Young and emerging artists aged between 16 and 25 years are invited to apply for the next round of the City of Greater Bendigo's Create Lab Small Grants.
Grants for up to $2,000 are available for funding new creative work.
Successful applicants will be supported by an established creative mentor who will be matched with projects based on the nature of the successful applications.
Mentors involved in the program are all professional, working artists, ready and willing to share their experience, and support young people along their creative development journey.
Young applicants are asked to submit ideas for projects that can respond to the themes of people, place, time or culture.
Project proposals can involve any artform, including but not limited to visual arts, illustration, installation, sculpture, fashion, writing, storytelling, spoken word, dance, theatre, music, sound art, video art, film, new media, animation, and experimental arts.
Create Lab Small Grants intend to:
- Support young and emerging artists aged 16 to 25 years (including people aged 25 years) to explore ideas and develop their creative capacity
- Support new collaborations and partnerships
- Offer emerging artists practical advice through a supported mentoring relationship with an established artist
- Provide access to workspace, meeting space, studio for filming, green screen
- Provide networking opportunities
- Provide seed funding that encourages artists to test ideas that may see further development
Key selection criteria:
Up to $2,000 is available for projects, including artist fees, equipment, and materials. Projects need to demonstrate one or more of the following:
- An untested idea that needs support to be explored
- Importance of funding to development of the idea, skills of the artist or artists involved
- A new collaboration or creative partnership between artists and/or artforms that extends the skills of artists
- Projects that represent a diverse range of art forms including film and sound works, collaborative and interactive work, video installation, hybrid or experimental forms
An online information session will be held at 5pm on Wednesday October 30 (the session recording is available on request via the email below).
An in-person session will be held at 4pm on Friday November 1 at the Emporium Creative Hub at 25 Mitchell Street.
A grant writing workshop is taking place at 4pm on Friday November 8 at the Emporium Creative Hub.
Creative Industries Officer Mandy Field said having the mentor involved in individual projects was a fantastic opportunity for young creatives.
"This next round of Create Lab grants will not only support young and emerging artists to realise a new creative idea or project but will also create the opportunity for them to build connections and broaden networks in the creative industries sector through the support of an artist mentor," Ms Field said.
"The program has been designed to provide support throughout the process with information sessions and a grant writing workshop.
"Applicants are encouraged to bring their questions, or their draft applications along and receive feedback and suggestions.
"Through both one on one and peer to peer mentoring workshops during the program, young and emerging artists will be able to extend their capacity and build important skills and knowledge around ways of working creatively."
For enquiries about the project, please email or call and ask to speak to the Creative Communities Officer in Economic Development:
