SMALL GRANTS EXTENDED TO THIRD ROUND

A range of independent creatives of the New England North West are set to benefit with the announcement of the opening of Arts North West’s third round of Quick Response Micro Grants.

Carrying on from the success of the first two rounds in 2020, Arts North West has made provisions in their 2021 programming budget to continue this direct financial support to creatives in the New England North West, as the region continues to be faced with a myriad of hardships which now includes a mouse plague and the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

These provisions allow for multiple small grants of up to $1000 for creative practitioners, community groups and arts organisations working in all art forms and are designed to support the continuation of locally determined community arts and cultural practice. This funding aims to be as flexible as possible and projects do not require a specific outcome but can focus on skills development or capacity-building.

“More often than not, grant applications come with a lot of complexities and processes. The beauty of our Micro Grants is that we are able to assist creatives from our region in a myriad of ways including the purchasing of equipment, professional development, creative workshops, through an incredibly simple and quick application process via the Arts North West website.” Said Arts North West Executive Director, Caroline Downer.

“It’s wonderful to be able to extend this opportunity into 2021 and Arts North West recognises the recent hardships faced by the New England North West including drought, bushfire, mouse plague and COVID-19 and their effects on your arts practice or arts business. Applications outlining a direct impact from these recent hardships will take priority when assessed.” She continued.

There is a very quick turnaround for applying these micro grants, with applications opening on Friday 13 August and closing on 6 September 2021. Successful applicants will be notified on 18 September 2021. Previous unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to reapply.

To apply to the Arts North West Micro Grants Round, click here.

Pandemic inspires artist to go bush

COUNTRY SOLACE: New England artist Isabelle Devos is planning to go bush on a plein-air residency (photo: David Elkin)

AN ARTIST will live and work in the New England National Park, embarking on a ‘plein-air residency’ made possible with a micro grant from Arts North West.

New England-based painter Isabelle Devos will spend several days living in the park, walking, exploring, drawing and painting.

“The pandemic has affected my creative practice by having exhibitions changed into virtual online exhibitions and openings or cancelled altogether,” she told Arts North West this week.

“My creative process has expanded to spending more time outdoors drawing and painting with inks, still doing rural landscape based paintings” Isabelle Devos

“I have found real solace in being in the bush more regularly, near green and nature and away from too many people.”

Forest Bathing

A contemporary landscape painter whose work is represented in Sydney and New England galleries, Devos said she cannot say for certain what the art work executed in this bush residency will look like.

“But I expect that it may include large-scale drawings of trees, plants and nature.

“I will also be doing some research into ‘forest bathing’ and science around the impacts of being in nature on a person's creative and mental wellbeing.

“The micro grant will help fund some additional art supplies that work well outdoors, such as a folding metal easel, larger brushes, thick papers and will also be funding the accommodation within the national park.”

To follow the progress of the project head to Isabelle Devos Art on Facebook and @isabelledevosart on Instagram

Second Arts Grant Funding Round a Success

MICRO GRANT ROUND ONE SUCCESS STORY:

CARRYING ON from the huge success of the first round, Arts North West are pleased to announce that thirteen creative endeavours have been successfully funded across the New England North West region, through the second round of Arts North West Micro Grants. Due to COVID 19, cutbacks were made on normal spending, giving Arts North West the opportunity to offer the funding to the New England North West region.

The application process was identical to the first round, with a tight turnaround time for applications, but the New England North West responded enthusiastically, submitting numerous applications, for an array of creative project and also creative needs.

“It was evident after the first round of Micro Grants that there was a strong demand in our region for assistance during these difficult times” Arts North West Executive Director, Caroline Downer

“More often than not, grant applications come with a lot complexities and processes. The beauty of our Micro Grants is that we are able to assist creatives from our region in a myriad of ways including the purchasing of equipment, professional development, creative workshops, through an incredibly simple and quick application process.” Ms Downer continued.

The successful applicants are as follows:

Sally Alden Photography, Liverpool Plains
Purchase of portable LED lighting for use in photography business

Art Life Studio, Inverell
Camera purchase for high res documentation, reference library

Bronwyn Clarke, Armidale
Camera purchase for video development and audience engagement

David Allan, Armidale
Home-base residency to design patterns for fantasy creatures

Isabelle Devos, Armidale
Working en plein air – New England National Park

Gunnedah Eisteddfod Society Inc, Gunnedah
Website management and technical support for online portal

Roger (Buddy) Knox, Tamworth
Online mentoring and teaching

Rams Gully Workshops, Walcha
Workshop studio furniture

Loren Ryan Music, Tamworth
Contribution to studio time and production for 2 original songs

The Musicians of Armidale Inc, Armidale
Live-streaming Black Gully Festival

New England Writers’ Centre, Armidale
A series of 2-3 minute videos by local writers, illustrators, editors and publishers.

Maryanne Piper, Tamworth
Musical compositions based on interactions with nature in the New England North West region

Tamworth Art Collective, Tamworth
Supporting covid-safe collateral for the “Blind spot” exhibition

The Arts North West Micro Grants were designed to support the continuation of locally determined community arts and cultural practice in uncertain times, this funding aims to be as flexible as possible. Projects do not require a specific outcome but can focus on skills development or capacity-building.

Subscribe to the Arts North West eNews via the www.artnw.com.au for announcements of future Arts North West Micro Grants funding rounds.

Small Arts Grants Extended to Second Round

A range of independent artists of the New England North West are set to benefit with the announcement of Arts North West’s second round of Quick Response Micro Grants, but applicants will need to get their submissions in fast.

Arts North West has identified opportunities for expenditure that falls outside its annual budget. This allows for multiple small grants of up to $1000 for creative practitioners, community groups and arts organisations working in all art forms.

The first round of micro grants was announced in April, 2020 and saw a range of artists and arts projects boosted during the COVID-19 pandemic, including musicians, textile artists, visual artists, performing artists and more.

“We were thrilled to see the vast scope of the work undertaken at this challenging time,” Arts North West Executive Director Caroline Downer

“The artists of our region have been getting very busy during the pandemic, and its been great to see their stories filtering through the local media as their projects come together.”

According to Ms Downer, applicants don’t require an outcome-based application.

“Arts North West is keen to support creatives to develop new approaches to their work, or experiment with innovative ways of delivering work to audiences they might not normally have the time or opportunity to access,’ she said.

“Some of the successful first-round applicants worked with new software, or took on a medium they were unfamiliar with, and the extra time afforded by the closure of businesses and public places allowed for plenty of experimentation.

“It’s wonderful to be able to extend this opportunity, now that it appears the pandemic will continue to impact many cultural venues throughout our region. We’re hoping these micro grants will go on assisting the artists that are an integral part of the New England North West.”

Designed to support the continuation of locally-determined community arts and cultural practice in uncertain times, this funding aims to be as flexible as possible. Projects can be outcome-focused or be designed around skills development or capacity-building.

There is a very quick turnaround for applying these micro grants, with applications open now and closing on 7 September 2020. Successful applicants will be notified on 18 September 2020. Previous unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to reapply.

To apply to the Arts North West Micro Grants Round 2, visit the Arts North West website www.artsnw.com.au or contact the Arts North West office for more information (02) 6732 4988.