Grants to keep macedon ranges and hepburn creatives working

Photo credit: Samantha Slicer Macedon Ranges and Hepburn creatives are among hundreds of Victorian artists and creative businesses to receive a lifeline from the Victorian Government, enabling them to keep working, adapting and creating through the pandemic.

Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas, today announced nine local creative businesses and artists will share in $45,000, including Hudson Japananga Maxwell of Mount Macedon, Woodend’s Katherine Scott and Shaun Evans, Elisabeth Langslow from Malmsbury, Kyneton’s Woodstock Music and Joshua Tyler, Newham’s Samantha Slicer, Trentham’s Sandy Scheltema and MDP Photography and Video from Fryerstown.

The Sustaining Creative Workers program provides targeted quick response assistance to Victorian creatives who have been hard-hit by the crisis.

This second tranche of the program delivers grants totaling $2.3 million to 373 independent creatives and creative micro-businesses and organisations right across Victoria – including artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, festivals, galleries, design studios, fashion labels and more.

The grants will enable them to develop, deliver and adapt their work in a changed environment, including supporting equipment upgrades, research and development, digital initiatives and professional and business capacity building.

Prior to the pandemic, the creative industries employed 280,000 Victorians and contributed $31 billion annually to the state economy. In recent months the sector has been devastated due to coronavirus related restrictions and closures, with thousands of people losing work and income.

Totalling $4.7 million overall, the Sustaining Creative Workers initiative is part of the Victorian Government’s $66.3 million survival package for the state’s creative sector.

This program was delivered in partnership with Regional Arts Victoria and Arts Access Victoria. For a full list of recipients visit creative.vic.gov.au

Quotes attributable to Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas MP
"The Sustaining Creative Workers initiative is investing in the careers of our Macedon Ranges and Hepburn creatives – and we’re determined to help them survive and connect with audiences during this pandemic and beyond."

"These grants will help our creatives adapt, so they can continue to work while future-proofing their business and career."



Quotes attributable to grant recipient, Samantha Slicer
"COVID-19 has disrupted conventional public displays of many art forms but it has created a whole new demand for remote experiences that are genuinely immersive."

"With this grant I will be researching virtual reality presentation methods to allow better remote communication and presentation of completed and in-progress works. The aim is to create intuitively navigated virtual walk-throughs and 360°experiences of large scale works in real (or apparently real) spaces."