Mornington Peninsula Shire is proud to announce the launch of a new funding program to target creative organisations and individuals working in the performing arts.
The Performing Arts Fund, with a value of $500,000, furthers our commitment to promoting the role and value of arts and culture as important drivers for community development, economic stimulus, health and wellbeing, accessibility and inclusion.
The Mornington Peninsula region supports a vibrant performing arts ecology that is consistently growing and evolving. As well as creating opportunities and employment for local artists and arts workers, the industry helps attract more than seven million domestic and international visitors to the region each year. The Performing Arts Fund will invest in Mornington Peninsula-based creative organisations and individuals seeking to develop and deliver new and innovative performance-based artistic works, grow employment opportunities for creative and cultural workers and engage communities with the performing arts.
Understanding that this industry was especially hard hit by lockdowns and COVID-19 restrictions with loss of employment and income, the Performing Arts Fund aims to support artists and arts companies to continue to develop works that reflect our unique Mornington Peninsula environment and identity.
We encourage creative practitioners working across a range of art forms to apply, including:
- dance
- music
- theatre
- cabaret
- puppetry
- spoken word
- circus and physical performance
- live art
- film making
- multidisciplinary practice.
During the upcoming Drift Arts Festival we will host workshops where participants can learn more about the fund and ask questions to assist with their applications. Go to driftartsfestival.com.au to find out more about these workshops.
Go to mornpen.vic.gov.au/grants to apply for funding from 14 April 2022.
Quote attributable to Mayor Councillor Anthony Marsh:
"This new fund demonstrates our commitment to the performing arts sector. Mornington Peninsula is home to many talented creatives, and I urge you to participate in a workshop to learn more if you work in one of the eligible fields.
Quote attributable to Councillor Paul Mercurio, Council's representative on the Arts and Culture Advisory Panel:
"I am super excited that for the first time in the history of Mornington Peninsula Shire we have a Performing Arts Fund! This fund will directly support our performing artists on the Peninsula to explore, create and perform work, allowing them to develop their unique voice and at the same time nourish the local Mornington Peninsula audiences! I cannot wait to see the fruits of this fund."
