Minderoo Foundation announced the opening of the WA Artist Fund for Expressions of Interest this month.
Enabling up to eight West Australian artists the opportunity to secure support that organisers say will help them create bold new work to inspire and connect our communities, the fund has the power to change an artist's career.
The WA Artist Fund strives to support mid-career artists to elevate their professional practice. Over the past five years, the Artist Fund has included a diverse cohort of artists who are continuing to make valuable contributions to the cultural landscape.
Minderoo Foundation chief executive officer John Hartman said Artist Fund is an exciting opportunity for individual mid-career artists to get the support they need.
"Minderoo understands we need a resilient, professional and well-supported arts sector – with resilient, professional and well-supported artists within it – so the power of the arts can contribute to community vibrancy and cohesion," he said.
"The Artist Fund is an exciting opportunity for individual mid-career artists to get the support they need to keep going at a time in their professional practice when the challenges can be immense. I'm looking forward to seeing the creativity and impact artists can express through this opportunity."
The Artist Fund has announced it will be awarding up to six grants of $35,000 to six artists in 2025, and up to two month-long artistic residences at Forrest Hall in Perth. Artists from all art forms are being encouraged to apply as there is no restriction on what project they can propose and put forward.
Each artist selected for the 2025 cohort will additionally have the opportunity to be selected for the Minderoo Artist Award of $50,000, awarded by the judging panel.
A previous recipient of the award, Broome-based dancer and Yawuru woman Tara Gower, used the opportunity to create an Indigenous dance studio for the community in Broome, to expand the work explored during her time in the Artist Fund cohort.
"Since winning the award and the exposure that goes alongside such a prestigious accolade, I have received many opportunities. For a mid-career artist, such as myself, this recognition has given my career a boost with new job opportunities as a choreographer statewide. The most significant opportunity I have received is being asked to create a dance work for the WA Ballet,'" she said.
Executive director of Communities at Minderoo Foundation, Penny Dakin, said the Artist Fund highlights the significant role that artists like Tara Gower play in creating vibrant and connected communities.
"Minderoo created the Artist Fund in 2020 to provide direct support to independent mid-career Western Australian artists at a crucial time in their career - to create opportunities to further develop their work and their artform," she said.
"We know that artists and communities need more opportunities like this – to inspire creativity and connection in communities through bold, diverse and impactful projects. Because when artists thrive, our communities thrive."
All eligible and eager artists are invited to submit an Expression of Interest with a brief outline of their project they wish to put forward. Following that, a shortlist will then be invited to submit detailed applications on their work and practice.
The final list of selected artists will be announced in 2025. Expressions of Interest close at 5pm, October 7th, 2024.
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