More than $800,000 in grants has been awarded to a diverse range of artists, as part of the latest round of the City of Melbourne’s Annual Arts Grants Program.
Fifty-nine artists and arts organisations have received grants of up to $20,000 for projects in theatre, dance, music, circus, writing, multimedia and visual art to be delivered across 2019.
Arts, Culture and Heritage Portfolio Chair, Councillor Rohan Leppert, said the grants provide a major boost for local artists to explore creative ideas and provoke thought and discussion. “The latest round of arts grants will ensure 925 days’ worth of arts activity in our city in 2019, with more than 1,800 artists involved,” said Cr Leppert.
“Not only are we working hard to foster Melbourne’s incredible artistic talents, we’re also ensuring their work is brought to the public free of charge, with more than 75 percent of this year’s events open to everyone. It’s exciting to see such a wealth of varied talent within the City of Melbourne and I look forward to seeing their contributions to Australia’s cultural capital.”
This year’s arts grants recipients include:
- Melbourne indie rock band Rudely Interrupted – a band comprised of people living with a disability, who’ll put on a collaborative musical showcase to coincide with Autism Awareness Week.
- Freeplay Independent Games Festival – a cross-disciplinary celebration of the artistry of independent games and playful culture.
- Reciproco/Reciprocal by Dominco de Clario – an experimental international collaboration between five contemporary visual artists of Italian origin from Melbourne and five contemporary visual artists from Italy.
- An exhibition Tales of Legends by Canh Tran, showcasing handcrafted beaded items created as imaginary archaeological artefacts of the Vietnamese people.
- The Garden Dance by Jo Lloyd – a series of outdoor performances for 10 dancers investigating the concept and use of a grid system to tame a city, accompanied by movement workshops for the public.
Cr Leppert said the Annual Arts Grants Program has celebrated Melbourne’s creative community for the past 20 years, with a 363 percent return for every budget dollar spent. “The Arts Grants Program is one of Council’s most successful and I am incredibly proud we continue to help support the important work of Melbourne’s artistic community,” said Cr Leppert.
For more information, and to view successful recipients, visit: www.melbourne.vic.gov.au for details.
Image: Rudely Interrupted (sourced)