$910,663 In Arts Funding Allocated To Regional Australia

A total of $910,663 has been allocated to 86 new arts projects in regional and remote Australia from the federal government's Regional Arts Fund, it was announced today.

President of Regional Arts Australia, who allocate the funding, Lee Cole announced the money was being allocated to a diverse array of creative endeavours, boasting that 27% of the funding was allocated to benefit young people, 22% benefiting artists and arts workers directly and 15.1% going to Indigenous people, while projects in remote and very remote areas will receive 29.3% of the funding.

Contemporary music initiatives did not receive a great deal of funding but weren't left out completely. The following were among the projects that received a slice of the allocated money in this round.

In Bundaberg, Queensland the Crush Festival 2012 receives $29,670 in funding, the Bundaberg Regional Council event aims to engage youth in a variety of street arts projects including zines, interactive games, pop-up acts and busking.

Emerging Alice Springs singer/songwriter Edwina Donald recieves $5000 to help her enter into a collaborative mentorship with NSW producer Benjamin Last. The mentorship will focus on expanding Edwina's artistic career and on her work with young people as music facilitator in the Alice Springs region.

The Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Cultural Centre receives $20,000 to provide opportunities for artists in the Katherine region of the Northern Territory by offering a series of weekend workshops that will target Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists and arts workers from the Katherine region in the areas of music production, fabric printing, sculptural weaving and visual arts presentation.

Fraser Coast's Artists Rock receive $7,700 for a prgram which will see musicians working with Queensland's Fraser Coast's young emerging artists to improve performance skills culminating in a community concert showcasing highly trained young people performing in a professional setting.

The Inspire, Yalata Youth Music Project in South Australia has received $13,894 to engage young aboriginal people in music skills, which will provide opportunities for future employment and encouraging participation in broader community life.

The Off the Couch contemporary music program in Goolwa, South Australia has received $8,030 to undertake a musical symposium for young musicians and sound enthusiasts covering composition, creation, business and promotion open to aged 16 to 26 years of age from the Goolwa community.

The Central Reggae project in the very remote area of Fregon, South Australia has been designed to build creative capacity and promote skills development through music for young Aboriginal men. They receive $3,356 in this round of funding.

Victoria's Upbeat Youth Fest receives $14,980 to assist with the operation of an exciting youth arts program of workshops and performances in DANCE (Bboy-Girl/Rap/Hip-Hop/Jazz/ Funk/Contemporary/World) and MUSIC (MC/Rapping, Percussion, band jamming & recording).

The full list of recipients in this round of funding can be seen here (MS Word document).