their fields.”

To be nominated for a Fellowship, artists and thought leaders must be within seven and 15 years into their creative practice and meet two criteria: outstanding talent and exceptional professional courage. They are open to artists and arts managers across the entire spectrum of the visual, performing, interdisciplinary, new media and literary arts.

The national Peer Review Panel for the 2015 Fellows comprised of: Jemma Birrell, Fran Clark, Fraser Corfield, Ann McLean, Rosemary Miller, John Sheedy and Emma Webb.

For more information, visit: www.myerfoundation.org.au for details.

Image: Tommy Murphy (supplied)