$43,400 for indigenous arts community

Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra and South Coast and Member for Kiama Gareth Ward MP and Minister for the Arts the Hon Don Harwin MLC have today announced $43,400 in new arts funding for the Bundanon Trust Aboriginal Residency Program.

The Bundanon Trust is one of the first recipients of the Creative Koori Aboriginal Strategic Program funding which totals more than $565,000 to boost the Aboriginal arts and cultural sector in New South Wales.

Administered by Create NSW, the funding will support ten projects to create new employment, encourage professional development and build the capacity for Aboriginal artists and arts and cultural workers across the State.

The Bundanon program funding will go towards establishing a new residency scheme in 2019 specifically for Aboriginal artists.

Member for Kiama Gareth Ward MP said, “This is fantastic news for our local area and we are hugely excited to see our strong Aboriginal artists and community be recognised through this funding. This is a great opportunity for future development and I know the investment will be greatly received.”

Minister for the Arts the Hon Don Harwin MLC further commented that, “Fostering a strong, contemporary multi-disciplinary Aboriginal arts and cultural sector in New South Wales with increased employment opportunities has been one of our driving priorities in the New South Wales Government’s ten-year Arts and Cultural Policy Framework Create in NSW.

“We were inundated with interest and applications for the Creative Koori fund and I am delighted by the range of artforms, regional diversity, career pathways and innovative opportunities that our recipient projects will deliver on

“From new residencies to ongoing employment with some of our strongest artists and organisations, this funding is enabling a fantastic number of opportunities for Aboriginal artists, across varied stages of their artistic practice,” Minister Harwin said.

First launched in March 2018, funding of up to $75,000 was available for individuals and organisations that could demonstrate the incorporation of Aboriginal culture as part of a festival, performance or exhibition, or in the direct employment and engagement of Aboriginal people in key creative roles.

For further information on arts, screen and culture funding, including targeted support opportunities, please visit the website at: create.nsw.gov.au or email [email protected].