The Art Gallery of South Australia has announced that it is supporting visual artists directly through its reinvigorated South Australian Artists Fund. With several $10,000 Artist Bursaries on offer, AGSA will accept applications from South Australian artists, collectives and art centres who are experiencing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 situation.
AGSA is working hand-in-hand with its philanthropic community to offer direct financial support to artists during this unprecedented time. It is through the vision and generosity of the James & Diana Ramsay Foundation and Neilson Foundation that AGSA is relaunching the South Australian Artists Fund.
“AGSA’s support for artists has never been more critical,” said AGSA Director Rhana Devenport ONZM. “While we focus on supporting our audiences with innovative new digital content during the Gallery’s temporary closure, it is crucially important to recognise that artists are at the centre of everything we do.”
“Isolation has again highlighted how we turn to artists and their work to provide solace, pleasure, criticality and insight in our world. This is our way to directly support artists when it matters most.”
Devenport emphasises that there are no presentation outcomes expected; these bursaries are for the express purpose of supporting South Australian artists given the difficulties they are facing.
“One of the advantages of being in South Australia is that Governments and arts organisations can work together to provide complementary support for those artists most in need,” said Devenport. “AGSA acknowledges the early work that the South Australian Government has provided in its COVID-19 Arts Grants Support.”
Applications open on Monday 4 May and will close on Monday 18 May 2020. They will be assessed by an internal panel, with successful recipients notified in due course. For more information, visit: www.agsa.sa.gov.au for details.
Image: Mark Kimber, Devil’s Dyke, 1984, England, type C photograph, 50.5 x 40.5 cm (image); Art Gallery of South Australia Foundation’s South Australian Artists Fund 2014, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide – courtesy of Mark Kimber