The Department of Tourism and Culture is inviting Territory artists, arts organisations and groups to apply for up to $20,000 in funding as part of the Regional Arts Fund (RAF) program launching today.

The 2018 RAF program encompasses two categories; the Creative Communities category, and the Activating Artists category.

The Creative Communities supports applications which directly benefit the participating community to increase wider community access and participation of sustainable arts and cultural practice, and the Activating Artists category encourages applications that provide a direct benefit to artists and art workers.

The Department of Tourism and Culture Director of Arts NT Angela Hill said she was happy to launch the NT’s RAF program to benefit regional and remote communities and creating a vibrant arts scene in the Territory.

"The Regional Art Fund benefits regional and remote communities and provides professional development and employment opportunities for artists and arts workers,” Ms Hill said.

“The RAF program adds to the diversity of the Northern Territory Arts Grants Program (NT AGP) funding available to Territory applicants with an emphasis on building capacity in disadvantaged, very remote and Indigenous communities.

“These grants are really important to the Territory and priority is given to projects that directly benefit individuals in regional and remote communities with a particular focus on youth, disadvantage, Indigenous and isolated communities.”

The $20,000 grants are for arts projects starting 1 January 2018 with an emphasis on supporting cultural development amongst these remote communities.

The program is an Australian Government initiative supporting sustainable cultural development in regional and remote communities in Australia with a long-term view encouraging greater private sector support for the arts.

Last year’s successful grants recipients included:

• $19 971 - Kunwinjku - Bundjalung Culture Exchange: Artists from Injalak Arts Centre in Gunbalanya worked with Bundjalung artists in natural fibre weaving, fabric design and printing sharing and learning new techniques.  

• $20 000 - The Residency Arts Program: Support for 2017 activities from April to November in Alice Springs partnering with a range of community stakeholders and providing employment and showcase opportunities for Alice Springs artists.  

• $12 769- Caravan: Key artistic staff from Tracks Dance and the Grey Panthers undertook a week long residency in Katherine focusing on intergenerational community engagement and culminating in a performance at the Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts & Culture Centre.
  

The Regional Arts Fund’s Quick Response Grants are also available to offer up to $1,500 for individuals and $3,000 for groups to take up skills development or small project opportunities.

The Quick Response Grants are open all year round and take 15 working days to process.

To apply to the Regional Arts Fund’s Community Grants applicants need to apply online by 5pm 4 September 2017.

More information is available at www.nt.gov.au/regional_arts_fund_grants

The Regional Arts Fund provides $1.06 million over four years (2017-2020) in the Northern Territory managed by the Department of Tourism and Culture through Arts NT.

Media contact – Department of Tourism and Culture – 0428 052 647