Young artists to shine at Youth Fest event

A PROJECT at Anglesea Arts Space is one of three recipients in Victoria’s west to be supported as part of Youth Fest this year.

The Victorian government is delivering $220,000 in grants of up to $2,000 each for 110 recipients.

One of these will be the Surf Coast Shire’s Young Curators’ Exhibition, which will be held at Anglesea Arts Space, a community-based gallery, for two weeks.

The event will highlight the talents of young people and feature an event night dedicated to recognising and celebrating the artists.

Almost half of this year’s Youth Fest events will take place in regional and rural locations, including activities in Hamilton, Portland, Warrnambool and Horsham.

Successful recipients include schools, local government and community organisations.

Activities for young people range from a Taylor Swift trivia night in Greater Shepparton, a pop-up cinema in East Gippsland to GeekCon in Wangaratta, focusing on all things comic and pop culture.

Daylesford Secondary College which will lead Live4Life, an initiative aimed at enhancing the mental health and wellbeing of young people. The school has a group of 13 Year 9 students dubbed “The Crew”, who will organise a wellbeing week with guest speakers and workshops to promote mental health awareness.

Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney announced the three western Victorian recipients last week.

“Youth Fest 2024 is a fantastic opportunity for young people to organise and deliver events that reflect their interests and passions,” she said.

“These grants empower young leaders in our regions to create inclusive and exciting events that showcase their talents and strengthen community connections through youth-led events and activities.

“From Level Up Gaming in Simpson to Arts Exhibition in Anglesea, these grants will enable diverse activities, fostering creativity and engagement among regional youth.”

Youth Fest will be held in September, with the Victorian government’s investment supporting young people to organise and deliver events, showcase their skills, share ideas, build social connections, and expand their networks.

The Victorian government has funded the delivery of more than 400 Youth Fest events over the past four years.

“We are committed to supporting our state’s young people, including in regional and rural Victoria,” Minister for Youth Natalie Suleyman said.