Thirteen Canberra-based artists and arts groups will share in over $415,000 in funding through the first round of the ACT Government's 2025 Arts Activities ($5,000 to $50,000) program, supporting a diverse range of creative projects across literature, music, digital games, screen, dance, theatre and visual arts.
The funding will assist artists to create, develop and promote their work locally, nationally and internationally, and supports the ACT Government's commitment to strengthening Canberra's identity as Australia's Arts Capital.
Among the successful recipients, Paul House has received support to create a multi-media installation for the National Gallery of Victoria's Country Road Biennale in 2026. Zora Kerr will be able to develop a prototype for the digital game 'I Am This Castle', Dance artist Sugar Kaye Grefaldeo will stage Fortūna, a new dance/theatre work, while James Batchelor will present his new dance work Resonance at the Canberra Theatre Centre. In literature, Marissa McDowell received funding to develop imagiNATION, a project imagining the future through First Nations storytellers, poets and animators.
Minister for Business, Arts and Creative Industries Michael Pettersson congratulated the successful applicants:
"Congratulations to all the successful recipients of the first round of Arts Activities funding. I'm excited by the diversity and creativity of the projects that this funding will support and look forward to seeing the outcomes."
"The continuation of this type of support for Canberra's unique creative industries is essential in establishing ourselves as Australia's Arts Capital. This funding enables creative individuals to be innovative and develop and grow their art, while nurturing our region's creative and diverse arts sector."
Arts Activities $5 to $50K funding is open twice a year and provides support for one-off projects that help artists develop their skills and practice, assist their careers and employment, and enable them to engage with audiences through exhibitions and performances in the ACT, interstate and internationally.
The next round of Arts Activities $5 to $50K funding is currently open and will close on 31 July at 5pm.
For the full list of recipients and more information go to www.arts.act.gov.au/funding/arts-activities-funding.
Quotes attributable to Marissa McDowell:
"This endeavour celebrates the creativity, resilience, and heritage of First Nation culture, fostering connection, understanding, and empowerment. Our project will captivate audiences at film festivals, through light projections, literature and audio recordings, sharing the richness of First Nation culture globally.
Being selected for this support is a tremendous honour, affirming Black & White Films commitment to amplifying First Nation voices and fuelling our passion for storytelling and cultural expression. We are excited and grateful to embark on this journey to realise our project's potential."
Quotes attributable to Zora Kerr:
"My team and I are building a digital game based on my story of growing up transgender. That's important because humans understand each other through stories, they're how we build compassion, respect and empathy. Our stories make us feel seen, represented, and accepted.
As a game developer I couldn't be happier that my game was funded, and as a Canberran, it fills my heart with pride that our city values and financially supports diverse people and communities to tell authentic stories."
