Ninety-one creative organisations will share in $20 million under the seventh batch of grants from the Morrison Government’s $200 million Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund, which has created more than 200,000 jobs across Australia since 2020.
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said the RISE Fund is playing an important role in the resurgence of Australia’s creative and cultural sector.
“Today’s announcement takes to $200 million the funding that has been committed under RISE. It has gone to 541 projects, creating more than 213,000 jobs across Australia, to be seen by a total audience of 55 million people,” Minister Fletcher said.
“The purpose of RISE is to back the arts and entertainment sector to recover from the devastating impact of COVID-19 shutdowns. We want to see venue doors thrown open to audiences; we want to see the curtains going up; and we want to see performers coming on stage to a welcoming roar of applause.
“This unprecedented injection of arts stimulus funding is producing an extraordinary cultural and creative dividend; with a two-year pipeline of supported events rolling out across Australia.”
Amongst the 91 new projects being funded, some highlights include:
- $325,000 for Insite Arts International to deliver Nharangga – an Indigenous opera by Jacob Boehme that weaves together multiple Narungga Dreaming stories to tell the creation story of Yorke Peninsula.
- $400,000 for the Deni Ute Muster to support their iconic two-day event which provides significant economic, strategic and social benefits to the Southern Riverina region of NSW.
- $394,500 for Back to Back Theatre to develop a project embracing Geelong, presenting a popular work, creating a new community piece and installing a major message beacon.
Joint Artistic Director of the Adelaide Festival and Chair of the Creative Economy Taskforce Rachel Healy said this latest announcement of RISE support will once again catalyse a vast range and scale of creative activity in every Australian state and territory.
“More than 23,000 new work opportunities for artists, producers and crew are triggered by this funding announcement, creating a pipeline of shows and events that will ultimately be seen by 2 million people across the nation,” Ms Healy said.
Every RISE announcement delivers a thrill of excitement as the lists of funded projects hint at the remarkable events that are soon to entertain, stimulate, provoke and engage Australians over the coming months.”
