Australian creators to receive $1.3 million from the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund
The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund today announced $1.3 million in grants for the support of 56 new projects in the first of two rounds of funding for 2017.
The Cultural Fund is the philanthropic arm of the Copyright Agency and is dedicated to supporting innovation in the Australian creative industries.
Copyright Agency CEO, Adam Suckling, says “The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund comes from the generosity of our members who have committed 1.5% of the agency’s revenue every year. This important source of funding helps to ensure Australia’s talented and diverse literary and artistic community can continue to generate creative work for the benefit of all Australians.
“The high calibre of the first round of grants for 2017 is reflected in today’s $1.3 million announcement with The Stella Prize, the Melbourne Writers Festival and the National Young Writers Festival all beneficiaries of grants.”
Other highlights of the funding round include the commissioning of 19 new Australian plays over two years, facilitated by nationally renowned theatre companies Belvoir Company B in Sydney, La Boite Theatre Company in regional Queensland, and Red Stitch Actor’s Theatre in Melbourne.
Cultural Fund Officer Nicola Evans says, “A strong focus for the Cultural Fund, and the Copyright Agency, is to support Indigenous creators and programs that will establish a greater understanding and engagement with Australian First Nations’ histories and culture.”
In total, nine of the 56 funded projects will promote engagement with Indigenous culture, including a three-year commitment to the National Indigenous Story Awards and to the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ outreach education program ‘HOME: Aboriginal art in NSW’.
Reading Australia, a program run by the Copyright Agency, will continue its partnership with remote Indigenous publisher Magabala Books, in Western Australia, commissioning teaching resources for books for secondary students. Funding has also been committed to the Eleanor Dark Foundation to found four Fellowships for Indigenous Writers a year over three years.
Children’s literature, poetry, literary journals, festivals, prize contribution and trade association conferences were also amongst the successful recipients
A full listing of funded projects can be viewed at:
https://www.copyright.com.au/2017/07/australian-creators-receive-1-3-million-cultural-funding
About the Copyright Agency
The not-for-profit Copyright Agency connects users and creators of content, providing licences for the use of copyright material such as text, images, art and survey plans. We manage the educational and government licences for the use of text and images, as well as the resale royalty scheme for artists (by Government appointment). Our members include writers, artists, surveyors and publishers. Membership is free. www.copyright.com.au
