THE BIG IMPACT OF VICTORIA’S SMALL ARTS ORGANISATIONS
23rd Feb 2006
Speaking at the Meat Market, Melbourne’s newest contemporary arts space, Ms Delahunty said Victoria’s small arts organisations make a big contribution to the vitality of the State’s arts scene.
“Despite their size, small organisations attract a large audience. Twice as many people attend work by small organisations as visit the Australian Ballet, Opera, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Festival, and Melbourne Theatre Company combined,” Ms Delahunty said.
“They are our experimenters and innovators, generating most of the new work produced in Victoria each year, and contributing to Victoria’s reputation as a thriving and innovative arts capital.”
The Minister launched Culture LAB, a dedicated funding program to support small arts organisations and individuals using the facilities of the Meat Market. The program is a partnership of Arts Victoria and the City of Melbourne.
“Culture LAB provides artists and small companies with support for creative development, giving them the resources – space, time and financial – to conceptualise, explore and develop new artistic work,” Ms Delahunty said.
“It will support the development of new work and ensure that the Meat Market is a hub for some of the best small arts activity in the country.”
The $3.26 million Bracks Government redevelopment opened in late 2004. The Meat Market is an affordable development and rehearsal space for a range of artists and small arts organisations. Home to some of Victoria’s most exciting small arts companies, including Chamber Made Opera and Express Media, it is fast becoming a centre for ideas, experimentation and innovation.
“This is a place where ideas are sparked, boundaries are pushed and the hard graft is done to create and develop new artistic work,” Ms Delahunty said.
Recipients of the first round of Culture LAB grants include Moira Finucane, who will work with British cult cabaret star Ursula Martinez to create a series of short highly experimental new works; and Strange Fruit, for further development of a new large-scale work built around the inhabitants of an old ballroom/dance hall.
Culture LAB is one of a series of new initiatives to support Victoria’s small arts organisations, others include:
• Creative Spaces, an on-line database created in partnership with City of Melbourne. The database documents the spaces, venues, and studios throughout Melbourne that can be used by independent artists and companies for rehearsal, research and development, offices, studios and accommodation.
• Arts Victoria’s Special Administration Fund, a pilot program to provide fixed term funding for small arts companies seeking assistance with operational costs. $100,000 has been allocated for 2006 and 2007.
“We are always looking at new forms of support for the small arts sector. These new initiatives are on top of the $7.8 million in recurrent funding the Bracks Government provides to small to medium arts organisations across the State,” Ms Delahunty said.
Almost 50 organisations are supported on an annual basis through Arts Victoria’s organisations program, ranging from Geelong’s Back to Back Theatre to Experimenta Media Arts to the Women’s Circus.
A full list of these organisations is available on the Arts Victoria website.
