Blacktown City Council is supporting the local arts and creative community with $45,250 in grants awarded to local artists and community organisations under the Blacktown City Creative Arts Fund 2024.
The fund offers opportunities for creative growth and professional artistic development for local artists, groups and organisations.
A total of 11 grants will support a range of people and organisations for creative projects which support refugees, address mental health issues, disabilities and provide opportunities for underrepresented artists, and allow for the expression of our diversity of cultures.
Kerry Robinson, CEO of Blacktown City said, "The artistic community in Blacktown City is strong and engaged with their local community, sharing their knowledge and creativity. Blacktown City Council, through Blacktown Arts, is pleased to maintain a commitment to the Arts in the City, supporting the individual and collective groups, sharing their talent and creativity."
The winning artists reflect and celebrate the diversity of Blacktown City.
Successful grant recipients were presented their cheques from Council on Monday 19 August. The applicants in this year's funding were all of a high standard and show the depth of creative talent we have in Blacktown City.
Grants were awarded to the following artists:
Muharrem Aslan
Project title: Music Workshops
A 10-week group music workshop for refugee adults aged 50 years old and over, from Turkish and Kurdish backgrounds who live in the Blacktown area.
Holly-Lee Dickson
Project title: Here me. See me.
Holly-Lee is creating life-sized sculptures representing invisible chronic health issues and complex mental illness to humanize these issues, foster empathy, and promote a more caring community in Blacktown.
Malathy Madhavan
Project title: Nurturing and enhancing local talents in authentic Indian classical dance forms
Malathy will create a unique space to showcase 15th-century Indian classical dance, introducing pure Indian art forms to the Blacktown community while fostering cultural harmony by involving local artists and students.
Dylan Mangunay - Mel.wav
Project title: Mel.wav
Mel.wav, a Western Sydney trio, is creating a pioneering collection of music that blends house rhythms with the region's rich cultural influences, inviting listeners on a journey of rhythm, culture, and discovery.
Christina Maras
Project title: Hello Sunshine
Christina is creating a documentary film that focuses on their lived experience and how important strong community support is for those who care for someone with mental illness.
Nautanki Theatre Inc
Project title: Bunty Barber
Nautanki Theatre will be creating a contemporary dance theatre presentation exploring and addressing social issues within the context of South-Asian barber shops particularly in suburbs like Blacktown, reflecting the rapid changing dynamics of Australian society.
Monique Rojas
Project title: A Space to Thrive
Monique is photographing artists with disabilities and incorporating them into a vibrant collage that will show each artists personalities, aspirations, stories, and quotes. Monique hopes their project creates more conversation about artists living with disability, inspires budding artists in Blacktown to pursue art, and creates more diversity within the art community of Blacktown.
Turbans 4 Australia Inc
Turbans 4 Australia will promote cross cultural understanding and interfaith harmony through an exhibition, about the western Sydney Sikh community and its rich culture at the Stanhope Gardens Library.
Matthew Vella
Project title: Nannu
Matthew is creating a short film about his Maltese-Australian heritage in Western Sydney, exploring themes of culture, immigration, and legacy through his family relationship with his Nannu.
Dominic Willkom
Project title: Estranged Roots
Dominic will create a series of paintings and sculptures to express the longing for a disconnected motherland and the journey of rebuilding those roots, aiming to bring closeness and understanding to others who share this experience.
Feker Yibeltal
Project title: Family Ties
Feker is creating a mixed media project based around their family, joining old and new family photos that have been collected throughout the years and repurposing them with embroidery. This series will allow Feker to grow closer with their ancestral Ethiopian roots. This work will help shine a light on immigrant parents and their lives before moving to Australia.
