Grants to stoke the creative engine

GEELONG Arts Centre has finalised the full list of recipients for their Creative Engine grants.
The grants, both financial and in-kind occupancies within the centre’s Ryrie Street building,were created to benefit artists and creatives working in the G21 region.
Through this initiative, Geelong Arts Centre scouted works that met the selection criteria of connection, innovation and thoughtfulness.
The two Ignition grants, each including $5,000 plus occupancy, marketing and professional development support, went to The Rubble by Bravo Arts and Extraction by The Space Company.
Bravo Arts will develop a new gig theatre work where six emerging artists will come together to share their stories as young Australians in 2020.
Extraction will explore a wide variety of genres, combining comedy, mystery and neo-noir structural elements alongside original music that adventures into folk, electronic/atmospheric and chamber music.
The Three Live and Local grants, each including $2,000 plus occupancy, broadcast infrastructure and marketing support, went to the Bluebird Foundation, the Geelong Lyric Theatre Society, and the Sweethearts Foundation.
The Bluebird Foundation will present The Gathering, a performance project that is the culmination of a year’s work with the North Children’s Choir.
The Geelong Lyric Theatre Society will delight audiences of all ages with highlights from their “on-hold” Disney showcase Wish Upon A Song. The 60 minutes of musical magic will be presented by some of Geelong’s top vocal talents, accompanied live on stage by members of the orchestra and backed by voices of full cast and choir.
Local soul music aficionados The Sweethearts will take you on a journey through the years that defined the soul genre, featuring hits from artists including Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Stevie Wonder and more.
The two Jump Start grants, each including $1,000 plus occupancy support, went to Roger by Tom Molyneux and Journey on Wadawurrung Country Pilot Project by Ferne Millen.
The sad but important tale of the early injustices of colonial Australia is the starting point for the creative development by Gunditjmara theatre-maker Tom Molyneux and long-time collaborator James Jackson.
Millen’s project will be an exploration of Geelong’s local First Nations community, the Wadawurrung people, and their relationship to the land and place in which we live, work and gather. Working closely with Wadawurrung woman Corrina Eccles, the project will further the investigation to document the stories of the Wadawurrung people, land, community and culture through audio recordings, photographs and filming.
The recipients of the grants demonstrated the desire and ability to drive bold and exciting contemporary arts practice and performance.
“Local creatives are the heart-beat of our arts centre,” Geelong Arts Centre chief executive officer Joel McGuinness.
“Our aim for these grants is to assist a diverse range of artists and creatives to build sustainable and thriving practice right here in regional Victoria.”