Australia Council announces $1.2 million worth of music grants

The Australian Government’s arts funding body Australia Council has awarded $1.2m of grants to artists and music companies including Vance Joy, John Watson’s Eleven A Music Company, The Drones, PVT and a new musical theatre work based on the music of The Whitlams.

Ten out of 37 applications for International Pathways received help to tour abroad. These included Vance Joy (North America), Mia Dyson (North America), Kirin Callinan (Europe, North America), Cub Sport, (USA), Sampology (North America), Dustin Tebbutt (global) Duo Deng (China), Scott & Charlene’s Wedding (Europe, US) and sleepmakeswaves (UK, Europe).

“The outcomes of this funding are really wide ranging,” said the Australia Council’s Director of Music, Paul Mason. He adds, “It will support over 170 gigs and concerts, and five festivals; it will help 10 bands and ensembles tour across the North America, Europe and China; and over 50 composers and songwriters will receive assistance to create new work.”

The biggest grants in contemporary music went to My Disco, The Drones, PVT, Mike Nock, Emma Louise and Superstar for new albums. John Flanagan & The Begin Agains and Adelaide-born singer songwriter Krista Povere got funding to cut records with US collaborators.