Blacktown City Council is delighted to announce $32,900 in grants awarded to local artists and community organisations under the 2022 Creative Arts Fund.
The 17 grant awards range from a program to support young artists with a disability through to singing courses, a comedy web series, an animated poem and the creation of street libraries.
Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM congratulated the recipients of the grants and said the artists reflected the diversity of the Blacktown City community:
"These grants celebrate the excellence and variety of the artistic community in and around Blacktown City, and many have a strong emphasis on community engagement, knowledge-sharing, and resource creation.
We are fortunate to have a wonderfully vibrant and talented community in Blacktown City and Council has a long-standing commitment to supporting the arts.
As always, the applicants in this year's fund were all of a high standard and showcase the depth of creative talent we have in our City and I look forward to seeing the projects come to fruition."
Examples of successful projects include:
workshop development for young artists with disability
ceramic works to be exhibited at Sydney World Pride 2023
ten street libraries to be created in association with the Street Library Movement
a six-week course in a cappella singing for women from the Blacktown community
portfolio development for local emerging artists.
Grants were awarded in two categories: the first for local incorporated community organisations, and the second for local artists applying as individuals or artist groups.
Blacktown City Council, through Blacktown Arts, is pleased to support these individual and organisational projects, spanning across media including painting, podcasting, music, ceramics, murals, web series, and workshop development.
A $3,000 grant was awarded to the following community organisation:
Front Up Ability Options (Seven Hills): A program to support and mentor eight active Front Up Studio young artists with disability. This will assist the artists to facilitate fortnightly workshops to re-engage with non-active members affected by isolation, due to COVID.
Grants of up to $2,000 were awarded to the following individuals and artist groups:
Yusra Alkeswani of Glenwood: An environmental project for the development of handmade mosaic artworks on terracotta bird baths.
The Cheatcoders of Plumpton: Performances, special guest speakers and interviews to celebrate the 200th episode of The Cheatcoders podcast through a gameshow format presented by the hosts of The Cheatcoders.
Wayne Tunks of Blacktown: Artist fees for the production and development of a comedy web series about an ageing brother-and-sister team of monster hunters.
Anjali Sharma of Blacktown: Professional development fees to develop a professional portfolio, social media presence and online presence as well as attending two creative business courses.
Gaele Sobott of Blacktown: Development of a poem to be transposed into an animation with sound.
Kristone Capistrano of Rooty Hill: Development of a durational drawing video with dual screens.
Mike Moore of Blacktown: Artist fees and use of photography studio to develop a photography portfolio.
Jeffrey Lees of Blacktown: Development and making of ceramic moulds with melted glass techniques to exhibit as part of Sydney World Pride 2023.
Catherine Leung of The Ponds: Artist fees to support the development of 10-15 large-scale abstract mixed media paintings which explore the impact of colour and words on the human psyche.
Priyanka Gounder of Rooty Hill: Artist fees and material costs for three canvas artworks inspired by deep Indian folk-art culture.
Ozlum Guccuk of Blacktown: A visual arts mural.
Amrita Paudel Timalsina of Riverstone: Professional development and artist fees for paintings.
George Varelis of Mount Druitt: Production fees for the development of a music video for third self-released dual language album in Greek and English.
Rose Lewis of Marayong: Development and creation of ten street libraries in association with the Street Library Movement.
Paul Schmidt of Lalor Park: Artist fees for the development of a street art mural at Karishna Spices Store, Lalor Park.
Circular Keys Chorus of Quakers Hill: Development of performances for women from the Blacktown community to learn the art of a cappella singing in four-part harmony with the Circular Keys Chorus for a six-week course.
Photo: Blacktown City Councillor Kathie Collins OAM with recipients of the 2022 Blacktown City Creative Arts Fund.
