16 Mar, 2015
Australian musicians to get A$900,000 in grants to promote their work locally and abroad
Canberra, Media statement by the Minister of the Arts, George Brandis – 13 March 2015
Today I am announcing close to $900,000 in grants to increase the exposure of Australian musicians to national and international audiences, and support the development of new work. Forty-two musicians will be supported by a range of music grants through the Australia Council for the Arts.
International engagement and the promotion of Australian artists on the world stage is a key priority for the Australian Government.
International Collaboration grants of $50,000 each will go to four musicians to create and record major new works through collaboration with international artists. Recipients are recorder virtuoso Genevieve Lacey, one of Australia’s leading reggae and dancehall producers Jake Savona, composer and master performer of the Chinese mouth organ Dr Wang Zheng-Ting and Perth musician Christopher Cobilis.
International Pathways grants of up to $20,000 each support international tours by Australian musicians performing Australian music to help develop new markets and audiences. Six successful applicants include Courtney Barnett and band Twerps who will both attend the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin followed by tours to the United States and Europe.
Australia Council funding also supports the creation and promotion of new works. The ongoing creation of original material by Australian artists is vital to the growth of the music sector.
Presentation and Promotion grants support live performances, publishing and marketing of Australian music. The twelve recipients of grants ranging from $16,000 to $30,000 include the UMI Soundz program by Umi Arts to build audiences for Indigenous contemporary music in far north Queensland, the Tyalgum Music Festival of chamber music in rural New South Wales and a presentation of contemporary Australian art music across the rural regions of Tasmania by Big hART.
New work grants ranging from $3,000 to $20,000 each for one-off creative projects in Australian music, sound art or media art go to 20 recipients. Recipients include Felix Riebel from The Cat Empire to compose a work for the Gondwana Choirs, Deborah Cheetham AO to compose a large-scale choral work in the language of the Gunditjmara people, and Catherine Milliken to compose a new work to be premiered by the Bavarian Symphony Orchestra in Munich.
These grants were from the 2014 program and this activity is now supported through the Australia Council’s new grants model launched in January 2015. For more information on the Australia Council and grants visit www.australiacouncil.gov.au. Applications for the next round of Australia Council’s new grants program close on Tuesday 2 June 2015.
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