MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has launched a $500,000 program to support people working in the performing arts.
The performing arts fund is aimed at supporting arts and culture as “drivers for community development, economic stimulus, health and wellbeing, accessibility and inclusion”.
The shire says the peninsula’s “vibrant performing arts community” helps attract more than seven million domestic and international visitors to the region each year.
The money being offered by the shire will go to peninsula-based creative organisations and individuals wanting to develop performance-based artistic works and increase job opportunities in the sector.
The mayor Cr Anthony Marsh said that understanding that the industry was especially hard hit by lockdowns and COVID-19 restrictions with loss of employment and income, the fund aimed to support artists and arts companies to continue to develop works “that reflect our unique Mornington Peninsula environment and identity”.
He said the peninsula is home to “many talented creatives” and urged them to attend a workshop “to learn more if you work in one of the eligible fields”.
Cr Paul Mercurio, the council’s representative on the arts and culture advisory panel, said the fund would support performing artists on the peninsula to “explore, create and perform work, allowing them to develop their unique voice and at the same time nourish the local peninsula audiences”.
During the upcoming Drift Arts Festival, the shire will hold workshops where participants can learn more about the fund and ask questions to help with their applications.
Details: driftartsfestival.com.au and mornpen.vic.gov.au/grants to apply for funding.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 3 May 2022
