Grants to support macedon ranges creative recovery

Photo credit: Pia Johnson $20,000 in grants will support local creatives to rebound, recover and explore new business opportunities as part of the first wave of the Victorian Government’s Sustaining Creative Workers initiative.

Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas, welcomed the news that local creative workers and businesses would share in state-wide grants totalling $2.4 million through the first tranche of the program.

Woodend’s Pia Johnson has received $5,000 to adapt her creative practice, undertake professional development in online strategy and continue creating new work for future exhibitions.

Gorkem Acaroglu from Woodend North has also received $5,000, to develop a new theatre and performance work, while Metatonia T Inc from Woodend North received $10,000 to reconceptualise a large-scale immersive arts experience, slated to be presented as part of a festival in 2021.

Sustaining Creative Workers provides quick response grants to support the work of professional creatives across all fields – from filmmakers, game developers and fashion designers to writers, visual artists, musicians, performers and many others.

The creative industries employ 280,000 people in Victoria and have been among the hardest hit sectors, with venue closures, screen industry shutdowns and event cancellations leaving thousands of creative practitioners and associated trades out of work and leading to millions in lost revenue.

Sustaining Creative Workers is part the Victorian Government’s overall $51.1 million response to protect creative jobs and ensure the state’s renowned creative sector survives the crisis.

The grants program was delivered in partnership with Regional Arts Victoria and Arts Access Victoria.

Visit creative.vic.gov.au to see a full list of recipients.

Quotes attributable to Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas MP
"The Macedon Ranges is a regional hub for creatives – and over the past few months, while we’ve been at home, our creative sector has been hit hard."

"These grants will help our creatives adapt to these new circumstances, and keep working, building and future-proofing their business or career."

Quote attributable to grant recipient Pia Johnson
"I am very grateful to receive the Regional Arts Victoria Sustaining Creative Workers Grant. It comes at a pivotal time to support and sustain my practice as an artist, which has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic."