Barnett, POND, Rice Is Nice share in Aus Council’s $10.4m funding round

POND, Courtney Barnett, Rice Is Nice Records and Jack Ladder are among those who share in Australia Council’s $10.4 million investment in Australian arts.

290 arts projects have been funded for its September grants round, with almost half (46%) including an international component.

The music-related projects to be supported include:

– Perth psych-rock band POND has received just over $15,000 to fund a US tour.

– Sydney experimental jazz trio The Necks received $50,000.00 to record new work and collaborate with Brian Eno and Sunn O))). The fund injection will also go towards a national and international tour.

– Sydney-based indie label Rice Is Nice (SPOD, US The Band, Seekae) has received $24,901 to support a new schedule of Australian releases.

– Contemporary Music Victoria has received $150,000 in funding for three years.

– Jack Ladder aka Sydney singer/songwriter/composer Tim Rogers has received $36,855 to tour the US.

– Melbourne artist Sophia Brous has been given $20,000 to support the release of a new album.

– Melbourne-based artist Sui Zhen has been given $11,334 for the recording and promotion of a new album.

– Brisbane’s Andrew Tuttlehas been given $10,000 to record a new album in Stockholm.

Other projects to receive funding include Courtney Barnett ($20,000); The Getaway Plan ($14,560); APRA ($150,000 goes direct to Sounds Australia); Kate Miller-Heidke ($80,000); Little May ($42,685); Music NT ($132,022); Kevin Parker’s Spinning Top Music ($5,000); Trophy Eyes ($14,166), and The Gooch Palms ($14,166)

Australia Council Chief Executive Officer Tony Grybowski said this grant round received almost 1,700 applications, with many applicants wishing to support overseas projects.

“In the last three years we have tracked an increase in artists applying to work on projects in Asia. This is reflected in this funding round, with activity in 19 countries in the Asia Pacific region.”

166 projects are by individual artists, 85 by organisations and 39 by groups of artists. Each project funded involves, on average, an additional five artists.

According to Australia Council, the $10.4 million includes $5.7 million to arts organisations, $3.7 million to individual artists and $1 million to groups.

“The flexible and responsive nature of our new grants program continues to increase access to new artists, groups and organisations, with 13 per cent of successful applicants in this round having never applied to the Australia Council before,” saidGrybowski. “This builds on the 20 per cent of first time applicants in the first round of the new program in March.”

To see the September grant results, go to: https://online.australiacouncil.gov.au/ords/GrantsList

Applications are now open for the next grants round, which closes on February 2.

For more information go to: www.australiacouncil.gov.au