Arts North West Micro Grants Ready to Roll

New England North West creatives are set to benefit directly from Arts North West, with the announcement of another round of Arts North West’s Micro Grants opening in early August.

The first round of Micro Grants was announced in April 2020 and saw a range of artists and arts projects boosted during the COVID-19 pandemic, including musicians, textile artists, visual artists, performing artists and more. Since then, the fund has expended around $25,000 directly to New England North West creatives.

“Announcing the opening of the Micro Grants Funding round is one of my first tasks as the new Executive Director of Arts North West” said Arts North West Executive Director Lauren Mackley.

“It has been an incredibly challenging couple of years for our arts community in the New England North West, from droughts, bushfires, Covid and now floods, and it gives me great joy to know that we have the opportunity to financially assist creatives and their practice as they navigate these unprecedented times.” Ms Mackley continued.

Designed to support the continuation of locally-determined community arts and cultural practice in uncertain times, this funding aims to be as flexible as possible. Projects can be outcome-focused or be designed around skills development or capacity-building.

“The main reasons why this fund is so well prescribed, is the simple application and the quick turnaround, something you do not get when applying to other funds. Applications open first week of August and closing on 5 September, and each applicant can apply for up to $1000. Successful applicants will be notified on 19 September. Previous unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to reapply.” Concluded Ms Mackley.

To apply to the Arts North West Micro Grants Round, visit the Arts North West website www.artsnw.com.au or contact the Arts North West office for more information (02) 6732 4988.

11 NEW ENGLAND NORTH WEST CREATIVE PROJECTS FUNDED BY ARTS NORTH WEST

11 creative endeavours have been successfully funded through the third round of the Arts North West Micro Grants program. The program was originally developed as a direct response to the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic. Due to the overwhelming response from the New England North West creative community in 2020, Arts North West has made Micro Grant funding a part of their 2021 programming.

Designed to support the continuation of locally determined community arts and cultural practice in uncertain times, this funding aims to be as flexible as possible. Projects do not require a specific outcome but can focus on skills development or capacity-building. Arts North West recognises the recent hardships faced by the New England North West including drought, bushfire, mouse plague and COVID-19 and their effects on arts practice or arts businesses.

“We are still finding ourselves in very unusual times in the New England North West and we really understand the difficulties faced by the arts and cultural communities in our region” said Arts North West Executive Director, Caroline Downer. “Yet again, we are absolutely thrilled at the response to this initiative, with over 40 applications received which is a significant increase on last year. This goes to show that despite the current challenges faced by the sector, the arts and culture landscape in the New England North West is a very resilient one” Ms Downer continued.

The successful applicants are as follows:

1. Tania Hartigan, Wallabadah: Continue development of creating natural inks from native plants growing in this region.

2. Buluuy Mirrii, Tamworth: To prepare for the upcoming Fabrics of Multicultural Australia (FOMA) in 2021-2022 at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney.

3. Goldheist, Tamworth: Record a live acoustic EP of love songs.

4. Sophie Honess, Tamworth: To seek the services of A2 framing in Armidale for upcoming solo exhibition at Weswal Gallery, Tamworth.

5. Yulugi Marumali, Moree: To create dance tutorial videos that will include basic dance tips and terminology.

6. James O’Hanlon, Armidale: To buy supplies that will be used to prepare a series of entirely new artworks for exhibition.

7. Arushi Nayar, Gunnedah: Work on an artistic project about experiences of living on a farm.

8. Marianne la Cour, Glen Innes: To develop resources for future teaching.

9. Beattie Alvarez, Armidale: To write, illustrate and print a series of micro stories, based around the toys that I make.

10. Helena Pastor, Armidale: To cover the costs of an online writing course offered through Writing NSW and a new author photo.

11. Vicky Taylor, Kentucky: Hire a video producer to produce a 10-minute video of local contemporary lace makers.

For more information, contact Caroline Downer via rado@artsnw.com.au

SMALL GRANTS EXTENDED TO THIRD ROUND

A range of independent creatives of the New England North West are set to benefit with the announcement of the opening of Arts North West’s third round of Quick Response Micro Grants.

Carrying on from the success of the first two rounds in 2020, Arts North West has made provisions in their 2021 programming budget to continue this direct financial support to creatives in the New England North West, as the region continues to be faced with a myriad of hardships which now includes a mouse plague and the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

These provisions allow for multiple small grants of up to $1000 for creative practitioners, community groups and arts organisations working in all art forms and are designed to support the continuation of locally determined community arts and cultural practice. This funding aims to be as flexible as possible and projects do not require a specific outcome but can focus on skills development or capacity-building.

“More often than not, grant applications come with a lot of complexities and processes. The beauty of our Micro Grants is that we are able to assist creatives from our region in a myriad of ways including the purchasing of equipment, professional development, creative workshops, through an incredibly simple and quick application process via the Arts North West website.” Said Arts North West Executive Director, Caroline Downer.

“It’s wonderful to be able to extend this opportunity into 2021 and Arts North West recognises the recent hardships faced by the New England North West including drought, bushfire, mouse plague and COVID-19 and their effects on your arts practice or arts business. Applications outlining a direct impact from these recent hardships will take priority when assessed.” She continued.

There is a very quick turnaround for applying these micro grants, with applications opening on Friday 13 August and closing on 6 September 2021. Successful applicants will be notified on 18 September 2021. Previous unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to reapply.

To apply to the Arts North West Micro Grants Round, click here.

Pandemic inspires artist to go bush

COUNTRY SOLACE: New England artist Isabelle Devos is planning to go bush on a plein-air residency (photo: David Elkin)

AN ARTIST will live and work in the New England National Park, embarking on a ‘plein-air residency’ made possible with a micro grant from Arts North West.

New England-based painter Isabelle Devos will spend several days living in the park, walking, exploring, drawing and painting.

“The pandemic has affected my creative practice by having exhibitions changed into virtual online exhibitions and openings or cancelled altogether,” she told Arts North West this week.

“My creative process has expanded to spending more time outdoors drawing and painting with inks, still doing rural landscape based paintings” Isabelle Devos

“I have found real solace in being in the bush more regularly, near green and nature and away from too many people.”

Forest Bathing

A contemporary landscape painter whose work is represented in Sydney and New England galleries, Devos said she cannot say for certain what the art work executed in this bush residency will look like.

“But I expect that it may include large-scale drawings of trees, plants and nature.

“I will also be doing some research into ‘forest bathing’ and science around the impacts of being in nature on a person's creative and mental wellbeing.

“The micro grant will help fund some additional art supplies that work well outdoors, such as a folding metal easel, larger brushes, thick papers and will also be funding the accommodation within the national park.”

To follow the progress of the project head to Isabelle Devos Art on Facebook and @isabelledevosart on Instagram