Media Centre | Australia Council

Featured Media Releases

Australia Council invests $8.8 million in arts and culture including First Nations musicians, youth and regional artists

15 Jun 2021

Emerging First Nations musicians, new Australian works by younger artists, regional artists and literature projects are among the recipients of the latest round of arts projects grants supported by the Australia Council. The investment will support 256 creative projects and cultural activities for artists and organisations creating benefits for all audiences across Australia.

Vale Lucette Aldous AC

11 Jun 2021

The Australia Council wishes to acknowledge the passing of Lucette Aldous AC and pay tribute to her impressive contribution to performing arts as an internationally acclaimed ballet dancer and teacher. Lucette was a dance luminary in Australia and overseas. Petite in stature and grand in gesture, she famously starred as Kitri opposite ballet sensation Rudolf Nureyev in the 1973 film version of Don Quixote for the Australian Ballet.

Celebrating the achievements of First Nations artists at the 2021 First Nations Arts Awards

27 May 2021

The recipients of the 2021 First Nations Arts Awards have been announced during a special event streamed live online across Australia, in partnership with NITV. The First Nations Arts Awards are delivered by the Australia Council for the Arts each year on May 27, marking the anniversary of the 1967 referendum and the start of National Reconciliation Week. The awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding work and achievements of First Nations artists.

Australia Council invests $2.4 million across the creative industries to build back better

27 May 2021

The Australia Council has announced the recipients of its investment in initiatives to support the recovery of Australia’s cultural and creative industries. The investment through the Re-imagine: Sector Recovery Initiatives fund includes strong support for First Nations arts and cultural organisations (including Ilbijerri, KALACC, Aboriginal Art Centre Hub of WA, Tranby, Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, Gujaga, Digi Youth Arts) and organisations working with people with disability (including Arts Access Australia, Dirty Feet and Studio A).

Vale Arone Meeks

18 May 2021

The Australia Council wishes to acknowledge the passing of Ku Ku Imidiji man Arone Meeks and pay tribute to his significant contribution to First Nations arts and culture. Arone was a founding member of Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative, and former Chair of the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair. Arone was also an Australia Council peer, an artist, teacher and leading advocate for First Nations people’s health.

Celebrating creativity and culture at the 2021 Australia Council Awards

19 Apr 2021

Musician William Barton, author Arnold Zable and visual artist Vivienne Binns OAM are among the eight recipients of the 2021 Australia Council Awards. The peer-nominated awards recognise outstanding and sustained contributions in music, literature, community arts and cultural development, emerging and experimental arts, visual arts, theatre and dance.

Australia Council welcomes additional support for creative sector

25 Mar 2021

The Australia Council for the Arts has warmly welcomed today’s announcement of an additional $135 million support for the creative sector. “The additional $125 million in funding for the RISE program and the revised guidelines will help more artists, creative workers and businesses access the support they need as our cultural and creative sector continues to recover and rebuild from the impact of COVID-19,” said Adrian Collette AM, CEO of the Australia Council.

Vale Taryn Fiebig

22 Mar 2021

The Australia Council wishes to acknowledge the passing of Australian soprano Taryn Fiebig and pay tribute to her impressive contribution to Australian music and culture. Fiebig performed regularly for Opera Australia and Pinchgut Opera, and as a soloist with a number of major Australasian orchestras.

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Biographies

Thea Anamara Perkins: 2020 Dreaming Award for an Emerging Artist

Thea Anamara Perkins is an Arrernte and Kalkadoon woman. Raised and based in Sydney, she has family ties to the Redfern community and engages with the area through her painting and installation practice. In 2018 she was a lead artist participating in the restoration of the iconic 40,000 Years mural in Redfern.

SJ Norman: 2020 Emerging and Experimental Arts Fellowship

SJ Norman was born on Gadigal lands, and has a Wiradjuri and Anglo-Celtic heritage. He is a fearless experimenter, a rigorous researcher, a critically engaged maker and a formidable performer. SJ’s practice spans installation, sculpture, fiction, essays, poetry, video, sound and performance, including significant pieces of durational work. His practice is both unique and vital to contemporary Australian art and critical discourse.

Lydia Fairhall: 2020 Community Arts and Cultural Development Fellowship

Lydia Fairhall is a Woromi woman. She is a theatre and film producer, a community arts and cultural development practitioner, a writer, an artistic director, a musician and more. She has programmed and produced countless shows, for the likes of ILBIJERRI Theatre Company, Brown Cabs, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Bangarra Dance Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company, Footscray Community Arts Centre and more, as well as taking titles such as JACK CHARLES V. The CROWN to international audiences.

Maree Clarke: 2020 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Fellowship

Maree Clarke is a Yorta Yorta/WambaWamba/Mutti Mutti/Boonwurrung woman. She is an independent multi-disciplinary artist  and curator, with a 30 year history of working in the contemporary and cultural First Nations arts sector. Maree is a leading possum skin artist, also working with kangaroo teeth, echidna quills, glass, photography and more.

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