Visual arts
The Australia Council supports Australian visual arts through the visual arts board and market development section.
In 2006-07, we invested more than $16.8 million in the visual arts including $12.5 million through the visual arts board. This support takes the form of grants to individual artists, support to contemporary art organisations, funding for national and international exhibitions and events, market and audience development initiatives and strategic initiatives to build capacity across the sector.
Grants
New work
Visual arts board
Applications close: 15 April 2008
Amount:
$10,000 for emerging artists
$20,000 for established artists
New work grants support the research, development and creation of new artistic works for exhibition, production or publication. Craftspeople, designers, media artists, arts writers and visual artists can apply individually or as a group to emerging (less than five years professional experience) or established (more than five years professional experience) artists categories. This grant category is supported through the Australian Government’s visual arts and craft strategy.
Presentation and promotion
Visual arts board
Applications close: 1 August 2008
Presentation and promotion grants support the presenting and promoting of contemporary Australian craft, design, media art and visual in Australia and overseas. They can be for exhibitions, publications and conferences or to support international visitors. Only art organisations are eligible to apply.
Skills and arts development – general
Visual arts board
Applications close: 1 August 2008
Skills and arts development – general grants support professional development opportunities for craftspeople, designers, media artists, arts writers and curators. This may include selforganised residencies, writing projects, curatorial projects, mentorships, conference and workshop participation or research. Individual artists and groups are welcome to apply.
Skills and arts development – studio residencies
Visual arts board
Applications close: 1 August 2008
Amounts: $10,000, $20,000 and $35,000
Overseas studio residencies are open only to practicing craftspeople, designers, media artists and visual artists. A 12-month residency worth $35,000 is available in Berlin; six-month residencies worth $20,000 are available in New York; and three-month residencies worth $10,000 are available in Barcelona, London, Los Angeles, Milan, New York, Paris, Rome or Tokyo.
Fellowships
Visual arts board
Applications close: 15 April 2008
Amount: $90,000 over two years
Two-year fellowship grants support outstanding craftspeople, designers, media artists and visual artists to realise ambitious projects and take their practice to new levels of chievement. Individual artists are welcome to apply.
Visual arts emeritus award and medal
Visual arts board
Nominations close: 1 August 2008
Amount:
$40,000 for award
$10,000 for medal
The visual arts emeritus award honours the special achievements of an Australian craftsperson, designer, media artist, visual artist or art writer who has made an outstanding contribution to developing Australian art. The visual arts emeritus medal honours the special professional achievements of a curator, administrator or advocate for Australian art. Artists and arts workers in the visual arts can be nominated.
Key organisations – multi-year
Visual arts board
Applications closed
Key organisations – multi-year grants support outstanding visual arts organisations that have sustained national or international influence, are leading innovators that extend visual arts practice or are acknowledged centres of excellence. Applications are not open in 2008. As a result of visual arts and craft strategy funding, organisations receiving multi-year funding need not re-apply.
Initiatives
Indigenous art book series
Visual arts board
Managed by Melbourne University Press
Ten Indigenous contemporary art books will be published over the next three years through this initiative. The books will discuss individual artists and general themes in Indigenous visual and media arts and craft, and will be aimed at general audiences.
International craft and design strategy
Visual arts board
Managed by JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design
This initiative develops new international markets for craft and design through an international visitors program and showcases exhibitions at Talente in Germany, Collect in the UK and SOFA in the USA.
International visual arts strategy
Visual arts board
This strategy supports hosted visits to Australia by curators from key international biennales and other important visual arts events. It also supports Australian visual and media artists to participate in these events and build relationships that might lead to future international projects.
Media arts strategy
Visual arts board
This initiative supports a range of activities to develop media arts practice, including a pilot mentorship program, an international visitors meet with key international curators, media
arts forums on collecting and exhibiting media art and support for an Australian presence at ISEA Singapore 2008.
Venice Biennale 2009
Market development section, visual arts board
The Venice Biennale is one of the oldest and most important forums for contemporary art. The next biennale will be held from June 2009. The Australia Council manages the official Australian representation, featuring one or more outstanding visual artists. Contact market development staff for more information.
Visual arts and craft strategy
Australian Government initiative
The visual arts and craft strategy (VACS) is a four-year $50 million package of support for individual artists, Indigenous arts, visual arts infrastructure and market development from the Australian, state and territory governments. VACS funding was renewed for a further four years in May 2007.