RECIPIENTS of the ACT government’s newly-created Cultural Arts Program funding have been announced, along with artists benefiting from the latest round of the regular Arts Activities fund.

Under the new program, which funds local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, a total of 11 projects have been funded the tune of $127,565.

Artist Jenni Kemarre Martiniello has received two grants — $15,000 to lead First Nations cultural residencies in glass, and a further $6346 to support reconciliation through carpet design, whole noted composer Brenda Gifford has received $7500 to compose “Djungga,” a work for jazz ensemble.

The twice-yearly Arts Activities Fund, formerly known as project funding, offers grants of between $5000 to $50,000 for projects across dance, literature, music, theatre, visual arts and, newly, screen and digital games. this time round.

Seventeen one-off projects were funded to the tune of $394,219, with Anecdote Games receiving $49,803 to support creating a proof-of-concept and narrative bible for a new digital game.

Theatre artists fared well, with Ylaria Rogers, Melanie Lane, Dylan Van Den Berg and David Atfield receiving funding for new stage works, while two dance artists, Emma Laverty and Natsuko Yonezawa, were funded to develop dance films.

Former “CityNews” Artist of the Year, Chris Latham, received $15,100 for the development, performance and recording of “The Peacekeeping Symphony”.

The Cultural Arts Fund 2023 recipients

• Bradley Bell, to support Ngunnawal cultural arts program $15,000
• Megan Daley & Rechelle Turner, Sisters Expression and Connection with Country $15,000
• Brenda Gifford, to compose, Djungga, a new work for jazz ensemble $7,500
• Rebekah Lane, to support ‘Inherited’ Exhibition at Belconnen Arts Centre $4,546
• Emma Laverty, to develop Dance Film for Project Dust $15,000
• Jenni Kemarre Martiniello, to lead a First Nations Cultural Residencies in Glass $15,000
• Jenni Kemarre Martiniello, to support Reconciliation Through Carpet Design $6,346
• Sisters in Spirit, to pilot Arts and Culture Practice with women of ACT region $15,000
• Patrice Soward, to compose new single “You Can’t Handle Me” including lyrics and music $15,000
• Jessika Spencer, to support Ngumbaaydyil: All together $15,000
• Rechelle Turner to support Murrambidya-giyalang (Belonging to the Murrumbidgee River) project $5,000

Arts Activities Funding $5000 to $50,000, Round 1

• Anecdote Games, to create a proof-of-concept and narrative bible for ‘Outpost’, a new digital game $49,803
• David Atfield, Creative development of a new play ‘A Better tomorrow’ $13,294
• Lisa Cahill, Creation of new work for a solo exhibition in San Francisco, USA $40,000
• Canberra City Band, “CANcophony”, Canberra singers/songwriters performing live music with Spectrum Big Band $19,338
• Nathan Collett, Sound design and mixing of a new documentary, ‘Arcadia’ $7,550
• Melanie Lane, Final development and rehearsal of “Mountain”, a new dance work $25,000
• Christopher Latham, Creative development, performance and recording of the ‘Peacekeeping Symphony’, a new music project $15,100
• Penelope Layland, Publication of an illustrated anthology of Australian bird poems, edited by Layland and Lebkowicz $11,059
• Musonga Mbogo, to support the development and promotion of a new solo exhibition $23,757
• Tania McCartney, Development of a new children’s book, “Flora: Australia’s Most Curious Plants” $24,000
• Ylaria Rogers, Stage five Workshop Development of ‘We Are Not Alone’, a new verbatim theatre work $40,416
• Lisa Sammut, Create and present a solo exhibition at Goulburn Regional Art Gallery, NSW $13,151
• Alice Taylor, to complete development for a new documentary $24,467
• Dylan Van Den Berg, Creative development of a new musical, “Blak/Luv’” $16,697
• Natsuko Yonezawa to create “Kiku”, a 10-minute inter-generational dance film $44,354
• Us Mob Writing Group to publish “Kuracca”, a poetry and short story Anthology $14,056
• Matt Withers Recording, production and promotion of a debut album of new Australian guitar music $12,177