Extra Funding for Tasmanian Arts Organisations

More than $492,000 is being granted to ambitious and inspired arts projects, the Minister for Environment, Parks, Heritage and the Arts Michelle O'Byrne, announced today.

The grants support creative organisations around Tasmania and flow from consultation over the arts directions discussion paper, An Island Inspired.

"Consistent with the goals of An Island Inspired, grant applications were sought from projects that were ambitious in scale, based on real community partnerships, new or developing artforms and media, and in diverse locations."

Grants were awarded in community cultural activities, multimedia, music, dance, drama, music theatre and opera, and visual arts.

Ms O'Byrne said Devonport-based BIG hART Inc received the largest grant of $141,880 towards a one-year development of the This is Living project and performance.

"This will culminate in a full-scale theatrical work in four Tasmanian communities in 2009.

"BIG hART's work in community cultural development is outstanding and it is satisfying to be able to support this important work in Tasmanian communities."

Other grants include:

• $50,000 to Tasmanian Regional Arts to develop a new media installation exploring young Tasmanians' sense of place in contemporary Tasmania.
  
• $95,350 for a new program of dance workshops and performances by Tasdance on King Island, Cape Barren Island and Flinders Island.

Ms O'Byrne said the special grants round takes the total of grants allocated for the arts this year to $2,877,483.

"Arts Tasmania has also introduced four new grant funds in response to the An Island Inspired consultation process:
the Infrastructure Fund, the Aboriginal Arts Fund, the Cultural Exchange Fund and the Premier's Arts Fund.

"Further funding announcements about these programs will be made before the end of the 2007-08 financial year."

See the full list of successful applicants on the Arts Tasmania website: www.arts.tas.gov.au/recipients