$20,000 for Aboriginal art and culture
27th June 2018
Source: Lakes Mail | By: David Stewart | Posted: June 27, 2018
LAKE Macquarie City Council has received $20,000 in state government funding to develop an exhibition space for Aboriginal art and culture.
Member for Lake Macquarie, Greg Piper, and Minister for the Arts, Don Harwin, today announced the council would receive the funding through the annual Aboriginal Regional Arts Fund from arts and culture agency, Create NSW.
With the funding, the council will develop a strategic framework for a dedicated Aboriginal exhibition space.
The project is one of nine selected to share funding of $160,964, with projects spanning weaving and ceramics workshops, curatorial practice through to multi-arts festivals and musicals, set to take place from July this year.
Last month, the state government gave the council more than $2 million to fund an expansion of Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery and the creation of a multi-arts space at Speers Point Park.
Mr Harwin said Aboriginal Regional Arts Fund (ARAF) projects would engage and promote Aboriginal artists, arts and culture and offer communities and audiences lasting legacies.
“As well as supporting existing Aboriginal arts and cultural workers, each of the creative projects will help to build sustainable artistic capacity across regional arts,” Mr Harwin said.
“From hands-on traditional weaving to the exploration of cultural identities, these local projects also encourage ongoing professional development for regional Aboriginal artists and play a vital part in promoting and protecting heritage across the state.”
Mr Piper welcomed the funding.
“This is fantastic news and very welcome in Lake Macquarie as we look to foster wider arts engagement across the Aboriginal community,” he said.
“I look forward to seeing the project take shape.”
The Aboriginal Regional Arts Fund (ARAF) supports arts projects that celebrate and promote Aboriginal cultural identities in regional NSW.
Annual funding of up to $5,000 is available for individual professional artists, and $20,000 for organisations, partnerships and groups.
For further information on arts, screen and culture funding, including targeted support opportunities, visit create.nsw.gov.au or email arts.funding@create.nsw.gov.au