12 composers awarded APRA AMCOS Art Music Fund grants

Twelve composers have been awarded grants worth a total of $100,000 in the inaugural Art Music Fund, presented by APRA AMCOS with support from the Australian Music Centre.

The successful applicants include established and emerging composers, with 45% of funding going to female composers. Composers from Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia and New Zealand were all successful, and their proposed works traverse chamber music, electronics, non-Western music and jazz.

“We were thrilled to receive more than 100 applications for the first Art Music Fund,” said Nigel Westlake, composer, APRA Writer Board Member and, until recently, Chair of the Australian Music Centre.

“Ten applications received funding, and the diversity of the recipients and their work highlights the innovative nature of the art music sector,” said Nigel.

“It was fantastic to see women composers feature so prominently, and we look forward to seeing all of these new works reach audiences in Australasia and around the world.”

A committee of composers, performers, festival organisers, industry organisations and administrators consulted on the establishment of the grants, from design through to the final review process.

The Art Music Fund was established to provide much needed support for classical, jazz and experimental composers to both compose and perform their works.

Applications were assessed on the viability of the proposed project, the quality of the work, and the strategy for the life and reach of the work.

2016 Art Music Fund recipients