Helpmann Academy Awards $38,000 in Emerging Artist Grants

The 18 supported projects come from a diverse range of disciplines and media, including music, theatre, dance and visual arts.

Helpmann Academy CEO Jane MacFarlane noted in a release that this variety reflects the quality of local arts education institutions and the strong imaginations of their graduates.

“The Helpmann Academy is continually impressed by the exciting opportunities that these motivated emerging artists seek out for themselves, we are delighted to be able to support them to realise their creative visions,” MacFarlane said.

Designed to support graduates from The Elder Conservatorium of Music, Adelaide College of the Arts, Flinders Drama and Screen Productions and UniSA’s School of Art, Architecture and Design, Helpmann grants are often a stepping stone for those graduates to establish or extend current projects, and further enhance their creative skillset.

While many of these grants will support creative projects within South Australia and interstate, some will see the recipients travel abroad to undertake larger projects. For example, both Hailey Lane and Angus Mason will be heading overseas with the assistance of their grants.

Lane, a UniSA graduate and photographer will travel to the Arctic to collaborate with scientists and participate in expeditionary residency The Arctic Circle Program, while Mason, a graduate of the Conservatorium and drummer will head to New York City to undertake a mentorship with vaunted jazz drummer Jochen Rueckert.

See below for a full list of the latest Helpmann Academy grant recipients and their planned activities:

Dance

Rita Carlene Bush – emerging dancer/choreographer and Adelaide College of the Arts graduate will present a public dance performance called The Wavering as part of Splash Adelaide’s Winter Series.

Music

Josh Belperio – emerging composer and performer and Elder Conservatorium of Music graduate will develop and present his original cabaret show I Stuffed Up with the Adelaide Art Society in May 2017.

Elisabeth Beltrame – emerging jazz vocalist and final year student at the Elder Conservatorium of Music will attend an Estill Voice Training Workshop at Annesley College in October 2016.

Emily Bettison – emerging pop singer/songwriter and final year student at the Elder Conservatorium of Music will record, release, and market a six track EP, featuring two lead singles.

Aloysius Leeson – emerging classical guitarist and Elder Conservatorium of Music graduate will record, mix and master nine solo guitar works.

Angus Mason – emerging jazz drummer and Elder Conservatorium of Music graduate will travel to New York City to undertake a mentorship with master jazz drummer Jochen Rueckert.

Hong-An Cao Nguyen – emerging Oboist and final year student at the Elder Conservatorium of Music will participate in the 2017 Wellington International Oboe Summer School.

Iran Sanadzadeh – emerging sonic artist and Elder Conservatorium of Music graduate will participate in a movement, visual and audio installation and performance collaboration at the Godwin Ternback Museum in New York.

Theatre

Miranda Hampton – emerging actor and Adelaide College of the Arts graduate will present her show McNirt Hates Dirt at the DreamBIG Children’s Festival in regional South Australia.

Annabel Matheson – emerging actor and graduate of the Flinders University Drama Centre will present a production of Late: A Cowboy Song at the Sydney Fringe.

Sophia Simmons – emerging actor and Adelaide College of the Arts graduate will participate in a short course in screen acting at Victorian College of the Arts.

Jack Sumner – emerging actor and Adelaide College of the Arts graduate will attend a three-day workshop with renowned Australian voice over artist Abbe Holmes.

Visual Art

Madison Bycroft – emerging sculptor and graduate of the School of Art, Architecture & Design will participate in a residency and performance exhibition at Lock-Up Gallery in Newcastle, NSW.

Ursula Halpin – emerging glass artist and honours student at the School of Art, Architecture & Design, along with a group of fellow students and recent graduates, will attend the AusGlass Conference (r)evolve in Canberra in January 2017.

Yusuf Hayat – emerging painter and graduate of the School of Art, Architecture & Design will present an academic paper at the Crossroads Cultural Studies conference held at the University of Sydney.

Hailey Lane – emerging photographer and graduate of the School of Art, Architecture & Design will travel to the Arctic to participate in The Arctic Circle Program, run by The Farm, Inc. The program is an artist and scientist led expeditionary residency aboard a specially outfitted sailing vessel.

Clancy Warner– emerging sculptor and Adelaide College of the Arts graduate will participate in an artist residency at BigCi in the Blue Mountains leading to a solo exhibition at Firgun and Fire Gallery during SALA 2017.

Zoe Woods – emerging glass artist and graduate of the School of Art, Architecture & Design will attend the 2017 AusGlass conference in Canberra in January 2017, and take a five-day glass engraving workshop with German engraver Wilhelm Vernim.