The Australia Council’s latest grants and fellowships announced today show a continued trend of strong success for First Nations artists. A total investment of $6.2 million will support 201 project and development grants for individuals, groups and small to medium arts organisations.
Among the recipients: Melbourne-based hip hop, soul and R&B artist Mojo Juju, to take part in a European tour with the Hilltop Hoods; First Nations curator Freja Carmichael, for her latest project building on her success as the inaugural recipient of the emerging First Nations curator award; and Four Winds Festival, to commission songs for young people from First Nations composer Brenda Gifford.
Australia Council CEO Adrian Collette congratulated all recipients for their success in a highly competitive, peer assessed process. “This strong result for First Nations artists is particularly pleasing and reflects Council’s long term commitment to First Nations arts and culture,” he said.
“Now more than ever, Australians are engaging with First Nations arts for their beauty, strength and power, and to understand who we are as a nation.”
“Equally pleasing is that almost a third of the successful applicants nominated audience engagement, or access and participation, as primary outcomes of their project. We want as many Australians as possible to be captivated by arts experiences,” said Mr Collette.
The latest grant round also includes the recipients of the Australia Council’s highly sought-after Fellowships. For the first time this year, the Australia Council will award two additional Fellowships, taking the total number to ten.
The Fellowship Recipients are: Maree Clarke (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts); Lydia Fairhall (Community Arts and Cultural Development); Luke George (Dance); S.J Norman (Emerging and Experimental Arts); Oron Catts (Emerging and Experimental Arts); Michelle de Kretser (Literature); Catherine Milliken (Music); Laurence Pike (Music); Sue Giles (Theatre); and Susan Jacobs (Visual Arts).
For more information, and the full list of grant recipients, visit: www.australiacouncil.gov.au for details.
Image: Mojo Juju – courtesy of the artist