What is the Creators Fund?
The Creators Fund is a grant opportunity that provides financial support for up to six months for creative practitioners to undertake the following activities that will enable career advancement and innovation within the creative industries:
- Intensive creative research and development of new ideas/concepts
- Practice based experimentation
Background
Creators Fund paves the way for independent creatives to take their practice and their careers to the next level by providing them with one of the most important and scarce creative resources – time – to research, innovate and take risks.
Open to individual creative practitioners and collectives across all disciplines, and at all career stages, the program supports artists and creatives to undertake a sustained period of intensive research and development or experimentation.
The Creators Fund February 2021 Funding Round is for activity commencing 1 July 2021. The period of sustained activity must occur within one year of the funding being confirmed.
Objectives
Creators Fund aims to:
- Encourage deep research and experimentation to support creative practitioners in achieving excellence, innovation and advancement in their careers.
- Afford practitioners with an opportunity to take creative risks.
- Support creatives to broaden, deepen or diversify their creative practice.
- Promote original and expansive thinking.
- Encourage cross-disciplinary and cross-industry collaborations.
- Engage with independent artists, creatives and collectives that reflect the diversity of the Victorian community, including individuals and collectives from across metro, outer suburban and regional Victoria.
Funding
Applications will be accepted for requests between $20,000 and $50,000 plus access costs, for a funded period of up to 6 months of activity.
Limits are as follows:
- Deaf and Disabled applicants may apply for the general activity costs ($20,000 – $50,000), plus up to $10,000 to cover any additional specific access costs that will help remove barriers for the creatives practitioners involved in the activity, plus up to $10,000 to make the activity accessible to a wider audience (e.g. Auslan, captioning, audio description, materials in other formats).
- All other applicants may apply for general activity costs ($20,000 – $50,000), plus up to $10,000 to make the activity accessible to a wider audience (e.g. Auslan, captioning, audio description, materials in other formats).
Eligibility
The Creators Fund accepts applications from individuals and collectives. Applications are encouraged from a wide range of creative disciplines from across the sector, including but not limited to screen, fashion, design, digital games, visual arts, literature, dance, circus, cabaret, music, theatre, multidisciplinary and experimental work.
The primary focus of the proposal must include Victorian-based individual professional creative practitioners (emerging to established) and/or Victorian-based professional collectives AND a creative ideas or activity.
Groups of individuals who join together as a collective must be legally constituted or nominate either an individual or an auspicing body to apply, and to take legal and financial responsibility for the grant should one be awarded. Applicants working in digital games are encouraged to read the Creators Fund and the Games Industry FAQ.
This state-wide program encourages applications from First Peoples*, Deaf and Disabled creatives*, LGBTIA+ applicants, regional applicants and applicants from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Timing
Applications close 22 February 2021.
More Information
Recipients
Charlotte Algie, HAWTHORN, $46,820
Designer Charlotte Algie will work to develop a prototype structure for a fire-proof house.
Natasha Anderson, STRATHFIELDSAYE, $30,000
Composer and musician Natasha Anderson will undertake an art/glaciology residency at the Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics (Switzerland) and experiment with re-processing archival glaciology material.
Ben Andrews, LINTON, $36,852
Ben Andrews is a director working with immersive/XR technologies who will develop an interactive project that explores the chronic condition of vestibular migraines.
Girius Antanaitis, BALWYN NORTH, $40,000
Designer Girius Antanaitis will develop a method for creating on-demand implant designs for medical devices for Australian wildlife.
Julia Bak, BRUNSWICK WEST, $44,521
Writer, researcher and organiser Julia Bak is developing a non-fiction work that explores how chronic pain and illness, and the ongoing impact of colonisation, impacts a person.
Bronwyn Batten, RICHMOND, $24,000
Performer, theatre-maker and producer Bronwyn Batten will collaborate with Dr Jude MacNaughton and Lucy Bool to develop a new theatre piece With Child.
Maxine Beneba Clarke, KINGSVILLE, $24,000
Writer Maxine Beneba Clarke will research and develop Bossanova: 100 New Poems for Children.
Katherine Beynon, NORTHCOTE, $28,000
Visual artist Katherine Beynon will collaborate with her son, artist and animator Rali Beynon, to experiment with new multi-artform works merging animation, fashion and projection art.
Ann Bolch, WOODEND, $35,000
Writer Ann Bolch will research and develop a memoir chronicling Baburam Poudel’s life story.
Candy Bowers, NORTHCOTE, $45,000
Performer, writer and director, Candy Bowers will develop a new theatre work exploring the connection between diabetes, migration and social disadvantage in the Australian African Diaspora.
Ingrid Brooker, PRESTON, $25,570
Multidisciplinary artist Ingrid Brooker will research sculptural practice and experiment with bronze casting, including undertaking a period of development at Space Tank Studio.
Lauren Burrow, EAST MELBOURNE, $39,999
Lauren Burrow will research and develop a new body of sculptural work exploring the emergence of environmental politics and poetics in Australia.
Jason Christou, DOCKLANDS, $45,083
Screen-writer and director Jason Christou will undertake research to support the development of an interactive TV crime series.
Robert Croft, TORQUAY, $22,600
Visual artist Robert Croft will collaborate with filmmaker and musician Stephen Oakes and art therapist and disability support worker Celia Adams on In The Room, a project melding visual art and sound art.
Madelynne Cornish, BOGONG VILLAGE, $45,263
Audio visual artist and curator Madelynne Cornish will collaborate with digital animator Gina Moore, under the mentorship of soundscape composer Philip Samartzis, to experiment with 3D technologies, digital animation and sound spatialisation.
Croissants & Whiskey, LARA, $28,260
Cross-cultural ensemble Croissants & Whiskey will research improvisation traditions and Chinese traditional music practices.
Grace Culley, ST KILDA, $35,000
Visual artist Grace Culley will develop Surprised Face; Heart Eyes, a project that investigates the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Tess Cullity, THORNBURY, $32,420
Tess Cullity will develop picture-book-inspired fiction and non-fiction zines and comics for children.
Pamela Debrincat, CAIRNLEA, $35,000
Pamela Debrincat will draw upon her lived experience of disability to establish accessible curatorial frameworks that aim to dismantle boundaries between artist and audience.
Chelle Destefano, NORTH WONTHAGGI, $40,835
Multi-disciplinary artist Chelle Destefano will develop a series of performance videos interpreting Auslan poetry into choreographed dances, working under the mentorship of Nina Sanadze.
Holly Durant, KEW, $39,500
Performer and choreographer Holly Durant will investigate new processes for choreographic practice.
Benjamin Dynan, ABBOTSFORD, $25,580
Multi-modal therapeutic arts practitioner Benjamin Dynan will undertake research in support of their emerging practice.
Talgium Edwards, THORNBURY, $55,000
Writer Talgium Edwards is developing a second autobiographical book, detailing the later part of life as a member of the Stolen Generation.
Naomi Eller, CARLTON, $36,600
Sculptor Naomi Eller will experiment with material and form as part of a new project, Sea of Fragments.
FLUXUS, ST KILDA, $20,000
FLUXUS will undertake research and creative development on an opera based on the life of African-Australian woman Elsie Williams.
Jessie French, CLIFTON HILL, $50,000
Artist and experimental designer Jessie French will collaborate with art conservators Care of Studios on research into sustainable materials for sculpture and architectural applications.
David Gagliardi, BENDIGO, $37,150
Artistic director, composer and producer David Gagliardi will undertake initial development on new cross-art form works that aim to provide professional opportunities for regional artists and arts workers.
Samuel Gaskin, ELTHAM NORTH, $50,000
Musician and actor Samuel Gaskin will research how children’s theatre can tackle themes of ancestry and trauma.
Stephanie Gawler, COBURG, $36,997
Speculative and relational artist Stephanie Gawler will research new ways of working across disciplines, combining the natural sciences with creative practice.
Tara Gilbee, Fryerstown, $25,000
Multidisciplinary visual artist Tara Gilbee will research the impact of temporal and elemental forces on the materiality of artworks imbedded in a landscape.
Amrita Hepi, BRUNSWICK, $36,500
Dancer and choreographer Amrita Hepi will research participatory art and performance models, and use of technology.
HoMie, FITZROY, $40,000
Fashion social enterprise HoMie will undertake research, technique development and practice-based experimentation to push the boundaries of its current design offering.
Lucinda Horrocks, BALLARAT CENTRAL, $49,998
Lucinda Horrocks and Jary Nemo, co-founders of Wind & Sky Productions, will undertake research into Victoria’s former goldfields region.
Luke Howard and Simon Burgin, KEW, $41,876
Composer Luke Howard and digital artist Simon Burgin will work to develop a prototype for an immersive audio-visual performance format.
David Jenkinson, WEST WODONGA, $40,200
David Jenkinson will research how games technology can help make interactive virtual spaces more accessible.
Donna Kendrigan, COBURG, $30,000
Animator and visual artist Donna Kendrigan will develop creative content for an augmented reality platform.
Carmen Knox, PARKDALE, $42,450
Carmen Knox will develop a feature film treatment that reflects on the Motherhood Complex.
Katerina Kokkinos-Kennedy, RICHMOND, $36,840
Theatre director and writer Katerina Kokkinos-Kennedy will undertake research and collaborations to explore mixed reality and how to create hybrid immersive events.
LaGuapa Outerwear, DOCKLANDS, $50,000
Sustainable and ethical fashion label La Guapa Outerwear will experiment with bio-based material developments, natural resins and components with a high content of plant-based matter.
Audrey Lam, EAST MELBOURNE, $50,000
Filmmaker Audrey Lam will research the culture of community radio stations for a film project.
Liza Lim, SOUTH YARRA, $49,200
Composer, educator and researcher Liza Lim will develop a new opera with libretto, compositional sketches and an associated podcast series.
Alena Lodkina, EAST MELBOURNE, $32,586
Filmmaker Alena Lodkina will research the recurring dreams and nightmares of urban professional women in their 30s to inform narrative ideas for a feature film.
Kimberley Lovegrove, BRUNSWICK, $20,000
Kimberley Lovegrove will develop Kungari Comedy Workshops, a program for First Nations creatives to learn to write stand-up comedy with mentoring by established comedians.
John McCormick, WERRIBEE, $38,500
Technology based artist John McCormick will use robots to research movement as a method for collaboration.
Caroline Meaden, KENSINGTON, $40,357
Dancer and choreographer Caroline Meaden will undertake research and explore a new working methodology for dance-led choreographic practice.
Fatima Measham, WYNDHAM VALE, $45,305
Writer and speaker Fatima Measham will research human interventions in nature to develop innovative storytelling techniques.
Rose Michael, FITZROY NORTH, $32,349
Writer Rose Michael will develop NovelLab, a collaborative program and feminist collective that will initially support the works of five novelists.
Ranima Montes, NORTHCOTE, $53,750
Filmmaker Ranima Montes will develop a new feature film script, exploring punk, politics and witchcraft in the Philippines.
Jake Nakashima-Edwards, NORTHCOTE, $50,000
Fashion designer Jake Nakashima-Edwards will work to develop a sustainable textile dyeing method with native eucalyptus plants.
Phuong Ngo, SUNSHINE WEST, $40,000
Artist and curator Phuong Ngo will undertake research into furniture built in Australia by ‘European Labour Only’ to examine the racialised underpinning of historic white Australia.
Jess O’Farrell, BRUNSWICK EAST, $50,000
Creative video and virtual reality (VR) producer Jess O’Farrell will work to improve the integration of live action into VR environments to create cinematic experiences that meld with 3D assets and environments.
Public Service Announcement Theatre Collective, ELWOOD, $20,000
The theatre collective will explore how technology and multi-disciplinary forms can be used to create access aesthetics for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.
Sangeeta Sandrasegar, FITZROY NORTH, $25,920
Visual artist Sangeeta Sandrasegar will undertake research and experiment with the application of natural dye techniques.
Ronnie Scott, BRUNSWICK EAST, $20,853
Ronnie Scott will experiment with techniques that combine literature, visual arts and graphic storytelling to advance his practice as a queer novelist.
Antonia Sellbach, COBURG, $36,500
Visual artist Antonia Sellbach will collaborate with sound artists Anthea Caddy and Jenny Branagan to develop new multimedia works.
Katie Sfetkidis, MELBOURNE, $32,900
Multi-disciplinary artist and lighting designer Katie Sfetkidis will undertake research exploring the nature of protest movements, older women and the digital realm.
Priya Srinivasan, KEYSBOROUGH, $43,130
Dancer and choreographer Priya Srinivasan will engage with Victoria’s South Asian dance community elders and dancers, First Nation artists, choreographers, and dancers to explore how South Asian dance knowledges can be collectively engaged within Victoria’s contemporary dance sector.
Stathis/Davey/Kim, BRUNSWICK, $49,200
The composer collective Stathis/Davey/Kim will research and experiment with new sonic composition techniques.
Alan Stewart, COBURG NORTH, $20,000
Photographer Alan Stewart will experiment with new photographic practices to capture Taungaurung Country in a way that moves beyond the Euro-centric portrayal of the Australian landscape.
Eden Swan, CASTLEMAINE, $48,944
Based on experience living with chronic autoimmune disease, Eden Swan will undertake research and create innovative performance-based artworks.
Vijay Thillaimuthu, PRESTON, $36,707
Audio visual artist Vijay Thillaimuthu will research techniques to record and visualise electromagnetic fields.
Antonella Thomas, SUNSHINE NORTH, $34,609
Circus artist Antonella Thomas will conduct research into the intersections of circus, movement, gender, sport and community engagement.
Christen Tynan, SOUTHBANK, $51,504
Visual artist Christen Tynan will develop methodologies to represent the diversity of disabled, queer and gender-diverse folklore within their work.
Julienne van Loon, FITZROY NORTH, $49,946
Writer Julienne van Loon will experiment with new methods to approach feminist literature with the goal of transforming the understanding of Australia’s leading women scientists.
Erkki Veltheim, CALRTON, $28,984
Musician Erkki Veltheim will explore socially and ecologically responsive field recording techniques and outdoor sound presentation strategies.
Mathew Watson, PRESTON, $36,878
Mathew Watson will research visual sound languages to create graphic scores for new experimental electronic music.
Narelle White, PARKVILLE, $44,005
Ceramic artist Narelle White will research experimental ceramic processes, digital manufacturing and traditional casting techniques to inform new work.
Misbah Wolf, NORTHCOTE, $49,173
Poet and artist Misbah Wolf will explore feminist narratives to create a book of stories with audio-visual components, under the mentorship of Koraly Dimitriadis.
Laura Woodward, CASTLEMAINE, $49,928
Kinetic sculptor Laura Woodward will explore alternative ways of working with plastics to find waste reduction solutions.
wreckedAllprods, ST KILDA, $49,300
Queer performance collective wreckedAllprods will develop a new music theatre work responding to LGBTQIA+ experiences in Victoria.
Latest News
23 June 2022 – 70 recipients received almost $2.7 M grants
Grants totalling almost $2.7 million have been awarded to 70 individual creatives and small collectives. The largest ever round of the Victorian Government’s ground-breaking Creators Fund is backing the people who power Victoria’s creative industries through the 2022 round.
Recipients of the 2022 Creators Fund span all creative disciplines and include:
- Boon Wurrung, Mutti Mutti, Taungerung and Palawa Elder and writer Talgium Edwards who will work on a second autobiography, detailing the later part of life as a member of the Stolen Generation
- Filmmaker Audrey Lam who will undertake research into community radio stations for a film project
- Artist and experimental designer Jessie French who will collaborate with art conservators Care of Studios on research into sustainable materials for sculpture and architectural applications.
- Sculptor Laura Woodward who will research alternative ways of working with plastics to reduce waste
- Multi-disciplinary artist and lighting designer Katie Sfetkidis who will explore the nature of protest movements, older women and the digital realm
- Author Maxine Beneba Clarke who will develop a book of poetry for children.
The Victorian Government’s Creators Fund has invested almost $6 million directly into the careers of Victorian creatives. This latest round includes dedicated streams for First Peoples creatives and creatives who identify as deaf or disabled. Just like in the science and technology sectors, research and development is vital to innovation.
