Boosting Our Independent Arts Sector

  • Minister for Creative Industries

Some 57 diverse creative projects will share in more than $1.6 million thanks to the latest round of the Andrews Labor Government’s VicArts Grants program.

The funding will provide opportunities for more than 1,600 independent artists of all abilities and backgrounds, creating works across a range of mediums.

The funding will see Victorian artists working locally and internationally, such as at the prestigious Venice Biennale and Edinburgh Fringe Festival, as well as in Thailand, Switzerland, the US and France.

The supported projects span Victoria, including a major new work by experimental art duo Cake Industries commissioned by the Art Gallery of Ballarat and a Natimuk-based project that will see a live orchestral piece set to an animation exploring the incredible world inside a beehive.

Several works will celebrate our First Peoples’ creativity, including supporting performances of the hit theatre show BigHouse Dreaming in Darwin and Brisbane, and a visual arts project that will explore how First Peoples knowledge can help tackle issues around sustainability and waste.

The program also invests in a range of skills development projects including a new guide for regional and outer metropolitan libraries on how to host must-see events, and a business development and marketing mentorship.

Applications for the next round of the VicArts Grants program will close on 22 August.

For the full list of projects along with guidelines and application templates, go to creative.vic.gov.au.

As stated by Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley

“These grants don’t just help produce new artistic works, they invest in the careers of the creative professionals who will power Victoria’s creative economy into the future.”

“The scope of the projects in this round show just how much artistic talent we have in Victoria to back.”

“The Andrews Labor Government is proud to help bring these creative projects to life so they can be enjoyed by audiences across Victoria and beyond.”

/Public Release. View in full here.