Young Regional Artist Scholarships Foster Next Generation of Arts Professionals
19.08.2015They dance, act, tumble, photograph, sculpt, make music, act and now have $10,000 from a major new NSW Government initiative, the Young Regional Artist Scholarship.
Deputy Premier and Minister for the Arts, Troy Grant, recently announced the 16 young regional artists successful in being awarded a scholarship.
‘This innovative new program is supporting young regional artists aged between 18 and 25 to develop their careers and connect with arts organisations and training opportunities,’ Mr Grant said.
‘The inaugural funding program will showcase our youth locally, nationally and globally with exciting projects including circus training, experimental photography and debut music albums,’ he said.
The $10,000 scholarships, available for all art forms, fund activities including mentorships or internships with arts organisations, short-term courses and other training, national and international travel and creation of new work.
The first round of applications under the program attracted a competitive field covering dance, music, visual arts, theatre, literature and screen production.
The successful applicants are:
- Jarrod Takle, Albury: 12-month performance skill program at the National Circus School in Montreal, Canada. The program will involve working with some of the world’s best circus coaches.
- Bethany Thornber, Corowa: Aboriginal arts and culture mentorship with artist Dr Treahna Hamm. The mentorship will cover traditional Aboriginal art making and contemporary art practice.
- Jordan Bos, Coolamon: Entering the Fold paper sculptures mentorship with artist and curator Sarah McEwan to develop a body of new sculptural work for a solo exhibition in a local gallery.
- Jacob Raupach, Wagga Wagga: a series of professional development and research trips in Australia and Europe to meet with artists, publishers and galleries and attend one of the world’s largest photobook festivals. The visits will lead to the production of an artist’s monograph.
- Rosslyn Wythes of Orange: professional dance development in Australia and Europe. The scholarship will include a mentorship with Dirtyfeet, workshops with Strut (Perth), Ted Stoffer (Brussels) and Shai Faran (Berlin) and company placements in Sweden and Germany.
- Claire Leske, Wagga Wagga: a dance project to develop and teach a cerebral approach to movement. The project will involve workshops, a mentorship and skill development with regional NSW dancers.
- James Farley, Wagga Wagga: an arts residency at Broken Hill Art Exchange to create works on Broken Hill’s environmental regeneration using experimental photography.
- Tullara Connors, Grafton: professional music development mentorships including working with some of Ireland’s best Tenor Banjo players.
- Zachariah Johnson, Albury: a professional artistic development program in circus and physical theatre including visiting circus schools in Europe and an internship with Circus Oz.
- Ashley Hansell, Dundee: a professional design development program to expand a fashion label and create workshops. The project will help develop a handmade fashion business in Glen Innes and provide workshops on making recycled wearable art.
- Amos Wilksch, Culcairn: a six-to-eight week residency at Sydney’s Belvoir St Theatre for the rehearsal and bump-in of a 2016 production, and dramaturgical support for a new work.
- Nathan Wood, Byron Bay: screen project A Timelapse Journey Through the NSW Wilderness. The project will involve time lapse photography and video of NSW national parks and wilderness areas.
- Connor Coman-Sargent, Dubbo: design and digital arts project Second Sojourn: Extending the Journey. The project will include travel to Berlin and Barcelona to attend workshops by internationally renowned photographers.
- Sophie Payten,Canowindra: a project to record and release a debut full length music album. Ms Payten will work with producer Ben McCarthy to make a folk/pop album with alternative and experimental elements.
- Matt Ortiz, Albury: a 12-month program that includes workshops, a mentorship and song writing and recording to create an EP album.
- Heidi Maree Francis of Dubbo: a project to record an original full-length album in the indie/pop genre. The album will be recorded at a local studio with all music written and played by Ms Francis and her band.
With Arts NSW