Nine new arts projects will take place in regional and remote Queensland over the next twelve months thanks to significant funding from the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund (RAF) grants. Flying Arts Alliance Inc. and Regional Arts Australia are pleased to announce the successful recipients of RAF Project Grants in Queensland totalling $211,543.
Projects include a new collaboration between Black Image Band, Normanby Aboriginal Corporation and Topology to deliver On-Country Creative Bootcamps on Normanby Station for local emerging First Nations musicians to mentor them through the process of developing and recording new work, with a focus on increasing their confidence to perform before live audiences.
Successful recipients will deliver strong arts projects in diverse locations across the State, including, Proserpine, Townsville, Charters Towers, Mount Morgan, Cherbourg, Woorabinda, Normanton, Bundaberg, Mackay, Cairns, Toowoomba, Redlands, Caloundra, Currumbin, Cooktown, Blackall and Biloela. Projects cover a wide variety of cross-artforms including Music, Theatre, Puppetry, Visual Arts, Dance and Crafts. Projects deliver a strong focus on community engagement, artistic skills sharing, and creative development, with many opportunities available for local artists and art enthusiasts to engage in quality arts festivals, performances and workshops.
The Regional Arts Fund is an Australian Government program designed to benefit regional and remote arts practitioners, arts workers, audiences, and communities. The Fund is managed by Regional Arts Australia and is administered in Queensland by Flying Arts Alliance.
Flying Arts Alliance Executive Officer, Paul Thompson, is excited by the diversity of artforms, opportunities for community engagement and the geographic reach that the funded projects present from this round:
“It is great to see such a diverse range of projects with far reaching and long-lasting impacts being supported through this round of Project Grants.” Mr Thompson said.
“Regional arts audiences will not only be able to view and participate in high quality arts programs, but will also have the opportunity to engage with professional artists and mentors. We are especially pleased to see that all projects approved support artistic development, artist employment, and foster the next generation of artist and arts workers across a large area of regional and remote Queensland.”
Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, warmly congratulated the recipients and their vital contributions to the richness, diversity and uniqueness of Australia’s arts scene.
“Our story cannot be told without the voices of artists from regional and remote Australia,” Minister Burke said.
“That’s why the Albanese Government is increasing its support for the Regional Arts Fund by an additional $8.5 million over the next four years – promoting a thriving arts scene across the country.
“A key pillar of Revive, Australia’s new National Cultural Policy is to ensure there’s a place for every story, and a story for every place – this funding helps ensure that.”
For more information on the Regional Arts Fund in Queensland, including upcoming round dates and how to apply, please go to flyingarts.org.au/raf or phone 07 3216 1322.
Full descriptions of projects and recipients below.
Regional Arts Fund Project Grants – Round 1 2023 Recipients ANTS MAY 2022
| Applicant | Project Location | Project Title | |
| Mackay Chamber Music Festival Inc. | West Mackay, QLD | 2023 Mackay Chamber Music Festival | |
| Rachel Terry | Trinity Beach, QLD | All Fired Up – Together | |
| Christina Papadimitriou | Heatley, QLD | Wearable Art Wonderland! | |
| (Balla Neba) Andrew Toby | Bungalow, QLD | Deeyamithadda (Dance Spirit) | |
| Overall Arts (Amber Grossmann) | Mount Sheridan, QLD | Youth Theatre Creative Development of O,Ophelia | |
| Empire Theatres Pty Ltd | Toowoomba, QLD | String Symphony 2023 | |
| Banana Shire Community Arts Association Inc | Biloela, QLD | Biloela’s Creative Capers | |
| Better In Blackall Inc | Blackall, QLD | It’s Better in Blackall! | |
| Black Image Band | Normanby, QLD | Normanby Station Creative Bootcamp |
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, Her Excellency, the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young PSM 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, 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 Mr Thompson please contact
Nicola Newman
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.