Artists revved up by Creative Engine grants

GEELONG Arts Centre has announced the six recipients of its latest Creative Engine grant packages.

The announcement celebrates Geelong Arts Centre’s first class of Creative Engine grant recipients since opening the doors to the centre’s $140 million redevelopment in August.

The centre is providing both financial support and in-kind studio access valued at more than $59,000 within the new state-of-the-art venue.

Now in their fourth year, the grants are designed to directly benefit local G21 artists and other artists with strong connections to the community in their development of new and distinctive work.

Since December 2018, Creative Engine has supported 51 creative projects.

The selected projects span multiple artistic disciplines, including screenwriting, traditional and experimental theatre, music, and puppetry, but all meet the program’s three selection criteria: Connection, Innovation and Thoughtfulness.

Ignition recipients are awarded $5,000 plus in-kind studio access, plus mentoring opportunities.

This year’s recipients are Imaginary Friends, by Georgie Rose, a multi-disciplinary artistic puppetry performance that will be whimsical, playful and inspiring; and SWARM, by Melinda Chapman, a multi-art performance work that explores artificial intelligence and transhumanism through the lens of its impacts on seven family members and one synthetic person in the 2030s, and

Jump Start recipients are awarded $3,000 and in-kind studio access.

The recipients in this latest round are Under Milk Wood, by Christine Davey, a subversive theatrical adaptation of the 1954 Dylan Thomas radio drama, which examines the global through the personal; and Lost Horizon, a new theatrical adaptation of James Hilton’s classic 20th century novel, which was the first paperback novel printed for a mass market, adapted into film in 1937, then musical theatre in 1973.

Place to Make recipients are awarded in-kind studio access.

The recipients are Psyched, by Serah Nathan-Sinnathamby, a 6 x 3 minute original concept narrative series developed for television that follows the misadventures of Alina, a woman who admits herself to a psychiatric hospital in an attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend; and Preparing for Release, by Rachel Brennan, who has been working with Nick Huggins and Isaac Barter over the past 10 months to record nine tracks as part of a coming release project.

“We have been so energised by the recent opening of Geelong Arts Centre’s $140 million redevelopment, and we are genuinely excited to lend our support to these incredible emerging creatives rooted in the G21

region through the latest Creative Engine grant round,” Geelong Arts Centre chief executive officer and creative director Joel McGuinness said.

“Creativity is the lifeblood of Geelong Arts Centre, and the projects we’re backing through this grant initiative represent a rich tapestry of artistic forms.

“We look forward to fostering their growth and impact.”

For more information on Creative Engine, head to geelongartscentre.org.au/creative-engine