East Gippsland Shire Council has thrown its support behind four arts programs, including a Koorie Artist Development Project.
East Gippsland Art Gallery will receive $8,000 in Council funding to support the pilot project - a sustainable model that supports local Aboriginal artists to work in a new artform while building capacity in the commercial market.
Mayor Cr Natalie O'Connell said five successful grant recipients were awarded under round one of Council's 2019/20 arts grants including the East Gippsland Art Gallery's Koorie Artist Development Project.
"Council is supportive of the arts and understands the importance it has in our culture and communities. We are proud to support the East Gippsland Art Gallery to deliver this project," Cr O'Connell said.
Crystal Stubbs, Director of the East Gippsland Art Gallery, said the Koorie Artist Development Project aims to strengthen the creative Koorie industries ecosystem within East Gippsland.
"It will increase participation and access to cultural and creative endeavours and build on the professional and business capacity of Koorie artists. This will benefit those participating artists in their practice, and the broader community," Ms Stubbs said.
"It is well documented that artists who work in a shared creative space benefit in many ways, enhancing creativity, providing opportunities for networking, career advancement, idea exchange and the creation of new and valuable relationships, resulting in the cultivation of art, culture and community."
Council also awarded a grant of $8,000 to QuasiTrad Music Melbourne's 'Lost in the Groove' music fiesta.
"Lost in the Groove is an initiative that will bring an international band to Bairnsdale to collaborate with local East Gippsland musicians in January 2020," Cr O'Connell said.
"A three-day fiesta of free Celtic music events including workshops, jam sessions will culminate in a finale concert at the Forge Theatre and Arts Hub."
The three other arts grants were awarded to:
- Gippsland Lakes Community Health: $5,000 for From Little Seeds, a high-quality theatre work for children.
- Centre for Rural Communities: $2,000, for Stories of Influence, a three-day event for storytellers and writers taking place at Lake Tyers Hall next weekend.
- Orbost Exhibition Centre: $3,000 to support the 2020 Australian Wood Design exhibit.
