First Nations communities and disability-led arts projects are amongst the recipients of the latest round of Art Project funding announced by the Australia Council for the Arts.
Overall, a total of 236 applications have been supported by more than $10.5 million. This program funds a range of activities that deliver benefits to the arts sector and wider public, including national and international audiences and communities.
This latest round includes continued support for projects that are led by, and benefit, First Nations peoples, children and young people, cultural diversity, older people, people with disability, and regional and remote Australia.
This round of investments includes $681,926 awarded to sixteen arts projects applications under the International Engagement Fund. This investment provides artists the opportunity to tour, exhibit, develop new work, or further grow international networks.
“The Australia Council is proud to support such a diverse range of arts projects around the country,” said Australia Council for the Arts CEO Adrian Collette. “It’s a sign of a re-energised arts sector that we are able to support good outcomes for artists, audiences and communities across Australia.”
Applications were peer assessed by one of nine panels: First Nations, CACD, Dance, EEA, Literature, Multi-arts, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts. Among the diverse activity funded, the grants supported:
Jillian Pearce (Victoria)
Construction and trial of TriPod as a new simple bamboo structure design that: A) supports ongoing research and development of performance concepts toward the making of a new work directly informed by the materiality of the bamboo. B) Collaborative movement research involves circus, physical theatre, aerial and rigging practices of regional collaborating companies Y Space, Nati Access, Wobbly Spoon, highliners, Nati Silks. C) Development of a sustainable management model toward TriPod as a seasonal ongoing place of practice and touring model.
Quiet Riot (Victoria)
Award winning Producer Linda Catalano (Quiet RIOT) & renowned contemporary circus Director Vicki Dela Amedume MBE (Upswing Circus UK) will collaborate with ARIA nominee Musical Director Jake Mason & a killer cast to create Rejuvenation Nation – a progressive degustation of soul, funk beats, circus & physical performance treats inspired by the sounds of revolution. Cookin’ on 3 Burners hip & heavy live score will power this new work of protest featuring the best of the performance underground.
Airileke Ingram (Queensland)
Airileke will produce, mix and master a 45 minute recording based on traditional percussion instruments Indigenous to Australia, Melanesia and Polynesia. The recording will be released on Gaba Musik and presented live at PASIFIX 2024. Arts Centre Melbourne (ACM) is proud to be able to present Airileke’s work as part of the Live At the Bowl series.
The project will highlight First Nations Australian traditional percussion instruments such as the Warup, Lumut and Kulap from Torres Strait; Tifa, Garamut and Kundu from Papua; and Pate from the Cook Islands. Remixed by some of Airileke’s co producers & collaborators, and presented with contemporary Dancers from Torres Strait, Yalanji, and PNG.
Jessica Kapuscinski-Evans (Victoria)
How does a quadriplegic person commit murder? How do we re-frame the harmful stereotype of disabled person as eternal villain, and tell a deeply witty story infused with disability culture and authentic casting?
Jessica Kapuscinski Evans tackles these things and more in her upcoming premiere season of Murder, She Dictated, 11 – 22 October at Northcote Town Hall. With a cast of 9 Deaf/disabled actors, and disabled writer and producer, we are creating an intriguing, entertaining and utterly unique work for post-pandemic Melbourne audiences.
This high-quality theatre show has embedded access and is part of Melbourne Fringe. We are seeking funding for rehearsals, production and access costs. This is a new, original work from The Waiting Room Arts Company.
Julia Hales (WA)
The New Bachelorette is a collaboration between award-winning theatre artists Julia Hales and Bron Batten. It’s an innovative piece of contemporary performance exploring love, dating and relationships. It reimagines the reality TV franchise, with Julia – an actor with Down syndrome – starring as the bachelorette. She will date men with differing abilities live on stage.
Access, technology and inclusion are central components of the process behind the work incorporating real-time video and pre-recorded content around live performance. Julia and Bron have assembled a strong creative team including Jonathon Oxlade (designer) and Kate Sulan (co-director). The Major Festivals Initiative and four commissioning partners are supporting the world premiere season, produced by Performing Lines WA.
For more information and full list of recipients, visit: www.australiacouncil.gov.au for details.
Image: Neon Colours – Photo by Efe Kurnaz on Unsplash