The City of Greater Bendigo’s Create Lab program is offering a new round of small grant subsidies to support contemporary musicians and contemporary music artists, following its successful pilot program last year.
Grant subsidies of up to $4,000 will be awarded to contemporary musicians and music artists who wish to develop their profiles using digital storytelling, extend their networks, and form new collaborations using screen-based video production.
Contemporary musicians and contemporary music artists are encouraged to explore the themes of time, place, people, and culture in some way. Projects that are exploratory in scope and creative in response to the themes are encouraged.
Completed works will premiere on the large AV screen in Hargreaves Mall over the coming months at an official launch.
Creative Industries Officer Mandy Field said the Create Lab program offered new avenues for musicians and artists.
‘Create Lab is an opportunity for contemporary musicians and contemporary music artists to gain exposure and build digital assets that can be used for promotion, as part of an online presence,” Ms Field said.
“The newly created assets can also be used as part of live performances such as a piece of video art, animation, or projection art.
“The artists can interpret and respond to the themes in any way, with the opportunity to share with a wider audience a creative narrative that reflects a point in time, and celebrates a unique story of place, people, and culture.
“Contemporary music, for the purposes of this initiative, is defined as ‘music that is currently being written, recorded, and performed. Its genres would include but are not limited to blues, country, electronic/dance, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, jazz, metal, pop, rock, roots, and others’.”
Create Lab is aligned with the Council Plan Mir wimbul 2021-2025 and its commitment to create a vibrant creative community, activate spaces, provide support for local talent and champion inclusion and access for creatives.
A successful pilot program was delivered in 2023 where five selected projects produced new video works, with a booked-out launch event in October. Since the October launch, the video works have been displayed on the Hargreaves Mall screen, at The Capital carriageway, with a selection also displayed at Bendigo Airport.
Create Lab round 2 intends to:
- Support contemporary musicians to gain exposure through digital and video works that can be used as promotion
- Support new collaborations and partnerships among Greater Bendigo’s creative community
- Provide access to workspace, meeting space, studio for filming, green screen
- Provide artists mentoring and practical advice through peer support, industry support and networking opportunities
- Provide seed funding that encourages artists to test ideas that may see further development, funding, or full realisation at a future time
An online information session will be held at 1pm on Wednesday March 6. The session will be recorded for artists unable to make the live session
To register for the information session or for further information, email the Creative Industries Officer Mandy Field at [email protected]