Arts and Cultural Grants recipients announced for 2019/20

Council has announced the recipients of seven grants totalling $21,942 to help boost arts and culture projects in Maroondah as part of its 2019/20

Councillor Mike Symon, Chair of Maroondah’s Arts Advisory Committee, said groups whose arts and cultural activities demonstrated they could enhance and contribute to the vitality and diversity of the arts within Maroondah were eligible for financial assistance.

“Open to arts and cultural partnerships, groups and organisations, the grants offer support to projects at any stage of the creative process, with the aim of delivering a more vibrant and accessible arts and cultural sector in Maroondah,” Cr Symon said.

“Council’s Arts and Cultural Grants Funding Scheme helps innovative local projects to get off the ground. Every successful project represents another opportunity for residents to engage in activities that contribute to the vibrancy and depth of our community,” he said.

The funding can be used for a wide range of opportunities which demonstrate new approaches, which could include creative development, administrative support, and the activation of new arts and cultural spaces.

“I would like to congratulate all of the groups who were successful in securing funding,” Cr Symon said.

“We are pleased with the range of projects submitted by the applicants and look forward to seeing what emerges from this funding towards these initiatives and wish all of the recipients the very best with their upcoming projects,” he said.

The Arts and Cultural Grants Funding Scheme is a category of Council’s Community Grants Program and enables not-for-profit groups, artists and organisations to deliver community-driven projects, initiatives and events that increase the city’s arts profile and participation within the arts.

The seven successful 2019/20 Arts and Cultural Grants Funding Scheme recipients are:

Connecting the lines, connecting the people: Local visual art groups, the Nadrasca Artists and Studio 4 Artists, will develop new artworks for an exhibition celebrating what they enjoy about Maroondah, to be held in September at the Maroondah Federation Estate Gallery.

The Bard in the Backyard: This site-specific work will fuse original, locally based stories with the tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet. It will be performed in the intriguing cultural space The Backyard, within the Ringwood arts precinct.

The Chemist: Croydon-based artist and award-winning photo journalist Andy Drewitt will develop a street art stencil work for the Croydon Main Street precinct. The work will celebrate the contribution of Croydon pharmacist Jim Burns in helping people considered to be at risk of ‘falling through the cracks’. Funds will support the artist and installation costs.

Carnifex: This mural by Maroondah-based award-winning designer/artist Roger Archbold will explore Croydon’s history from the Pleistocene, depicting the marsupial lion which lived and hunted in the area. The mural will be installed in the Croydon Main Street precinct and is supported by partners including La Trobe University, Museums Victoria, and Croydon Main Street Traders.

Urban Chill Nights: Emerging local artists will perform for audiences in a series of friendly and relaxed events presented at Urban Life and The Backyard, combining open mic segments with more experienced performers. Funds will cover artist and technical costs.

The Ringwood Eisteddfod is a long-standing valuable part of Maroondah’s cultural life. Funds will assist with website development to help increase participation and improve administration.

‘Look What I Can Do’ art and craft market: Funds will cover materials and promotional costs for art workshops for adults with disability/cultural/language barriers to create art and craft pieces for display and selling in an Enterprise Art and Craft Market.

Applications for the 2020/2021 Arts and Cultural Grants Funding Scheme open in March 2020.

If you have an idea for a future grant initiative that you would like to discuss at any time during the year, please speak to our Arts and Cultural Development Officer on 1300 88 22 33.