Newcastle, Australia – november 21, 2023 – A total of $115,000 in funding will empower young and early-career artists across Newcastle, providing crucial support for a diverse range of creative projects. This investment underscores the city’s commitment to fostering its vibrant arts community and nurturing the next generation of talent.
Investing in Newcastle’s Creative Future
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The funding will support 14 projects spanning music, writing, dance, and visual arts.
- Tantrum Youth Arts, the National Young Writers Festival, and the Newcastle Youth Orchestra are among the recipients.
- The grants will support projects ranging from filmmaking and dance to preserving cultural heritage.
- The Newcastle Youth Orchestra will use the funding for workshops and concerts, including a collaboration with an award-winning dementia choir.
- Funding will also bolster the National Young Writers Festival and initiatives at the Newcastle Art Gallery.
Councillor Jenny Barrie, Chair of City of Newcastle’s Community and Culture Advisory Committee, emphasized the importance of this investment. “Newcastle is known for its thriving cultural community,and this funding demonstrates our commitment to nurturing grassroots creative talent and preserving our city’s rich cultural heritage,” Cr Barrie said.”These grants will provide valuable support to a range of local projects.”
What types of projects are receiving funding? The grants cover a broad spectrum of artistic endeavors, including filmmaking, dance performances, music festivals, and the preservation of cultural artifacts in Stockton. Multi-disciplinary arts performances at the newly upgraded Newcastle Art Gallery will also benefit.
Supporting Young Musicians
The Newcastle Youth Orchestra will utilize its funding to deliver a series of workshop-based collaborations between emerging and established musicians. According to spokesperson Capree Gaul, “This support will help alleviate costs such as tuition fees and music purchases so we can focus on presenting four exciting, themed concerts next year, which will feature collaborations between our young musicians and established local choirs and orchestras such as the award-winning dementia choir, the Unforgettables.”
The orchestra’s goal is to inspire the next generation of musicians through exciting workshops and performances. Concert highlights will include a program of kids’ classics, a concerto featuring music from around the world, and a composition developed in partnership with First Nations artists, to be performed at the University of Newcastle’s Wollotuka Institute.
Nurturing Emerging Artists and Writers
Tantrum Youth Arts’ Cartwheel program, currently in its second year, will also receive funding. The initiative provides support for 10 emerging artists through a year-long schedule of professional development, including masterclasses, business skills workshops, and invitations to industry events.
The National Young Writers Festival, a free four-day event held in Newcastle this October, received a funding boost to support more than 55 emerging writers. the festival also included a First Nations photography mentorship.
Collaborations and Future Festivals
Newcastle & Hunter Jazz Club will partner with the Newcastle Improvised Music Association to involve younger musicians in its 36th annual three-day festival at City Hall in 2026. The festival is expected to feature over 50 bands and 240 musicians.
Catapult Dance Company will bring together six Newcastle choreographers and six visual artists from the Creator Incubator to produce new collaborative works, culminating in a site-specific performance event at the Newcastle Art Gallery in 2026.
For a complete list of funded projects and further details, visit newcastle.nsw.gov.au/grants. Applications for the next round of grants will open in 2026.
