95 arts and cultural projects to share in $6 million through ACFP 2022/23 round 1

Ninety-five individuals, groups and organisations will share in the funding to present an exciting range of artistic works across Aboriginal arts and culture, music, dance, theatre, visual art and literature.

More than half the successful applicants are based in regional NSW and Western Sydney, demonstrating the breadth of talent, drive and artistic merit beyond the metropolitan area. The diverse projects, workshops, festivals and events will employ more than 100,000 people across the sector.

An expected audience of almost 3.8 million people will experience the feast of high-quality events in coming months, collectively reinvigorating the State’s arts and cultural sector.

SeedArts Australia (pictured) will receive funding to develop a creative community flood-recovery initiative in the Northern Rivers region. ‘Wizards of the Wire’ aims to teach locals ‘wire-walking for wellbeing’, culminating in a Crossing event in Lismore.

SeedArts Artistic Director/CEO Simone O’Brien said ”This is such a fantastic opportunity to lift the spirits of the flood-affected communities living on Bundjalung Country. We learn wire-walking for our wellbeing whilst walking in the shoes of an unsung Lismore-born, Aboriginal legend, Con Colleano, the world’s greatest tightwire artist.”

Image: SeedArts Soft Circus 2022 Photo: Carnival Cinema

Arts & Cultural Funding Program 2022/23 Round 1 Outcomes

The full list of recipients for Round One is listed here (by Artform) and below:

Total projects funded (95) at $6,254,655

Aboriginal Arts & Culture Board (10) $627,219

Organisations & Local Government Authorities (6): $424,619

1. 2 Rivers Pty Ltd, ‘”Cooee” (Come Here) – reflect, engage, reconnect, enjoy, create ($60,000)

• A series of workshops “on country” excursions/exhibition bringing Yinaar together, providing access and resources, fostering creative development, expression, knowledge sharing, giving an insight into the rich and diverse art and cultural world inspired by connections to country, nature, their ancestors, and stories embedded in the cultural landscape and sense of belonging.

1. Armidale & Region Aboriginal Cultural Centre & Keeping Place Inc, 2022/23 Arts and Cultural Organisations Funding ($70,000)

• We carry out a comprehensive public art and cultural program all year round. This encompasses over 20 exhibitions and dance programs made up of art, culturally significant objects/items. We hold Aboriginal men’s, women’s and Elders’ groups, and ACCKP members & friends’ meetings and conduct art workshops, tours and Holiday Programs.

1. Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative Ltd, Boomalli Annual Program Funding 2023 ($150,000)

• Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative will provide an artistic program consisting of the Annual Mardi Gras exhibition, member’s exhibition, Saltwater Freshwater collaboration, mentoring exhibition and a solo exhibition of Senior Artist, Jeffrey Samuels. We will create a series of online exhibitions with regional artists and continue our successful satellite exhibitions externally.

1. Coota Girls Aboriginal Corporation, Sustaining Arts & Cultural Practices at Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre ($60,000)

• An exhibition exposing the tactics used by the Aborigines Protection Board (1909-1939) to progress the agenda of assimilation of First Nations people through the Dawn Magazine.

1. Gurehlgam Corporation Limited, Secrets of Dawn ($58,672)

• Engaging a First Nations arts worker to develop income streams for regional artists, establishing licensing agreements for publications and reproductions unique to northern NSW and Yarrawarra.

1. NSW Aboriginal Culture Heritage & Arts Association Inc, ACHAA Regional Conference 2023 at Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre ($25,947)

• ACHAA members will gather at the Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre to be inspired by and gain an understanding of the diverse operations and programming that can be associated with an Aboriginal cultural centre, including arts and culture workshop programming.

Individuals (4): $202,600

1. A Davis, Nganhigu – research and development ($30,000)

• Project – collecting information, visiting Elders, knowledgeable people and communities, following strict Cultural Protocols, gathering permissions, audio sample collection, for the development of my show concept of ten items which celebrate Aboriginal Australian Firsts – performed by an entirely sovereign Collective, and create education packages to send out to schools.

1. Uraah Innovations & Cultural Services, Dhariwaa Walaay Cultural Celebration 2023 ($60,000)

• Dhariwaa Walaay is a statewide cultural gathering focused on healing, cultural connection and practice, and sharing cultural knowledge and stories. The walaay (camp) has a strong focus on healing using Aboriginal ways of being, knowing and doing.

1. H Baird, Plant a Promise – Final development and premiere season ($52,600)

• Plant a Promise; a participatory installation and dance performance exploring plants and fire, responding to 2019/20 bushfires, encouraging audiences to promise to look after Country. This work will premiere as part of the inaugural First Nations Dance Festival at Carriageworks, July 2022.

1. Brolga Dance Academy ($60,000)

• Brolga Dance Academy provides a culturally safe space for Aboriginal storytelling through dance to Indigenous people. We provide weekly dance classes in Aboriginal Contemporary & Traditional dance for 5 to 18 years+. We will also deliver community outreach programs through one-day workshops in the greater Sydney region & regional NSW.

Classical Music, Opera and Choral recipients (11) $977,049

Organisations and Local Government Authorities (11): $977,049

1. Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra, 2023 Concert Season, Regional Touring, Education Programs and Digital Expansion ($140,000)

• In 2023, the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra will further develop its annual subscription series and education programs in Sydney, Western Sydney and Newcastle, and will expand its regional NSW and interstate touring of both concert performances and outreach education programs. The organisation’s digital footprint will also continue to increase.

1. Bach Akademie Australia Limited, Bach Akademie Australia Season 2023 ($110,000)

• Bach Akademie Australia presents season 2023 which includes 4 core concert series presented in varied locations, an ambitious program of regional touring and education, our first year curating the Canowindra Baroque Festival, and the world premiere of a new work commissioned by Indigenous composer Troy Russell.

1. Live at Yours Pty Ltd, Live at Yours: Celebrating women, diversity and excellence in 2023 ($49,775)

• Presenting world-class Australian artists in fifteen concerts at the Independent Theatre, Great Synagogue and local venues, for families, students and exposing children to fine music. Providing artists, particularly females and youth with performance opportunities and new works. Developing audiences, deepening their appreciation of classical music and of local female performers.

1. MDCH Pty Ltd, Australian Digital Concert Hall. Connecting NSW artists with the world ($60,000)

• In 2.5 years, MDCH has grown from a crisis response to a national livestreaming platform. Create NSW has been integral to that evolution. With your support, we will broadcast 50 nights of NSW artistry in 2023, connecting leading artists with an international audience. All proceeds will go to the performers.

1. New Steel City Strings, Steel City Strings 2023 Program ($75,000)

• Supporting Steel City Strings 2023 annual program and deepening regional community connections for regional NSW’s premier string ensemble.

1. Omega Ensemble, Omega Ensemble 2023 National Concert Season ($145,000)

• Omega Ensemble’s 2023 National Concert Season presents an artistically ambitious and organisationally robust annual program that aims to increase the national reach of the organisation, connect with diverse communities and profile important artistic voices, while discovering new musical perspectives and a contemporary relevance for Classical Music on Australian stages.

1. Shoalhaven Youth Orchestra Inc, The Shoalhaven Youth Orchestra: 2023 Organisation Funding ($41,000)

• Shoalhaven Youth Orchestra (SYO) is the leading music education organisation for the South Coast of NSW. Celebrating 23 years in 2023, SYO continues providing quality weekly tuition and orchestra opportunities for regional students, music programs for public schools, workshops and a professional standard concert series for the wider community.

1. Sydney Chamber Choir Incorporated, Sydney Chamber Choir 2023 Season ($45,750)

• Sydney Chamber Choir’s 2023 season will offer a wide range of the finest choral music, including 3 programs, a commissioned work from NSW composer Elizabeth Younan, a tour to Adelaide and a recording of Joseph Twist’s An Australian Song Cycle.

1. The Australian Haydn Ensemble Incorporated, Australian Haydn Ensemble 2023 Season ($146,524)

• AHE 2023 provides connection and inspiration for audiences throughout NSW plus international profile for NSW artists. An informative engaging mix of public performances, education workshops, a regional education project, and large operatic collaborations with 2 significant interstate organisations plus a debut US tour are all possible, with NSW support.

1. The House that Dan Built Incorporated, The House 2023 Program of Performance, Development, Touring and Training ($110,000)

• The House will continue our trajectory of organisational growth and evolution, expanding the form of choral music through performance, new-work development, regional touring and emerging-artist training. We will increase the repertoire of Australian female composers and expand our capacity to deliver performances and touring productions and reach broader audiences across NSW.

1. Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, Enigma Quartet Wollongong Residency ($54,000)

• A year-long residency by the all-female Enigma Quartet in Wollongong, hosted by Wollongong Conservatorium (WollCon). The Quartet will work throughout the year with WollCon’s Junior String Program and will present four public performances to inspire young musicians as well as grow audiences for chamber music in Wollongong.

Contemporary Music recipients (12) $616,730

Organisations and Local Government Authorities (4): $409,330

1. Music NSW Incorporated, Music NSW First Nations Project Stream Development ($60,000)

• Music NSW is developing a First Nations stream of resources and support to sit alongside the primary brand. The funding for this project will support First Nations Development Coordinator Kaleena Smith to develop the resources, branding and networks to establish this stream of services, and ensure it’s targeted, tailored and appropriate.

1. Percussion Australia Ltd, Percussion Australia 2023 Annual Program ($180,000)

• An annual program of concerts, workshops, commissions and development for our ensembles’ artists and engagement projects.

1. Sydney Improvised Music Association Incorporated, Sydney Improvised Music Association Inc: 2023 Contemporary Music Program ($110,000)

• SIMA’s 2023 program is innovative and diverse presenting some of Australia’s most creative musicians. A year-round presenter dedicated to facilitating high-quality contemporary music, SIMA’s annual program features festival partnerships, works of scale, commissions, regional touring, regional/interstate workshops, education and artist development programs and national awards.

1. The CRAM Foundation, Music Therapists in Residence with CRAM Foundation ($59,330)

• This year-long project will provide access to creative music-therapy for clients of the CRAM Foundation which provides supported living for people with disabilities in houses throughout Shellharbour. Physical access is a challenge for many in the CRAM community so this project will take music to them in their homes.

Individual / Group Projects (8): $207,400

1. Elana Stone’s ‘People Come and People Go’ album tour ($15,000)

• The People Come and People Go national album tour. After a decade touring the world with All Our Exes Live in Texas and a hugely successful solo tour of Europe supporting John Butler, Elana Stone is taking her solo project to her Australian fans.

1. H Cullen, A new album created in South East NSW ($25,000)

• Record an album of new material during a residency at the Four Winds Windsong Pavilion at Barraga Bay, in SE NSW. The project will employ regionally based artists and technicians, and a live audience will be invited into the studio to witness and participate in the creative process.

1. Melody Pool Album Recording, Mixing and Mastering ($35,000)

• Melody Pool is seeking funding to support the recording, mixing and mastering of her third studio album which she will release independently.

1. P Starr, ‘Vintage People’ ($29,000)

• This project is for the creative development of my sophomore music album ‘Vintage People’ which will include the songwriting, mixing, mastering and production costs for 12 musical tracks that will be released, marketed and promoted internationally through the label Anti-Fragile.

1. S Rossano, Orchestra Diaspora ($12,400)

• Orchestra Diaspora is a multicultural ensemble that performs new and traditional music from different parts of the world. Led by Italian multi-instrumentalist Salvatore Rossano, the ensemble comprises musicians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds living on Gumbaynggirr country. Songs that connect people and cultures, migrant sounds finding a new home.

1. T Thomas, Music, Memory and Mana with MC Trey ($37,000)

• Pasifika-Australian hip-hop/storyteller with 20 plus-years in music and arts – will create an album, accompanied by a book, video clip, and showcase, which will also share processes, to inform and share knowledge and experiences. Writing and recording will occur in Western Sydney, NSW and Fiji, fusing traditional and contemporary storytelling.

1. T Rogers, Jack Ladder Record Produced by Weyes Blood and Jonathan Rado ($29,100)

• Jack Ladder will travel to Los Angeles to record a new album of songs at Jonathan Rado’s Dreamstar II studio produced by Natalie Mering of Weyes Blood and Jonathan Rado.

1. T Breezy & Utility, T-Breezy will develop & deliver his debut album – INVY ($24,900)

• Seizing the momentum behind his EP ‘2360’ Gamilaraay artist T-Breezy will write, record & deliver his debut album INVY with producer Utility. Through storytelling and musical-experimentation INVY aims to inspire and set a “path for people who want to do their thing but won’t due to fear, discrimination and doubt”

Dance & Physical Theatre recipients (9) $655,445

Organisations and Local Government Authorities (9): $655,445

1. Critical Path Incorporated, RECONFIGURATION: artist-led choreographic fellowships, to redefine and transform their practice ($56,645)

• Opportunity for 5 artists/artist collaborations based in Regional NSW and Western Sydney to pursue an artist-led research query that will change and rebuild their practice. The artists will explore ideas and approaches to underpin future new work, reconfigure their current practice post-Covid and contribute to the broader field of choreography.

1. DirtyFeet Ltd, DirtyFeet 2023 Annual Program ($70,050)

• DirtyFeet plays a vital role in supporting an independent dance sector that is vibrant and accessible for artists with and without disabilities, and audiences in NSW. By providing inclusive contemporary dance opportunities for emerging professional dance artists, our program offers unique workshops, creative developments and performance opportunities.

1. Erth Visual & Physical Incorporated, Erth’s Shark Tank ($50,000)

• Erth’s Shark Tank is an immersive theatrical experience unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. In conjunction with the Australian Museum’s Sharks exhibition, and presented in partnership with Sydney Festival, Erth will take audiences deep into the ocean to experience the majesty and wonder of the ocean’s most misrepresented creatures.

1. FLING Physical Theatre Inc, FLING Physical Theatre 2023 Annual Program ($100,000)

• FLING Physical Theatre’s 2023 program will provide a range of diverse and innovative cultural experiences for the Bega Valley, including extensive opportunities for regional youth and the broader community to engage with the arts as creators, performers and audience.

1. Legs On The Wall, Legs on the Wall presents LOVERS for Sydney World Pride ($60,000)

• LOVERS is an epic unapologetic LGBTQI+ performance taking place on an iconic architectural landmark. Five real-life queer couples each interpret the same 20 minute aerial choreography creating a high-risk, high-impact, site-specific performance premiering at Sydney World Pride 2023. This will be heartbreakingly beautiful and even in 2023, a ground-breaking offering.

1. Powerhouse Youth Theatre Inc, KATMA Creative Development ($48,774)

• This application supports a 3-week-long creative development at PYT Fairfield commencing February 2023 for a new dance work titled ‘Katma’. This development is to investigate and explore findings from the artists’ initial residency to develop into a performance. This proposal supports Azzam Mohammad, Charemaine Seet and Matt Prest, plus collaborators.

1. SeedArts Australia Incorporated, Creative development for ‘Wizards of the Wire’ community recovery program ($59,976)

• Creative development phase for a creative recovery initiative for the Northern Rivers using ‘wire-walking for wellbeing’ workshops to teach tightwire and reclaim Lismore-born, Gamilaroi-man Con Colleano, the world’s greatest tightwire walker. Community ‘walkers’ pay tribute to this Wizard of the Wire in ‘The Crossing’ a highwire event in Lismore, 2023.

1. Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre Inc, Sprung!! commits to disability voices and embedding strong person-centred systems ($100,000)

• The Sprung!! Ensemble consists of confident, well-trained, experienced performing artists with disabilities mobilised by their own voices. Their visions will guide explorations in content and form. Our community programs will develop increased cohesion through collaborations and partnerships. Our organisation will embed people-friendly systems to improve our efficiency, impact and sustainability.

1. Stalker Theatre Incorporated, Box of Birds /Stalker Theatre Annual Program ($110,000)

• 2023 will continue exploring the integration of digital technology with physical theatre and dance practice. Stalker/Box of Birds will deliver for New South Wales audiences a number of public immersive visual and physical experiences along with some real-time online artist and audience participation.

Festivals (5) $295,582

Organisations and Local Government Authorities (5): $295,582

1. New England Regional Art Museum Ltd, Winter Blooming Festival ($27,972)

• Winter Blooming is a festival that celebrates Indigenous, multicultural and LGBTQIA+ arts, culture and communities. The festival is an inclusive event that supports diversity in regional NSW and is open to all. The festival includes panel discussions, workshops, exhibition and performances.

1. Newcastle Writers Festival Incorporated, 2023 Newcastle Writers Festival (NWF) artistic program and youth initiative ($105,000)

• NWF will present its 10th festival program, providing a platform for 120 artists and supporting a culture of writing and reading. We will ensure our sustainability by investing in up to 10 contractors, launching a region-wide youth initiative, diversifying funding, and providing adequate resources to support local creativity and participation.

1. OpenField Arts Festival Inc, OpenField Arts Festival ($20,000)

• OpenField is a new multidisciplinary arts festival to be held in Berry NSW in June 2023. It will showcase contemporary art and events in non-museum venues and community spaces with performances, talks, live music and a pop-up cinema. OpenField will present new and existing works by local and visiting artists.

1. Orange Chamber Music Festival, 2023 Orange Chamber Music Festival ($42,610)

• 2023 will see the consolidation of the annual Orange Chamber Music Festival, a fresh and exciting art and music event that combines some of Australia’s most exciting artists and ensembles in four days of performances and experiences that excite and indulge the senses of locals and visitors alike.

1. Sacred Currents Incorporated, Sacred Currents 2023 Program ($100,000)

• Our 2023 program is ambitious, opening new territories for our organisation, artists and communities we work with including: a SSMF hub, development of new and engaging work, using site-specific locations to challenge artists and audiences, pursuing pathways beyond the mainstream via creative-practice-research to develop an ecosystem to support cross-cultural music.

Literature (10) $653,080

Organisations and Local Government Authorities (7): $567,000

1. Hunter Writers Centre Incorporated, Hunter Writers Centre and Lighthouse Arts – Storytelling across artforms ($100,000)

• HWC will provide a home to the diverse storytellers of NSW by activating Nobbys-Whibayganba headland cottages through Lighthouse Arts. We will be a guiding light for collaboration and creative development. Writers and storytellers from all artforms are invited to participate in an inclusive ecosystem of literary and multidisciplinary possibilities.

1. International Performing Writers Association, Word Travels 2023 Artistic and Community Development Program ($50,000)

• Word Travels represents NSW’s performing writers as a producer, developer, educator and advocating body. Our activities include growing our flagship programs, Australian Poetry Slam and Story Week, and presenting in-person and digital performances, workshops, creative development and spoken word programs with strong focus on supporting diverse metro and regional communities.

1. New England Writers’ Centre Inc, NEWC Program 2023 ($22,000)

• Our 2023 program will offer a mix of innovative creative workshops and professional development opportunities, presented online and in-person (Covid-safe). These focus on several genres including children’s books, multimedia storytelling, world-building, and nature writing. We will also be creating and launching the first books in a series called ‘Writer Shorts’.

1. NSW Writers’ Centre Inc, Writing NSW support for writers and writing 2023 ($240,000)

• In 2023, Writing NSW will foster a vibrant and diverse writing culture in NSW and support a diverse range of writers and writing organisations across the state through its program of public events, opportunities to network with industry, professional development, paid employment for writers, prizes and fellowships, and information resources.

1. South Coast Writers Centre Inc, 2023 South Coast Writers Centre Program ($70,000)

• The SCWC presents a comprehensive curated program of readings, talks, workshops, masterclasses, awards, residencies and publications designed to support writers – young, beginners, emerging, and established – in partnership with local councils, libraries, theatres, art galleries, and literary festivals across the NSW South Coast region.

1. Wagga Wagga Writers Writers Inc, 2022 Booranga Annual Program Funding – The Write Stuff ($40,000)

• Booranga will provide a continuing framework of workshops, performances and mentoring for the diverse residents of regional NSW while developing sustainable new initiatives. ‍ In 2023 Booranga will develop a Strategic Plan, to extend its reach and activities further into the Riverina region, and more communities.

1. Writing and Society Research Centre, Western Sydney University, An innovative digital platform for the SRB ($45,000)

• The SRB will build a new digital platform to showcase our ever-growing program of essays, reviews, mentorships, residencies and events. This will allow us to engage new audiences in NSW and around the world. We will amplify the work of our contributors and improve access to our extraordinary archive.

Individual / Group Projects (3): $86,080

1. G Haddad, Vein: a novel ($47,000)

• This project involves the development of a literary fiction novel which examines the toxic nature of ambition among Sydney’s gay community. It will be undertaken to further my career as an author and to impact the lives of everyday Australians through its discussion of identity.

1. L Nelson, Wait Here – Manuscript Development ($22,300)

• Wait Here is a debut collection of short fiction centring the experiences of childless women. Two stories have won or been shortlisted for national and international fiction prizes. This application is for funding to support the development and editorial supervision of all remaining stories. Mentorships and publisher interest are secured.

1. N Featherstone, A queer novel about sex, love, the coast, and forgiveness ($16,780)

• I want to write the first draft of my fourth novel, ‘A Very Necessary Summer’ (working title only), which is a queer narrative set on the far South Coast of New South Wales. This grant is to cover a 6-month period during which I will write the first draft.

Multi-Arts recipients (11) $696,696

Organisations and Local Government Authorities (8): $539,816

1. Accessible Arts, NEXT LEVEL Creative Mentorships 2023 ($60,000)

• The NEXT LEVEL Creative Mentorship program will support five artists with disability or who are d/Deaf with mentorships within a leading performing arts organisation. This demonstrably successful career development program is designed to support under-represented artists with disability in taking their creativity and careers to the next level.

1. Arts & Cultural Exchange Inc, ACE will present ‘The day after next’ ($39,816)

• ‘next’ has four components: 1. a wall work articulating ‘home’ by an early-career WS artist. 2. Text responses to ‘home’ by students from two WS high schools, produced in term-long weekly workshops facilitated by Sweatshop. Postcards of the texts & artwork. 4. A multi-artform community event celebrating the new works.

1. Heaps Decent Ltd, 2023 Heaps Decent Program ($50,000)

• Drawing upon a range of partnerships, art forms and technology, Heaps Decent will engage diverse young people in NSW in creative exploration and making. The program creates increased access to arts activity and empowers participants to explore and celebrate their unique stories, environments and identities.

1. Five Islands Community Arts Association Incorporated, Story Seeds ($50,000)

• Story Seeds is a multi-arts, inter-cultural, inter-generational place-based storytelling project engaging Aboriginal and culturally diverse communities in different neighbourhoods of the disadvantaged southern suburbs of greater Wollongong and Shellharbour. As a creative development project, it will be the seeding ground for dynamic creative collaborations between artists and communities.

1. Soft Centre Pty Ltd, SOFT CENTRE 2023 ($80,000)

• SOFT CENTRE is a trans-disciplinary arts organisation and creative studio, working across the intersections of experimental music, performance art, installation and digital media. Our 2023 program will feature two multi-arts festivals with an expanded discourse program, alongside a research lab and international exchange program for artists working with emergent technologies.

1. The Cad Factory, The Cad Factory 2023 Program ($90,000)

• The Cad Factory’s 2023 Program spans five main objectives that include: 1. Artform development 2. Partnership development 3. Advocating for regional-based practice 4. Delivering local, national and international engagements and outcomes 5. Generating sector resources.

1. The Wired Lab Ltd, The Wired Lab (TWL) 2023 Annual Program of Activity ($90,000)

• TWL is an artist-led platform dedicated to expanding interdisciplinary art practices and audiences for rural Australia. We generate opportunities for development and presentation of innovative projects connecting international and local artists with communities in novel ways. Our 2023 program includes a major capital works programme, workshops, exhibition and project touring.

1. Think & DO Tank Foundation Limited, Think+DO Tank Foundation delivers HOME/AFAR, our 2023 annual program ($80,000)

• Think+DO Tank Foundation’s Program disrupts mainstream, monolingual creative production models to engage diverse NSW communities through creativity; and to deliver new work made by the full-voiced diversity of creatives living and working in NSW. In 2023, we explore the lenticularity characterising diasporic subjectivities through the lens of “Home/Afar”.

Individual / Group Projects (3): $156,880

1. B Kell, The Other Side ($54,000)

• Gritty and raw, The Other Side is an experimental dance, music and light performance created by contemporary artists Brianna Kell, Party Dozen and Jodie Whalen. This work depicts our innate conditioning and desire to find resilience and sustenance in times of great upheaval.

1. Third Space Ventures, Wirrila – a More Equal audio story project ($47,880)

• Wirrila – is a More Equal audio project from Stanley Village, Moree that explores the concept of the Australian ‘fair go’ by drilling down into the story of Stanley Village, a place where disadvantage seems entrenched, and asks the question, how did it get this way?

1. T Smyth, An independently-curated arts & cultural program at The Bearded Tit ($55,000)

• Commencing January 2023, Unfunded Empathy will work with five independent curators, 32 programmed artists and 12 arts workers to develop and deliver a year-long artistic program across visual arts, talks and ideas at The Bearded Tit, a vibrant and much-loved inner-city sanctuary for queer and culturally diverse communities in Redfern.

Museums and History recipients (5) $289,245

Organisations and Local Government Authorities (5): $289,245

1. Ashford Local Aboriginal Land Council, Ashford LALC Culture Centre & Keeping Place ($30,000)

• Develop story boards and photographs, record visual stories and technical / photo displays of the cultural history of Aboriginal People and the history of Elders and other Aboriginal people of the Kwiambal area. To be displayed in the Ashford LALC Cultural Keeping Place.

1. History Council of New South Wales Inc, 2023 Arts and Cultural Organisations Funding History Council of NSW ($140,000)

• Through its programs and services catering to diverse cultural audiences, the History Council of NSW will continue to foster capability in the History sector through new programs in 2023. They include expanding the First Nations Histories program and digital content/online production to support the dissemination of history knowledge throughout NSW.

1. Lightning Ridge Opal and Fossil Centre Inc, AOC Annual Organisation Funding 2023: growing programs, culture and sustainability ($45,000)

• AOC presents the remarkable story of Lightning Ridge to showcase the outcome of human equality in the face of adversity. Innovative programs showcase the history, culture and ecology of Lightning Ridge, the Yuwaalaraay People’s heritage and their role in developing the opal fields, and the search for ethereal Black Opal.

1. Narrandera Shire Council, Creative Interpretation & Object Activation for Narrandera Collections ($33,945)

• The project involves a partnership between the Narrandera Parkside Cottage Museum and an extension of the Cad Factory’s Case Incubator Program to undertake creative interpretation of the collection via a socially engaged artist residency program.

1. Wagga Wagga City Council, Digital Storytelling Project. Wagga Wagga Women’s Health Centre Collection ($40,300)

• Sharing the pivotal ongoing role Wagga Wagga Women’s‍ Health Centre played within the local women’s movement‍ from the late 1970’s through digital storytelling. Pairing‍ contemporary app based ‘scrollytelling’ with a digital‍ exhibition, placing this important local collection within the national and international context of ‍ women’s rights.

Theatre and Musical Theatre Board recipients (14) $926,308

Organisations and Local Government Authorities (10): $807,035

1. Australian Plays Transform, Write Together, Rise Together: Australian Plays Transform 2023 Program ($100,000)

• Australian Plays Transform 2023 Program will deliver new play and playwright development programs and digitally publish the best new plays in Australia. APT will invest over $500,000 in the development and presentation of new work in NSW and provide employment opportunities for NSW arts workers.

1. Curious Legends Limited, Curious Legends Annual Program 2023 ($90,000)

• Our program’s focus is on creating community cultural development and celebratory professional projects from our base in Newcastle, regional NSW. We bring people together on collaborative, participatory projects and events, working with partners in local government, business and educational institutions. The result: meaningful and engaging large-scale yet intimate visual theatre.

1. Darlinghurst Theatre Limited, Darlinghurst Theatre Company’s 2023 Artistic Program ($100,000)

• Darlinghurst Theatre Company delivers an ambitious program including two Indigenous-led productions plus Big Blak Bang – a new Indigenous-led festival; partnerships with organisations including Sydney World Pride, National Theatre of Parramatta, Malthouse and Ilbijerri Theatre; and artistic and sector development initiatives, reaching over 50,000 audiences and employing over 240 people.

1. Eastern Riverina Arts, Riverina Touring Network ($59,250)

• The Riverina Touring Network is a capacity building and audience development program for venues and audiences across 8 LGAs in NSW. Through the employment of a Regional Producer, we will work with key staff to develop a sustainable model of performing arts touring and venue management, over 18 months.

1. Milk Crate Theatre, SOLACE: new work by Milk Crate Theatre/Box of Birds ($59,785)

• SOLACE is a new immersive performance work developed and presented in partnership between Milk Crate Theatre and Box of Birds (Stalker) that physicalises the thoughts, physiological impulses and sensations that drive the pursuit of comfort.

1. Nautanki Theatre Incorporated, Pomegranate Prince ($23,000)

• ‘Pomegranate Prince’ is a new theatre work commissioned by Nautanki Theatre from playwright, Tasnim Hossain. A young Australian man of Bangladeshi descent struggles with mental illness and fraught parental relations. His grandmother’s folkloric tales bring respite and insight. Funding is for Stage 2 development and presentation at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta.

1. PACT Centre for Emerging Artists Inc, PACT 2023 Annual Program: Taking It to The Streets ($100,000)

• Recognising the need to kickstart connections for emerging artists hard hit by COVID disruption, in 2023 PACT will deliver an expanded investment into new work development, peer exchange and new work presentation at our iconic warehouse theatre and throughout our neighbourhood streets.

1. Red Line Productions Limited, Old Fitz Theatre 2023 Program ($100,000)

• The Old Fitz is NSW’s leading incubator of innovative independent theatre. Funding is needed to ensure that the company can program boldly and enable under-represented voices (early and mid-career) to be heard. We create unique audience experiences, career scalability pathways for artists and support innovative daring works.

1. Shopfront Arts Co-Op Ltd, The Lies We Were Told – Sydney World Pride ($45,000)

• The Lies We Were Told is created by an ensemble of 14 Young People, about the lies we grow up with. Starting with lies like Santa and the Tooth Fairy, before exploring global conspiracies, government corruption and great societal lies like the gender binary and the “choice” of being queer.

1. Tantrum Youth Arts Co-op Ltd, Tantrum Youth Arts 2023 Annual Program ($130,000)

• In 2023 Tantrum Youth Arts will continue to inspire, connect and empower young people in the Hunter region through innovative, community-engaged projects, new artistic collaborations, professional development programs and residencies for artists with and without disability, and workshops reaching new regional communities.

Individual / Group Projects (4): $119,273

1. Kanangra Productions Pty Ltd, Wakefield the Musical ($39,000)

• The highly acclaimed television series Wakefield is being adapted into a unique, powerful musical theatre production alongside its impact campaign, together tackling the stigma of mental illness. This project is the creative development stage, writing the book and lyrics, composing music, and producing demo materials prior to workshopping and pitching.

1. Incredibilia: theatre for children/families performed in libraries and theatres ($40,000)

• Develop a chamber work from 18 of Libby Hathorn’s stories about family, friends, nature and other cultures to ignite children’s imaginations, provide a springboard to inspire at-home and in-school creativity and work with NSW State Library and Riverside Theatres to produce and present school and GP seasons.

1. “The Queens’ City of the South” Creative Development in Cooma ($21,273)

• A week-long creative development in Cooma to develop “The Queens’ City of the South”, a new play by Mark Salvestro, inspired by the history of the Cooma Gaol and its use as a homosexual prison in the 1950s, culminating in a reading and Q&A with community members and industry professionals.

1. First creative development of Sài Gòn đẹp lắm ($19,000)

• Sài Gòn đẹp lắm is a new play about a young woman’s discovery of her mother’s secret rock’n’roll past in Vietnam. It is about how unknown our mothers are and what we inherit from them, and a story about peering into the past to look for answers about the future.

Visual Arts recipients (8) $517,301

Organisations and Local Government Authorities (5): $397,750

1. Bega Valley Shire Council, Bega Valley Regional Gallery (BVRG) 2023 Artistic Program ($70,850)

• BVRG will deliver a visual arts exhibition and event program, working directly with NSW based artists, artists from the wider national and pacific region, and presenting touring exhibitions of national significance, to increasingly engage, inspire and develop regional and visitor audiences.

1. Bundanon Trust, Siteworks 2022/2023 : From A Deep Valley ($46,900)

• The Siteworks: From a Deep Valley 2023 public program will bring together the work of over 25 artists and 15 scientific researchers, engaging audiences in a program focusing on climate research, critical thinking through contemporary art, digital spaces, and Indigenous knowledge and technologies.

1. Cement Fondu Ltd, Cement Fondu 2023 Program ($100,000)

• Cement Fondu’s 2023 Program presents free, multi-disciplinary exhibitions, live events and public programs to inspire, challenge and connect NSW audiences and beyond. It platforms a spectrum of contemporary visual arts and artists, commissioning new artworks, presenting critical curatorial frameworks, and championing local artists alongside national and international peers.

1. Runway Journal Incorporated, Runway Journal 2023 Annual Program ($30,000)

• Runway Journal will commission artistic and written works for two themed digital issues (one in partnership with an international publishing platform), art criticism on our Conversations platform, and public programs and events. We provide contributor fees, industry experience, knowledge-sharing and critical engagement for practitioners and audiences in NSW and beyond.

1. Southern Highlands Gallery at Retford Park Ltd, 2023 Creative Program at Ngununggula featuring over 70 Australian Artists ($150,000)

• Ngununggula’s 2023 Program presents an engaging series of exhibitions, events and educational activities featuring new, reimagined and historically significant artworks by over 70 Australian artists. This application seeks crucial financial support for the production and delivery of the program.

Individual / Group Projects (3): $119,551

1. K Dorabialski, Crying ($27,480)

• Crying is a video, photographic and sculptural installation about geographic and cultural displacement, romantic love (for places and people), and starlings, an invasive bird species introduced into Australia. At its core, the work explores the fraught and complex experience of being a homesick migrant on colonised land.

1. M O’Callaghan, Performance work presented at Esker Foundation in Calgary, Canada ($59,611)

• ‘First Sound, Last Sound’, a performance work that includes the production of two large-scale sculptural instruments that resonate and a best practice protocol for working with performers of all abilities, to be presented in a solo exhibition ‘All is Life’ at Esker Foundation in Calgary, Canada in May-August 2023.

1. S Taweel, Celestial Migrations – residency and project development ($32,460)

• This project contributes to the current discourse on the cultural, political, and spiritual considerations of colonising outer space. Part of the project development involves three-month residency at Cite International des Arts in Paris, and fieldwork in UK. The project outcome will be an exhibition focused on sacred architecture in space.