The Australia Council for the Arts recently named this year’s grant recipients under its Visual Arts and Crafts Strategy (VACS) Major Commissioning Projects program.
A total of 11 diverse visual arts and crafts projects get to share $1.1 million in combined investment from Australia’s key arts funding and advisory body. The financial backing is designed to provide support to talented artists, be they individuals or organizations, and ensure that their works get to see the light of day and appreciated not only nationally but also internationally.
© Danie Mellor, The pleasure and vexation of history, 2017. Image courtesy of the artist
The grant recipients range from the up-and-coming to the established ones who work using different media. Each work is set to receive $100,000.
The projects are to appear within Australia and abroad, across those of noted Aboriginal artist Richard Bell, whose new commission ‘Pay the Rent (United Kingdom)’ is part of a solo exhibition in the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern, London, in May.
In arriving at the final list of recipients, all the applications were assessed thoroughly by selected industry experts who used a strict set of criteria, which include quality, viability and creation of new work.
The Australia Council for the Arts expressed excitement over the latest batch of beneficiaries of its VACS Major Commissioning Projects program, highlighting how the program is a further affirmation of its commitment to rally behind stakeholders of the local contemporary visual arts sector.
“Australia has a rich array of talented visual arts and crafts artists, and we recognise and respect their passion and dedication to their craft, as well as their enormous contribution to the nation’s collective artistic endeavour,” said Australia Council for the Arts Chief Executive Adrian Collette.
“Through this investment, we are pleased to help ensure these ambitious new works are realised and able to reach diverse audiences, whether they be in small venues, state galleries or exhibition spaces in the United Kingdom and Germany,” he added.
Australia’s Minister for the Arts Tony Burke, for his part, said the funding is a key component of Revive, the country’s National Cultural Policy.
“Our artists hold up a mirror that allows Australians to see themselves, to understand each other and to show us to the rest of the world. These artists represent the talent, ambition and diversity of Australia’s arts sector. I can’t wait to see what they create,” Burke said.
The list of 2023 VACS Major Commissioning Projects grant recipients follows:
- Danie Mellor (NSW), presenting at the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QLD)
- Richard Bell (QLD), presenting at the TATE Modern (UK)
- Rochelle Haley (NSW), presenting at the National Gallery of Australia (ACT)
- Justine Youssef (NSW), presenting at Adelaide Contemporary International (SA), Institute of Modern Art (QLD) and UTS Gallery & Collection (NSW)
- Elizabeth Willing (QLD), presenting at Metro Arts (QLD)
- Skye O’Meara, on behalf of George Cooley (SA), presenting at the Art Gallery of South Australia
- Andrew Hutson (TAS), presenting at Contemporary Art Tasmania (TAS)
- Vipoo Srivilasa (VIC), presenting at the Australian Design Centre (NSW)
- AM Kanngieser (VIC), presenting at Transmediale (Germany) and Sonic Acts Biennale (Netherlands)
- Common Collective (VIC), presenting at a location in the City of Wyndham (VIC)
- Second Generation Collective (WA), presenting at the Perth Institute for Contemporary Arts
For more information on the Visual Arts and Crafts Strategy, check out the Australia Council for the Arts website at australiacouncil.gov.au.
SHARE THIS POST
RELATED ARTICLES
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Sign up and be a member today! Unlock promotional deals, Mentor advice, event invites, competition prizes, and showcase your work to the wider industry.
Submit your best travel image from 5 September – 5 October 2022 and go in the running to win a SanDisk Professional G-DRIVE SSD 4TB for this month’s Travel Image Competition! Signing up will also grant you access to exclusive deals and promotions, competitions and much more.
—— OR ——
By clicking on “Submit”, you agree to Western Digital’s Privacy Statement and SanDisk Professional Academy Terms and Conditions.
Be Part of the Creative Professional Community
Become a member to gain access to heaps of perks, from expert Mentor advice to product deals and giveaways.
