APRA AMCOS reveal recipients of $100K fund for Indigenous artists
APRA AMCOS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office has announced 50 recipients of grants from its $100,000 Sustainability Fund.
The talented group of fifty music creators will each be given a one-time $2,000 grant, as part of the project funded by the Australian Government.
Some of the recipients include Chris Tamwoy, Miiesha, TRIALS, Joe Geia, Emma Donovan, Zaachariaha Fielding, Deline Briscoe and Allara.
The support payment is designed to help members whose livelihoods have been significantly impacted by recent events, so they can sustain career development during the COVID-19 crisis.
The Australian Government is proud to provide these grants that will see First Nations songwriters supported so that they can continue to share their exceptional creative talent and culture,” Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said.
“This will help to sustain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creators and is in recognition of the vital contribution they make to the Australian music industry.”
Leah Flanagan, national manager, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office, called the grants “vital” for music creators.
“Right now, we need to be bold in our support of Australia’s first storytellers. These cash grants are vital to music creators at a time when income sources – particularly from live – have evaporated, as have many other artistic opportunities,” she said.
“I’d like to congratulate all of the recipients and extend a wholehearted thank you to all who applied and shared their stories.”
Leah Flanagan
On top of the 50 singer-songwriter grants, another 325 songwriter and composer members have been awarded two rounds of $2,000 grants of their own from the APRA AMCOS’ general Sustainability Fund.
That Sustainability Fund was created by APRA Board Chair Jenny Morris as a response to the global pandemic.
The full list of recipients are below:
Adam James
Allara Pattison (Allara)
Amanda Davis (Mindy Kwanten & Bow and Arrow)
Amy Dowd (Bumpy & Squid Nebula)
Andrew Craker
Bart Willoughby (No Fixed Address /Mixed Relations /The Bart Willoughby Band)
Brenda Gifford
Brian Lloyd (Bryte)
Bunna Lawrie (Coloured Stone)
Christine Anu
Chris Tamwoy
Jon Vea Vea
Dallas Woods
Daniel Rankine (TRIALS)
Daniel Riches (The Struggling Kings)
Danielle Teveluwe
Danzal Baker (Baker Boy)
Deline Briscoe
Duke Bailey (Duke Box)
Eleanor Dixon (Kardajala Kirridarra)
Emma Councillor (Emma Donovan)
Garth Edwards (JPoint)
Gavin McLean (Demo Gubbz)
Glenn Skuthorpe
Jamie Ramzan
Jeremy Whiskey
Joe Geia
Kevin Bennett (Kevin Bennett and The Flood)
Kiwat Kennell (Key Hoo)
Kristel Kickett (The Merindas)
Kutcha Edwards
Lann Levinge
Marcus Corowa
Marlene Cummins
Miiesha Young (Miiesha)
Mi-kaisha Masella
Naarah Shaye Barnes (Naarah)
Nancy Bates
Naomi Wenitong (The Last Kinection)
Nathan May
Patrick Mau (Mau Power)
Ricky Harrison (Ricky Harrison/No Fixed Address)
Rochelle Pitt
Buddy Knox
Shannon Williams (BrothaBlack)
Sonya Holowell
Sue Ray
Tamara Williams (Tamwah)
Thomas Avery (blakboi)
Zaachariaha Fielding (Electric Fields)