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FUNDING ANNOUNCED FOR LOCAL ARTISTS BRINGING THEIR IDEAS HOME TO HOTA

Announcement posted by HOTA 12 Mar 2019

Over 250 applications were received following the launch of HOTA’s Creative Development Program late last year, with 12 successful local artists announced today.
Recipients of both funding and support, the selected artists are a mix of both emerging and established practitioners whose proposals were collaborative, cross-arts, multi-platform and involved works that shifted from or expanded on the artist’s current practice.
 
The Creative Development Program, in collaboration with City of Gold Coast, offered $200,000 and in-kind resources for local artists who needed a quick injection of cash, resources or space to support and enable their ideas.
 
HOTA CEO Criena Gehrke said the callout to local artists received a great response that will further the scope and breadth of the city’s arts and culture landscape.
 
“As the home of the arts, we are absolutely committed to local artists and creatives making and presenting work at HOTA. We want artists to have the time and space to explore new ideas, experiment and collaborate,” she said.
 
“From the response we had to this first callout, it is obvious that the Gold Coast arts sector is ambitious and ready to take risks – it’s part of the city’s DNA and our local artists have a growing reputation for being the ones to watch nationally.” 
 
“Hold on tight, I can’t wait to see what is going to come out of this program.”
 
The successful applicants announced today, were Grayson Millwood – The Farm, Nadia Sunde in collaboration with Everybody Now, Rebecca Ross – The Walls, Corrina Bonshek, Thomas Kelly, Michael Candy, Fletcher Babb, Kayah Guenther, Lowana-Skye Davies – Umwelt Collective, Jay Jermyn, Pearly Black and Adrienne Kenafake.
 
“The projects that have been supported range from big to intimate in scale and represent a diversity of artforms and practice.  What they share is an ability to push creative boundaries and have artists at the very centre of the project,” said Criena.
 
From the 254 applications, 52 were shortlisted, 12 of which are the successful projects to be funded, 8 of these will have public outcomes in 2019, as well as 10 with future presentation possibilities for HOTA.
 
The program was split across two key streams, including Little Bites - small projects in their early stages of development with up to $5,000 cash and in-kind support; and Big Bites for large and complex projects, with up to $40,000 cash and in-kind support.
 
City of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said: “One of the reasons we established HOTA was to ensure our local arts and cultural community could thrive. HOTA is a home for all artists and creatives and the Creative Development Fund provides the right platform.”
 
As the arts and culture hub of the Gold Coast, HOTA will continue to work with local artists, from employment to commissioning new work as well as funding and programs like the Creative Development Program that help transform ideas into outcomes.
 
HOTA is in a stage of growth and transition over the next few years, as the precinct prepares itself for major development including a new Green Bridge this year, and in early 2021, the highly anticipated HOTA Gallery will open its doors.
 
For more information on HOTA or their Creative Development Program, visit the website: www.hota.com.au/creativedevelopmentprogram/
 
*Imagery available to download from this LINK.
 
FOR ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Amy Stalinescu – M10 Collective
M: 0411 789 195 |E:  amy@m10.com.au

HOTA Creative Development Program Highlights:
Number of applications 254
Number of shortlisted artists 52
Number of projects funded 12
Number of projects diverted to Programming 1
Number of funded projects with public outcomes for 2019 8
Number of funded projects with future presentation possibilities for HOTA 10

Selected Recipient Artists:
Artist Name Artist overview Project
Grayson Millwood Company: The Farm Dance and Physical theatre company with residency for youth project ‘Greenhouse’ at HOTA.
Winner of Helpmann award for Tide presented at Bleach 2018.
Funding to create ‘The Sanctuary’ in collaboration with Men’s Shed Australia.; a ‘shed in the forest’. An immersive art installation that will serve as the testing ground and starting point for a new work by The Farm.
Nadia Sunde in collaboration with Everybody Now Established Gold Coast singer and performer collaborating with Everybody Now (EN) as a producing support. EN is a local company that specialises in community engaged, participatory projects. R.I.N.K: a celebration of roller-skating culture. Development to bring project to stage ready to pitch to State and Federal funding sources. Keen to talk to HOTA about potential presentation opportunities in the future.
Rebecca Ross Company: The Walls Artist Run Initiative - contemporary visual arts gallery. Rebecca Ross is an established curator and artist leading The Walls. AIR, EARTH, FIRE, WATER: development and presentation of four emerging artists in HOTA’s outdoor spaces, curated by The Walls.
Corrina Bonshek Composer and cross art form collaborator whose work has been performed internationally. PhD in Contemporary Arts. Second stage of development of ‘Laniakea’; an immersive music/lighting experience bringing together collaborators from Australia, NZ and Taiwan.
Thomas E.S. Kelly Emerging Indigenous dancer and performing artist has just returned from interstate to establish Karul Projects; an Indigenous Performing Arts Company on the Gold Coast. Creative development of SILENCE; a new dance and percussion work. Support and commission from Blakdance.
Michael Candy Emerging kinetic and new media artist. Internationally awarded and exhibited. Programming and development of driverless car installation (to be directed by live public online voting) with intentions of presenting at GC600.
* note: $5000 of this will be towards HOTA hard costs.
Fletcher Babb Emerging Gold Coast musician, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Graduate from Honours at Griffith University Contemporary Music program. Development of Gold Coast storytelling and original music performances based on The Moth program.
Kayah Guenther Young dancer experiencing disability. Mentored by Gavin Webber from The Farm and has toured and performed nationally and internationally. First stage of development for text and dance project for siblings experiencing disability. Support from The Farm and Suzie Miller (writer)
Lowana-Skye Davies Company: Umwelt Collective Emerging Gold Coast performing artist sisters who have moved through several City of Gold Coast development streams. Technical development of new work: Re:membering. Physical theatre, dance and music.
Jay Jermyn Interdisciplinary emerging Gold Coast artist composing music and realising design and visual arts projects. Presentation and recording of sound composition to then experiment with gallery installation of recording.
Pearly Black Singer currently studying at the Qld Conservatorium. Salt Water City: dance and singing creative development.
Adrienne Kenafeke Emerging visual artist collaborating with fellow artist, Tessa Bergan under the collective title of ‘Agents of Confusion’. Ten-day residency to gain choreography training and development new performance art work.