Eight vibrant arts projects across Queensland receive funding

Diverse arts and cultural projects across the State will be supported with more than $275,000 thanks to recent funding through the Palaszczuk Government’s Queensland Arts Showcase Program.

Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said there were eight successful projects in the latest round of funding that covered a wide range of art forms, including vibrant community festivals and dance events.

“The Palaszczuk Government supports Queenslanders who work in the arts and cultural sector,” Minister Enoch said.

“In September there will be a week-long development program in Brisbane, the Brisbane International Contemporary Dance Prix, that will feature workshops, performances and networking opportunities, connecting talented young practitioners with acclaimed international and national directors, choreographers and teachers in contemporary dance.”

Minister Enoch said this funding not only supports the development and growth of the arts and cultural sector in Queensland, it encourages engagement in the arts through creative, diverse and original experiences in communities across the state.

“For example, in October the five-day Arts Ablaze conference will be held in the Scenic Rim and celebrate regional arts through an arts showcase, panel discussions, workshops, and opportunities to network and learn.”

Minister Enoch said the Queensland Arts Showcase Program funding also supports Queensland’s emerging arts practitioners across a range of genres from exciting new theatre through to contemporary art.

“Up and coming local artist Torin Francis is using the funding to present his first large-scale Queensland exhibition, GYRE, featuring new contemporary installations, sculptures and moving image works.”

Mr Francis said as an emerging artist, being able to secure funding is crucial to the professional development of an arts practice and the QASP funding would help him take the next step in his career.

“This funding from Arts Queensland will now enable me to create new, ambitious work involving artists and writers that can contribute in a significant way to the exciting, rich cultural scene in Brisbane and Queensland,” Mr Francis said.

This round also shows a focus on First Nations’ programming with two festivals sharing in more than $65,000 to grow their events and audiences.

Minister Enoch said in Cairns, the long-running Gimuy Fish Festival will expand their presentation of First Nations’ music, dance and culture, while the Noosa alive! Festival will aim to engage audiences in diverse First Nations arts experiences.

“I’m proud that the Palaszczuk Government is continuing its support for the arts and cultural sector,” Minister Enoch said.

“The range of projects in this round of funding is impressive and already it’s having a real impact in connecting our communities and creating employment.”

Since QASP opened in September 2015, 354 applicants have received funding support totalling $11.9 million.

For more information about QASP, visit www.arts.qld.gov.au.

Recipients for Queensland Arts Showcase Program funding

Total: $275,446

• The Mount Isa Blast - $56,200 for the major community event held during the Queensland Music Festival. The Mount Isa Blast celebrated the people of Mount Isa and attracted audiences of more than 6000 people.
• Brisbane International Contemporary Dance Prix - $37,338 for a week-long development program for emerging contemporary dancers to connect them with acclaimed international and national directors, choreographers and teachers in contemporary dance. 
• Noosa alive! - $28,250 to support the delivery of this established festival that will include four First Nations arts offerings in the program to increase the engagement of local and interstate audiences with high-quality and diverse arts experiences.
• Wonderland Festival - $26,500 to support a Brisbane based multi-art form festival that celebrates creators and presents a cavalcade of burlesque, circus, cabaret, music, comedy, poetry and theatre.
• Arts Ablaze 2019 Regional Art Conference and Celebration - $47,200 to generate a powerful and engaging program with employment of production and stage management teams and key artists to engage with the community of Scenic Rim.

• Gimuy Fish Festival - $38,000 to extend the music and dance and cultural expression of Indigenous artists’ components of long-running community festival in Cairns.
• Rockpocalypse - $37,050 to support the final creative development and presentation of the premiere season of this new work of locally responsive, community-based theatre by emerging playwright Jessica Lamb.
• GYRE - $4,908 to support Torin Francis’ first large-scale solo exhibition in Queensland, consisting of new, ambitious contemporary art to be presented at Metro Arts in Brisbane.