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A Queensland Government fund supporting vibrant arts and cultural experiences has reached a major milestone with more than 200 exciting projects delivered off the back of over $6 million in investment.

Established to help Queensland artists and arts organisations deliver great audience experiences and create arts-related jobs and cultural tourism opportunities across the state, as well as showcase works interstate and overseas, the success of the Queensland Arts Showcase Program (QASP) has been commended by Queensland Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch.

Minister Enoch advised “I am delighted to announce 209 projects have now been delivered through QASP since the program began in September 2015, with our government’s investment thus far totalling $6,743,616.

“At the heart of QASP is an ongoing commitment to assist emerging and established creatives, and to provide quality and accessible experiences in Queensland that connect with and develop new audiences at home and abroad.

“The latest 21 QASP projects - which have been supported through an investment of $706,284 – will help create visual and performing arts experiences across our state, and also support our artists with valuable professional development opportunities.

“These new projects include some that are using immersive new technology to create fantastic audience experiences in three upcoming Brisbane exhibitions: You Are Here II, Life In Irons: Brisbane’s Convict Stories, and Ground Truth.

“QASP funding is also supporting BlakDance to provide training and development opportunities for the state’s new and emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander producers as part of the 2018 Australian Performing Arts Market (APAM) in Brisbane next month.

“In Townsville, the acclaimed Dancenorth will receive $59,100 to develop and present its exciting new contemporary production Dust, and a further $16,710 to enable the company to present multiple Helpmann Award winning work Attractor at APAM in February.

“On the Sunshine Coast, $56,804 will fund an estimated 57 performances by about 150 regional artists at the 2018 Anywhere Theatre Festival.

“Far North Queensland projects include $60,000 for arts business skills events to be held by Arts Nexus in locations from Mission Beach, north to Cooktown, and west to Georgetown. A further $60,000 will assist with the development of Beginnings, a spectacle of story, song and dance to be performed in Cairns.

“The Pryce Centre’s Baiwa Kazil dancers, emerging young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dancers from Far North Queensland, were also supported with $30,476 to showcase their talents and develop their skills on the world stage at the 30th International Conference and Festival of Blacks in Dance in Los Angeles next week.

“Meanwhile, the Queensland Youth Jazz Network will receive $20,600 to deliver a jazz music education program for high school students in Brisbane, and $60,000 will assist the development and presentation of a local cultural program at Brisbane-based global event Women of the World Festival 2018.”

Other projects will allow Queensland artists and a curator to participate in international events in Hong Kong and the Netherlands, the latter including reciprocal presentations in Brisbane and Gladstone.

Artistic Director and Co-Chief Executive of Dancenorth Kyle Page said the company was thrilled to receive funding for two projects in the most recent round of QASP.

Page added “this support will enable us to share our work with key international and national delegates at APAM as we look to secure future touring opportunities, in addition to assisting us develop and premiere our new work Dust,” Mr Page said.

“Queensland Government investment through QASP ensures Dancenorth has the capacity to constantly reimagine, innovate and create – proudly developing work in Townsville and Far North Queensland, and then sharing it with the world.”

For more information about QASP go to arts.qld.gov.au

Images: BlakDance (top) and the Anywhere Theatre Festival performs on a beach (below). 

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