Local arts companies lucky enough to receive state government funding include Slingsby Theatre Company, Open Space Contemporary Art, Zephyr Quartet, Brink Productions and the Australian Network for Art and Technology.
In a boon to ActNow Theatre, The Mill and Tutti Arts, this announcement marks the first time that these groups have received such significant funding through the Arts South Australia grants programs.
“It’s great to have funding to build the company,” ActNow’s Edwin Kemp-Attrill told The Adelaide Review. “This has been a goal for a while so it’s a great feeling to have the funding to be able to focus on our work.”
Funding was confirmed in three categories: annual funding for 2017, multi-year funding from 2017-19 and interim 2017 funding.
Read more: Vitalstatistix’ Emma Webb on the decline in Australia Council Funding (photo: Jonathan van der Knaap)
Snelling said in a press release he is “very pleased to be able to support our hardworking local creative small to medium organisations”.
The announcement comes after months of consternation in South Australia’s arts community over the sharp decline in Australia Council funding announced by the Federal Government. A multitude of local and national arts groups said that they would not be able to continue if funding was withdrawn.
The release makes reference of the Federal Government’s decision in no uncertain terms, as Minister Snelling describing it as “the Commonwealth Government’s rupturing of long time Australia Council funding arrangements”.
“Arts South Australia has worked closely with the local sector and this outcome will allow them some certainty to produce excellent work and employ South Australians,” said Snelling in the release.
Read more: Brink’s Chris Drummond and Slingsby’s Andy Packer on the decline in Australia Council Funding (photo: Jonathan van der Knaap)
Last week the Arts Industry Council of South Australia (AICSA) announced they were seeking $17 million in funding for small-to-medium arts organisations in the next State Government budget.
As well as a $2 million annual increase in arts funding for small-to-medium groups, the recommendations included the establishment of fellowship grants, an early career development fund for artists, rewards for innovative projects and the implementation of a cross-departmental government task-force to develop an arts strategy for the next state election.
“Losing arts organisations and artists undermines investment in festivals, arts markets, cultural infrastructure, the nighttime and small bars economy, and more broadly it greatly undermines the marketing of Adelaide as an arts capital”, said Chairperson of AICSA and Director of the Media Resource Centre Gail Kovatseff in a release.
Read on for the full list of local arts companies including in the funding:
Annual Funding for 2017
ActNow Theatre – $80,000
Adelaide Chamber Singers – $73,000
Open Space Contemporary Art – $100,000
The Mill – $90,000
Tutti Arts – $100,000
Zephyr Quartet – $90,000
Multi-year Funding for 2017-19
Australian Network for Art and Technology – $105,000 (per annum)
Australian String Quartet – $250,000 (per annum)
No Strings Attached – $120,000 (per annum)
Interim Funding for 2017
Brink Productions – $113,000
Slingsby Theatre Company – $116,854
Vitalstatistix – $150,000
MORE TO COME
Header image: Promotional shot from Brink Productions’ Deluge (photo: Che Chorley)
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