Emerging and Experimental Arts
Emerging and Experimental Arts focuses on research and development, creative development and experimentation.
We support artists who are exploring new and emerging art practices through our experimental arts grant programs. We also manage special non-ongoing initiatives such as the Creative Australia New Art program which supports artists to create major new experimental work. Emerging and Experimental Arts also partners with other boards of the Australia Council to deliver initiatives such as the Indigenous Experimental Art Fund; the Hopscotch live art touring initiative; and the recent AlloSphere Artist Residency at the California NanoSystems Institute; virtual art laboratories with the Australian Centre for Virtual Arts (ACVA); We also are delivering one of the key Early Career Artist and Producer Program initiatives - SITUATE Art in Festivals.
Emerging and Experimental Arts arts also supports artists working with professionals from other disciplines, mainly through innovative art/science research collaborations as part of the Synapse initiative. Synapse provides Australia Council funding for successful applications to the Australian Research Council. The Synapse initiative allows artists to spend significant periods of time in scientific organisations and institutions to develop work in collaboration with scientists.
Artists working in this field are supported primarily through their own contacts and networks in their particular interest area. There is a strong connection between artists working in experimental contexts and practice-based research programs in universities, as well as strong international links.
A key event on the experimental arts calender this year is ISEA (International Symposium of Electronic Art) in Sydney in 2013. The Australia Council is a primary funder of the public program of this event.
Read more about Emerging and Experimental Arts and our Sector Plan.
Image: 'Body Fluid II (redux)' by John A. Douglas. Photo by Heidrun Lohr, courtesy of Performance Space. John A. Douglas received an Artist Initiated Residency grant in 2012.
Creative Australia – New Art (Creative Development)
This initiative supports artists to develop ambitious experimental art projects and partnerships that intersect with broader culture, leading to the production of major new works.
We encourage proposals that investigate possibilities of artistic practice that intersect with broader cultural activity, which may include:
- digital culture and creative partnerships harnessing next generation broadband networks
- Indigenous and intercultural collaborations
- community participation and artistic interventions into public spaces
- artists working with urban renewal and ecology projects
Applications for Creative Australia – New Art (Creative Development) grants close 1 August 2013. See the application guidelines and selection criteria, assessment meeting reports and stories of artists recently supported through Inter-Arts funding programs. You are encouraged to discuss your proposal ideas with the Australia Council.
Latest News and Projects
Wrapping Up the National Experimental Arts Forum
The Emerging and Experimental Arts section of the Australia Council hosted the first National Experimental Arts Forum on 5-6 May in Sydney. Sixty participants came together to build an understanding of how to effectively support artists working in this field, and to continue critical debate about the value of experimental and emerging arts.
SITUATE Art in Festivals is now calling for artists to participate
This initiative supports early career artists to develop experimental work within a festival environment.
National Experimental Arts Forum
The Inter-Arts Office of the Australia Council for the Arts will hold the inaugural National Experimental Arts Forum on 5-6 May 2013, which for the first time will bring together key stakeholders in the field of emerging and experimental arts in Australia.
Experimental Arts peers
Emerging and Experimental Arts convenes Assessment Panel Meetings with peer advisors. Peers rate, score and assess applications formally and provide recommendations to the Council on which applications should be approved.
We invite peers for each meeting seeking broad representation of regional knowledge, art form expertise, and experience with emerging and experimental arts. Sign up for the Australia Council Peer Registry.
Emerging and experimental arts sector plan
Read about Emerging and Experimental Arts and our involvement with the sector, current issues, short and medium term goals and priorities for the sector. Find out more
Our team and contacts
Andrew Donovan, Director
Email
Pip Wittenoom, Program Manager
Email or call on 02 9215 9110
Owen Leong, Program Officer
Email or call on 02 9215 9077