The Victorian Government is backing local artists, creatives and crews – with more than $1 million to support career-defining research and development activities, mentorships and training.
Minister for Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulos today announced the recipients of the latest round of investment through the creative R&D program Creators Fund, as well as support for a program to grow the state’s crewing workforce, addressing critical staff shortages in the live music and major events sectors.
“Victoria is the creative state and hundreds of thousands of workers power our $34 billion creative economy,” said Minister for Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulos. “We’re growing our creative workforce and backing workers to develop their skills, build their careers and deliver the experiences that make Victoria so unique.”
The latest round of the Creators Fund will support creative workers in fields such as fashion, music, sculpture, jewellery design, filmmaking and podcasting to build their skills and undertake the research, development and experimentation required to create ground-breaking new work.
Recipients include artist Lachlan Plain who will supercharge his career by undertaking research and development in animation and virtual reality, and jewellery designer Ella Badu who will experiment with traditional and sustainable jewellery processes.
Composer and musician Aviva Endean will assemble a team of 11 researchers from different disciplines who will undetake a joint research project to inform a new music work and First Peoples fashion designer Paul McCann will develop a new couture collection that will celebrate culture through wearable art.
Writer Jasper Peach will research themes of health in children’s literature, Deafblind artist Joe Monteleone will experiment with linocut carving, artist/film director Lilah Benetti will research Black Queer identities, and writer and podcaster Stephanie Van Schilt will explore new approaches to creative podcasting.
Since its launch in 2018, the Creators Fund has supported around 185 Victorian creatives working across a wide range of fields.
Behind the scenes workers in the live music and events sector will also be supported with $190,000 to back the Weasle Eicke Scholarship Program – a crew training initiative which is developed and delivered by CrewCare.
Applications are now open for the program which provides dedicated training, mentorships and placements to students studying Live Production and Sound Production, as well as casual workers from crewing companies to build their skills and gain employment in high demand roles such as lighting, sound, staging, rigging and more.
Named in honour of Victorian industry leader and veteran Wellesley “Weasle” Eicke, a highly respected lighting operator and technician who passed away in 2021, the program seeks to grow the crewing workforce and also encourages women and other underrepresented groups to pursue a career in the industry.
One in 11 Victorian workers are employed in the state’s creative economy, many of whom are gig workers. These programs support creative workers to upskill and build their careers, while ensuring Victoria has the workforce it needs to support the state’s renowned creative and events calendar, now and into the future.
Applications for the 2023 Weasle Eicke Scholarship program close on 16 June 2023. For more information, visit: www.crewcare.org.au For more information about the Creators Fund and a list of latest recipients, visit: www.creative.vic.gov.au for details.
Image: An audience at a live music concert (sourced)