AUSTRALIA COUNCIL’S LATEST FUNDING ROUND SUPPORTS CLOSE TO 200 PROJECTS, WITH STRONG SUCCESS BY FEMALE ARTISTS

The $6.4 million funding in the October core grants round will support 118 individual artists, 27 groups, and 51 arts organisations.

This round saw strong outcomes for female artists, particularly in music, with 56% of grants awarded to women or groups including women. This is particularly encouraging in light of the Council’s recent research report Making Art Work which found that on average female artists earn 25% less than male artists and earn 30% less from their creative work.

Australia Council CEO Tony Grybowski said that this funding round would benefit local and international audiences with a large number of live performance projects being successful.

“Many of the projects funded include international components which will expand artistic and commercial opportunities for Australian artists and strengthen our international reputation for producing great art and artists, as well as sharing Australian stories with global audiences,” Mr Grybowski said.

The Australia Council received a total of 1,423 applications in the latest core grants round, spanning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts, Community Arts and Cultural Development, Dance, Emerging and Experimental Arts, Literature, Multi-art form, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts.

In addition to the $6.4 million in core grants delivered through the October round approximately $3.3 million was invested in other targeted programs and initiatives including International Residencies, Visual Art and Craft Strategy funding to individuals, Playing Australia and the Contemporary Music Touring Program.

The Council’s core grants program continues to attract a high proportion of first time applicants, enabling a diverse range of artists and arts organisations to access support.

Australia Council grant applications are assessed by panels of expert peers from across the country who bring deep artistic knowledge and industry experience. Of the 129 peers involved in assessing the latest round, 35% were based in regional and remote areas, 21% identified as culturally and linguistically diverse, 17% identified as First Nations, and 5% identified as people with disability.

Applications for the next grants round close on Tuesday 6th February 2018.

Source: australiacouncil.gov.au