Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP and Senator for New South Wales Jim Molan have announced local artist Vanessa Keenan is one of five recipients across the country to be awarded a National Regional Arts Fellowship.
“Vanessa Keenan is a talented local artist and this $10,000 national fellowship will allow her to develop her artistic practice within our community, following the recent bushfire and drought seasons,” Senator Molan said.
“Vanessa’s fellowship centres on creative development and artist engagement, working with five professional artists directly impacted by the fires, exploring the impact of bushfires on professional artists and the landscapes they use for inspiration. The fellowship will result in the development of a curatorial rationale and a series of curatorial statements that will inform the development of an outdoor arts event, incorporating work by the impacted artists and others in response to the changing landscape.”
Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, congratulated this year’s Fellowship recipients who will receive a financial boost of up to $20,000 enabling them to develop their craft and contribute to cultural initiatives in their communities.
“Drought and bushfires have had a devastating impact in our regions. The Fellowship grants will allow these five talented recipients the opportunity to interpret their experience of living in a bushfire or drought affected area, explore the struggles and resilience of impacted communities, and share those stories through art,” said Minister Fletcher.
The 2020 Fellowships centre on themes of bushfire and drought, and artists living in affected areas were encouraged to apply. Fellowships have been awarded to recipients in regional New South Wales, Far North Queensland and Tasmania.
The National Regional Arts Fellowships are offered through the Regional Arts Fund, an Australian Government funding program that supports sustainable cultural development in the regions.