Australia Council boasts ‘good news for women in music’ as Olympia, All Our Exes, & others receive funding

The Australia Council for the Arts has dished out $6.3 million in its latest funding round, with a big chunk of that money rewarding the work of female artists, including All Our Exes Live in Texas, Olympia and Catherine Britt.

All told, the latest grant round will support 200 artists, and there was “particularly good news for women in music,” notes the Australia Council, the federal government's arts funding and advisory body, with females artists receiving more than half (63%) of the grants awarded to individuals.

Among the music highlights, the Australia Council will fund new albums by Newcastle rapper Dawn Laird aka Tara Ansell ($10,060); ex-WA now LA based songwriter producer Georgia Kay ($20,000); Gordi ($18,230); All Our Exes Live in Texas ($48,000); Emma Donovan ($10,500); Tasmania’s Slag Queens ($12,787), solo work from Blue King Brown singer Nattali Rize ($16,467) and Tanzer aka Hayley Foster ($20,000).

Olympia

And in the international tours and showcases section, there were successful applications from G Flip ($25,000); Skeggs ($24060); Gabriella Cohen ($17,000); Haiku Hands ($22,850); Pierce Bros ($18,706); Ruby Boots ($14,244); Catherine Britt ($16,920); Olympia ($40,000) and Middle Kids ($34,560).

In the concerts and festivals category, the Women in Music Awards and forum in Brisbane was successful ($30,500), as were the Nexus Multicultural Arts in Adelaide ($93,970) and Daniel Safu for Victoria’s Face of Ethiopia Festival ($10,340).

Also, The Push ($15,337), WAM ($82,500) and AAM ($10,000) have been funded for various initiatives.

The lift in positive outcomes for female artists follows the publication of Making Art Work, an economic analysis of professional artists in these parts which found that a “substantial” pay gap still exists for women in the arts.

The report, penned by David Throsby and Katya Petetskaya, suggests Australia is home to 48,000 professional artists, with musicians accounting for more than 15,400 of the total.

This funding round will “support a significant range of arts activity,” notes Australia Council CEO Tony Grybowski in a statement.

“The Australia Council’s project and career development grants invest in artists at crucial moments, supporting sustainable careers," he explains, "and the creation of compelling artistic work that will be experienced and enjoyed by audiences across Australia and internationally.”

The council's number-crunchers point out 1,227 applications were submitted, with 30% from first-time applicants, and a further 163 projects were assessed to be worthy of support.

Australia Council grant applications are peer-assessed by panels of industry experts from around the country. Applications for the next grants round close on October 2. Click here for more.