Fifteen regional arts projects in Queensland will receive a total of $346,987 as the recipients of the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund Recovery Boost program, administered in Queensland by Flying Arts Alliance Inc.
RAF Recovery grants provide up to $30,000 to support programs that assist in medium-term recovery from the impacts of COVID-19, including creative recovery projects, training programs, operational recovery plans, asset purchase or replacement, and the development of risk plans, emergency operating procedures and responses.
The successful projects will roll out across Queensland in 2021, facilitating the re-integration of regional communities into the arts after widespread closures and postponement of cultural events due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Flying Arts Alliance CEO Kerryanne Farrer says the one-off funding initiative will provide renewed activity in Queensland’s regional arts industry which experienced widespread closures and financial downturn despite few recorded COVID-19 cases.
“The RAF Recovery Boost program aims to strengthen the fabric of regional Australia’s creative ecosystem with sustainable, long-term support,” said Kerryanne.
“The quality of the applications received in this round is evidence of the perseverance of our regional, rural and remote artists and communities, who are driven to reignite creativity, build connections and increase arts-based skills in our recovering state.”
Examples that reflect the diversity of approved projects are:
Upside-Up
Upside-Up is a 12-month capacity-building program for emerging Indigenous artists in the Cairns region, providing access to art-making facilities, equipment and studio time for recent TAFE Certificate/Diploma graduates. The program delivers tailored mentoring in printmaking as a visual artform and potential future career and income source. Mentors will foster skills and artistic ability in a fully equipped professional studio and ensure that participants learn all aspects of studio operations including OH&S, business and exhibition practice. The artwork outcomes of this project will be displayed at the prestigious gallery NorthSite Contemporary Arts in Cairns. The emerging artists will be assisted in launching rewarding independent artistic practices.
Lizard Tail Recovery Project
Lizard Tail is a cross-regional recovery collaboration, engaging communities in Flinders, Charters Towers and Palm Island, facilitated by visual artist Hiromi Tango who has run several international and national recovery arts projects. Lizard Tail encourages participants to transform difficult emotions and memories through creative processes including writing, wrapping, and attaching soft sculptural forms to the larger tail structure. Each community participant will engage either online or face to face, to contribute to the ‘tail.’ The finished ‘tail’ will then take turns to return to each community to value add to larger community project engagement.
The RAF Recovery Boost is a one-off targeted investment provided by the Australian Government. The Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund is provided through Regional Arts Australia. In Queensland, the Regional Arts Fund is administered by Flying Arts Alliance according to the objectives and general eligibility determined by the Australian Government.
For more information about the RAF Recovery grant please visit: https://flyingarts.org.au/regional-arts-fund-recovery-boost/
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See the full list of RAF Recovery Boost – Recovery Recipients
Flying Arts Alliance acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands and seas on which we work, live and create. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
Flying Arts Alliance is honoured to acknowledge the Governor of Queensland, His Excellency, the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC as our Patron. We also acknowledge Mr Tim Fairfax AC and Mrs Gina Fairfax as our Cultural Patrons.
Flying Arts is a not-for-profit organisation inspiring the appreciation, practice and professional development of the visual and media arts as a lifetime interest or career throughout regional and remote Queensland, supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation and corporate partners and benefactors.
Flying Arts is the administrator in Queensland of the Regional Arts Fund (RAF), an Australian Government program provided through Regional Arts Australia.
For media enquiries or to arrange an interview with a grant recipient or Ms Farrer please contact:
Odette Miller
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Flying Arts Alliance
comms@nullflyingarts.org.au
The Regional Arts Fund (RAF) is an Australian Government program designed to benefit regional and remote arts practitioners, arts workers, audiences and communities. The fund is provided through Regional Arts Australia and is administered in Queensland by Flying Arts Alliance.