Victoria launches Talent Matters to boost diversity & inclusion: “While talent matters, so do opportunities”

Talent Matters is a new program launched by Victoria’s government to make the state’s creative workforce more inclusive and representative of the diversity of the community.

It will support a series of initiatives that will offer skills, professional development and aid employment opportunities to boost representation from people from First Nations and culturally diverse backgrounds, and those with a disability.

The first five initiatives cover the arts, screen and publishing sectors, with total funding of $486,000.

• Next Wave festival’s new Creative Producing fellowships will offer an 18-month immersive learning and mentoring opportunity for three aspiring Indigenous curators, producers and programmers. This includes a period of paid employment and the opportunity to develop and produce a program.
• Outer Urban Projects’ Linkages Employment Generator will support 20 culturally diverse artists and arts workers to pursue careers in the arts industry through a two-year immersion and employment program. The program will involve partner organisations including Arts Centre Melbourne and Chunky Move.
• Writers Victoria’s Publish-ability project will help four emerging writers with a disability to develop their manuscripts and bring their work to the attention of publishers. It will also provide training and resources to equip publishers to be more inclusive of writers with a disability.
• Melbourne Fringe will deliver a new mentorship program Next Steps to support eight emerging artists with a disability with one-on-one mentoring.

• Blak Master Classes delivered by film and television production house Typecast Entertainment, will develop new skills, networks and pathways for First Nations artists into the screen industry. Partners include the Compton School, a business school for creatives, and youth media social enterprise, Youthworx.

Minister for creative industries Martin Foley stated, “The more diverse and inclusive our creative industries are, the better they reflect and engage our community.

“While talent matters, so do opportunities.

“This program offers a range of new opportunities to help talented Victorians pursue and develop careers in the creative industries, while addressing gaps in representation.”

Talent Matters is part of a broader Diversity and Inclusion action of the Andrews Labor Government’s landmark Creative State strategy.

This also includes strengthening the capacity of state-funded creative industries organisations to make them more inclusive and diverse at all levels – from personnel to programming.