The Ian Potter Cultural Trust Annual Grants Report 2022–23
AMBITION 1
Annual Grants Report 2022–23
The Ian Potter Cultural Trust acknowledges the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.
WELCOME
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TRUSTEES
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STAFF
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FACTS & FIGURES
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CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
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AMBITION
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ARTS COMMISSION PROGRAM
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GRANTEES 2022–23
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Cover image: Dance grantee Lerato Masiyane (featured on p.12). Image credit: Kimberly Summer.
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WELCOME
The Ian Potter Cultural Trust Annual Grants Report 2022–23
Sir Ian Potter, Founder 1902–1994.
Established in 1993 with a remit to encourage the diversity and excellence of emerging Australian artists, The Ian Potter Cultural Trust has assisted the professional development of over 1850 individuals and awarded grants totalling over $12.7 million. The Trust’s grants support talented artists to undertake professional development opportunities overseas. The Trust funds nationally, from visual to performing arts and music to literature, spanning traditional art forms through to experimental mediums. In addition to professional development grants for individual artists, the Trust runs a program of significant arts commissions which have included sculpture, music (composition), and moving image art.
FUNDING PRINCIPLES – The Trust’s funding is governed by a commitment to excellence. We support individuals who are passionate about their work and have the potential to be outstanding in their field in an international context. – The Trust seeks to encourage diversity, distinction and opportunity for emerging Australian artists.
WHO DO WE SUPPORT? – The Trust assists emerging or early-career artists. – We support applicants who can demonstrate both initiative and exceptional talent together with an ability to convert their ambitions to reality.
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TRUSTEES CHAIRMAN Mr Charles B Goode AC TRUSTEES Lady Potter AC, CMRI Mr Anthony Burgess Professor Sir Edward Byrne AC, Kt The Hon Alex Chernov AC, KC The Hon Susan Crennan AC, KC Mr Leon Davis AO Professor Karen Day AM Mr Craig Drummond Professor Emma Johnston AO Professor Richard Larkins AC Mr Allan Myers AC, KC Professor Brian Schmidt AC
FRONT (L-R): Prof Emma Johnston AO, Lady Potter AC, CMRI, Mr Charles Goode AC, Prof Karen Day AM, The Hon. Susan Crennan AC, KC. REAR (L-R): Mr Allan Myers AC, KC, Prof Sir Edward Byrne AC, Kt, Mr Craig Drummond, Prof Richard Larkins AC, Mr Anthony Burgess, The Hon. Alex Chernov AC, KC. ABSENT: Prof Brian Schmidt AC, Mr Leon Davis AO. Image credit: Hynesite Photography.
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STAFF
The Ian Potter Cultural Trust Annual Grants Report 2022–23
Paul Conroy CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Louise Joel PROGRAM MANAGER
Paula Cruz Manrique PROGRAM OFFICER
Gail Lewry ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
Sue Wilkinson ADMINISTRATION OFFICER
Nicole Hunter RECEPTION AND OFFICE COORDINATOR
Sara Hearn COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Nina Beer COMMUNICATIONS & ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR
Anna McCallum CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER
Viktoria Kritharelis FINANCE OFFICER
FRONT (L-R): Louise Joel, Paul Conroy, Paula Cruz Manrique. REAR (L-R): Nicole Hunter, Viktoria Kritharelis, Nina Beer, Gail Lewry, Anna McCallum, Sara Hearn. ABSENT: Sue Wilkinson. Image credit: Hynesite Photography.
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FACTS & FIGURES
GRANTS OVERVIEW
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT COUNTRIES
APPLICATIONS RECEIVED
The 65 emerging artists awarded grants in 2022–23 will undertake professional development opportunities worldwide. From a ceramic wheel throwing workshop in Icheon, South Korea, to a mentorship in alternative photography in Bangalore, India, our grantees will connect with diverse arts networks, gaining new skills, knowledge, and expertise.
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GRANTS AWARDED
BELGIUM 1 grantee
SCOTLAND 5 grantees
66*
NETHERLANDS 2 grantees
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 1 grantee
TOTAL VALUE
$1,829,355*
GERMANY 14 grantees
ENGLAND 15 grantees
CZECH REPUBLIC 1 grantee
FRANCE 4 grantees
AUSTRIA 2 grantees
FINLAND 1 grantee GREECE 4 grantees
MUSIC CLASSICAL 15 PORTUGAL 2 grantees
SPAIN 1 grantee
VISUAL ARTS 14
DANCE 3 CRAFT 2
DESIGN 2
SWITZERLAND 1 grantee
ITALY 5 grantees
CANADA 1 grantee
USA 14 grantees
JAPAN 1 grantee SOUTH KOREA 1 grantee
PHILIPPINES 1 grantee INDONESIA 1 grantee
MUSIC CONTEMPORARY 7 LITERATURE 5
*Includes $1,125,000 awarded to the Australian National Academy of Music for the Ian Potter Emerging Performers Fellowship Program.
MEXICO 1 grantee
INDIA 1 grantee
SENEGAL 1 grantee
PERFORMING ARTS 13 MULTIMEDIA 4
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DENMARK 1 grantee
WALES 1 grantee
GRANTS BY PRACTICE AREA
TOTAL COUNTRIES VISITED
AUSTRALIA 1 grantee
SOUTH AFRICA 2 grantees
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ICELAND 2 grantees
BRAZIL 1 grantee
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
The Ian Potter Cultural Trust Annual Grants Report 2022–23
Charles Goode AC Chairman
In 1993, The Ian Potter Foundation’s ambition to support the development, excellence, and diversity of individual Australian artists saw the establishment of The Ian Potter Cultural Trust.
This increased investment in emerging artists became effective for Funding Round 1, 2023, and we look forward to observing the positive outcomes it will facilitate for our grantees.
In April 2023, the Trust partnered with the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) to establish the Ian Potter Emerging Performers Fellowship Program.
The Trust’s first grants, totalling $13,700, were approved in June 1993 to support six emerging artists to acquire skills and knowledge overseas. These grants marked the beginning of the Trust’s main funding program, the Emerging Artist Grants, which continues to support early-career creatives across the spectrum of the arts to undertake professional development opportunities. In 2022-23, the program granted over $600,000 to 65 individual artists.
Sadly, we bade farewell to Craig Connelly earlier this year, who stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of The Ian Potter Foundation and the Trust after seven years in the role. We thank Craig for his outstanding contribution to the work of the Trust.
This program will fund ten fellowships over 5 years (two per year) between 2024 and 2028. Each fellowship will provide financial and mentoring support over two years to support ambitious ANAM alumni seeking individual careers as artists outside the traditional full-time orchestral or teaching pathways.
As we commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Trust this year, we reflect on the remarkable growth of the Emerging Artist Grants program and the Trust’s impact. Over the past three decades, the Trust has supported over 1850 individual artists and awarded grants totalling over $12.7 million. Throughout this time, the Board of Trustees has continued to assess how it can best uphold the Trust’s founding ambition to support Australian artists, both emerging and established. In late 2022, our grantees recommenced travel and development opportunities as the restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted. As Funding Rounds opened once more, record numbers of applications indicated an increased need for professional development. Observing this and considering the findings from the Evaluation of The Ian Potter Cultural Trust conducted in 2021, the Trustees made a significant decision to increase the maximum grant value for emerging artists pursuing professional development from $10,000 to $15,000.
We welcome Paul Conroy to the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation and the Trust. Paul brings a wealth of experience from both the commercial world and the not-for-profit sector, and the Trustees are looking forward to working with him as he leads the management team in the years ahead.
“It has been a privilege to gain an insider’s perspective of this wonderful charitable Trust and its community of artists. I want to thank the Trustees and staff, who have warmly welcomed me to this role. I am excited to work alongside them to further the Trust’s essential support for Australian artists.” – Paul Conroy, Chief Executive Officer. Happily, in fiscal 2023, the Trust has returned to offering three Funding Rounds per year. Our 65 new grantees will travel to 30 countries, embarking on professional development opportunities tailored to their unique artistic practice. Congratulations to our grantees of 2022–23; the Trustees and staff look forward to following your journeys and the creative ambitions that grow from your experiences. 5
Through this collaboration with ANAM, we will provide crucial support to classical musicians forging independent artistic careers and, in doing so, nurture exceptional and talented individuals who represent the future of Australia’s vibrant classical music sector. We look forward to seeing the first two fellowships awarded later this year. September 2023 saw the world premiere of The Dark Current by Angela Tiatia, the final commission under the Ian Potter Moving Image Commission (IPMIC) program. A collaboration between the Trust and ACMI (formerly Australian Centre for the Moving Image), IPMIC was a ten-year $500,000 commitment to support mid-career moving image art practitioners. We thank our commissioning partner, ACMI, and its dedicated team of staff, whose production and curatorial expertise throughout the past decade has assisted the commissioned artists in bringing their visions to screen and Australian audiences.
We are confident Sir Ian would be proud of the ambition shown by the Trust and the artists it has supported over the past 30 years.
AMBITION FOR 30 YEARS, THE IAN POTTER CULTURAL TRUST HAS SUPPORTED EMERGING ARTISTS TO UNDERTAKE DIVERSE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO GAIN NEW SKILLS, EXPERTISE, AND NETWORKS. Kiah Pullens, final darkroom prints. Printed at recom ART Berlin (2022). Image courtesy of the artist.
Grantees highlighted the importance of this type of support to their careers in a 2021 survey conducted to evaluate the Trust’s grantmaking. When responding to the question, ‘How important was your grant to your subsequent artistic practice?’ 92% of grantee respondents reported that their grant experience was very important or quite important. Similarly, in interviews conducted for the evaluation, grantees shared how support to pursue these professional development opportunities not only allowed them to expand their artistic practice but also catalysed their creative output and reinforced their ambition. One grantee stated, “I returned bursting to make new work. I spent four intensive years making, taking every opportunity I could”. We wanted to further explore how the Trust’s support provides momentum to our grantees’ careers. So, we asked two grantees, ‘How has your grant and the professional development opportunity it supported impacted your ambition?’.
Zar Amir Ebrahimi and Selina Zahednia (L-R) in Shayda (2023), written and directed by Noora Niasari. Image credit: Jane Zhang.
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The Ian Potter Cultural Trust Annual Grants Report 2022–23
KIAH PULLENS: “IT HAS GIVEN ME THE CONFIDENCE TO TAKE RISKS AND TRANSFORM A DREAM INTO A REALITY.”
“The grant allowed me to deepen my technical understanding of the darkroom process and engage with masters of the medium.”
kiahpullens.com wetlab.au
“This training led to a personal artistic project of documenting the process of large imagemaking using heat-sensitive cameras and producing large-scale photographic works.”
Kiah Pullens’ practice explores the boundaries of the photographic medium, focusing on the image-making process, rather than the image-taking process. Using digital and analogue processes, Pullens breathes new life into archival images, transforming them into largescale analogue prints often displayed as installations and sculptures. Unfortunately, inadequate public access to colour darkroom facilities in Melbourne limits Pullens’ ability to create this work and advance her practice. In 2022, the Trust supported Pullens in undertaking a darkroom research tour of Europe, visiting a range of professional, commercial and community facilities across London, Brussels, and Stuttgart and undertaking a residency at recom ART Berlin. Pullens’ ambition was two-fold; to advance her darkroom practice, and to use the techniques, processes, and knowledge of analogue photographic printing and successful darkroom operations in establishing an openaccess colour darkroom in Melbourne.
NOORA NIASARI: “IT GAVE ME CONFIDENCE MOVING FORWARD AND, ULTIMATELY, A GREAT AFFIRMATION THAT MY STORY HAD UNIVERSAL ELEMENTS AND A WIDE-REACHING AUDIENCE.” Tehran-born, Australian-raised, Noora Niasari is a filmmaker who inhabits the role of writer and director. In 2017, supported by an emerging artist grant, Niasara undertook a six-week writing residency at the Can Serrat International Art Residency in Spain. The residency offered Niasara the time and space to develop her storytelling and screenwriting craft in a supportive and focused environment, which she utilised to concentrate on completing the first draft of Shayda, a feature film screenplay.
Pullens’ large-scale works, developed at recom ART Berlin, were exhibited in ‘The pleasure was all mine’ at ResArtis, Melbourne. The research project also led to the establishment of Wetlab, which will be a creative space for photographic artists to experiment with the medium of C-type printing through large-scale facilities. Wetlab’s Melbourne premises are currently under construction to accommodate specialised photographic equipment; significant considerations include ventilation and temperature control. Wetlab will host the largest publicly accessible C-type printing machine in Australia and the only open-access colour darkroom in Melbourne.
“The highlight was doing a public readthrough of the opening scenes of my screenplay to a room of writers from around the world, both from Can Serrat and a partner residency that visited that day. After six weeks of isolated writing, it was extremely gratifying to read those words aloud to an audience and receive a positive response from writers from completely different cultures to my own.”
“The funding from The Ian Potter Cultural Trust has given me the confidence to take the risks and transform a dream into a reality. Wetlab is set to open its doors in 2024.”
“I felt a wonderful connection with complete strangers through storytelling. It gave me confidence moving forward and, ultimately, a great affirmation that my story had universal elements and a wide-reaching audience.” Five years on from her grantee experience, Shayda, Niasara’s screenplay turned feature film directorial debut has garnered critical acclaim around the world. In January 2023, Shayda premiered at Sundance Film Festival,
A year on from her grant project, Pullens reflects on the experience.
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opening the World Cinema Dramatic Competition – one of 12 films selected globally for the category. Set in 1990s Australia, Shayda tells the story of its eponymous character, a young Iranian woman finding refuge in a women’s shelter with her 6-year-old daughter during the two weeks of the Iranian New Year (Nowruz). The film received praise from reviewers for its deeply affecting storytelling and went on to win the coveted Sundance Audience Award (World Cinema Dramatic), voted by festival attendees. Shayda’s creation was a long-standing goal and long-term project for Niasara. Reflecting on her journey over the past five years, from screenplay to debut feature film, Niasara emphasised the importance of balancing ambition with consistent self-care. “Every step of making this film provided new lessons and experiences. I think, above all, it made me realise the importance of self-care, especially when telling a story such as this. As artists and filmmakers, we put so much heart and soul into our work, but we must be vigilant with protecting those things too so we can continue to make meaningful work without experiencing burnout.” Following its success at Sundance, Shayda screened at film festivals in Australia and abroad and was acquired for distribution in North America and Europe by SONY Pictures Classics. In August 2023, Shayda was selected as Australia’s submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2024 Academy Awards.
IAN POTTER MOVING IMAGE COMMISSION:
THE DARK CURRENT
Angela Tiatia at the premiere of The Dark Current, ACMI 2023. Image credit: Phoebe Powell.
ARTS COMMISSIONS PROGRAM The Ian Potter Moving Image Commission (IPMIC) is Australia’s most significant long-term commissioning program of new contemporary moving image art by Australian artists. A joint initiative of The Ian Potter Cultural Trust and ACMI, this biennial award represents a ten-year commitment to the art form. The commission provides two levels of support to the successful artist: $100,000 from the Trust and highly specialised curatorial, production and presentation expertise from ACMI. In addition to supporting artists to produce ambitious new work and develop their professional practice, the commission series aims to cultivate a greater understanding and appreciation of contemporary moving image art for Australian audiences.
IAN POTTER MOVING IMAGE COMMISSION: THE DARK CURRENT The final work in the decade-long series of IPMIC, The Dark Current by Angela Tiatia, premiered at ACMI in September 2023. Australian and Sāmoan artist Angela Tiatia uses performance, moving image, painting, sculpture, and photography, to explore contemporary culture, drawing out the relationships between representation, gender, neo-colonialism and the commodification of body and place.
“There is something beguiling about a lie beautifully told. But I have no interest in cynically romanticising this, or even in just observing it. The intention of this work is to confront it. To unwind the lies. To show the sleight of hand behind the trickery. And for the audience to feel the unravelling.” — Angela Tiatia 2023 Using a combination of videogame software and carefully crafted live-action scenes, Tiatia’s The Dark Current creates a hypnotic world where boundaries blur and perceptions shift.
The Dark Current, Tiatia’s most ambitious project to date, continues this dialogue. The single-channel video opens with a close-up shot of a pink linen dress embroidered with hibiscus flowers. While dark currents of water lap gently in the background, the camera slowly pans across the wearer’s body to reveal a glamorous, serene woman with a pearl placed in the corner of her eye.
ACMI Director and CEO Seb Chan commented “The Dark Current represents a major development in Tiatia’s practice. For the first time, the artist combines live-action filmed content with animation created using software more commonly used in the development of video games. Editing these different types of content to create a singular narrative has pushed her practice into new territory.”
Tiatia describes this opening scene as an allegory of the promise that lured her mother’s generation to migrate from the Pacific Islands to the West in the 1960s.
The work was described by The Sydney Morning Herald as “A dreamy exploration of colonialism and climate change”.
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The Ian Potter Cultural Trust Annual Grants Report 2022–23
Angela Tiatia The Dark Current, 2023 (still) Courtesy of the artist and Sullivan + Strumpf
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NEW GRANTEES
2022–23
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE IAN POTTER CULTURAL TRUST GRANT RECIPIENTS OF 2022–23. Our 65 new emerging artist grantees span 9 practice areas, from craft and design to literature and classical music, representing Australia’s vibrant creative landscape. The following projects illustrate the breadth and depth of our grantee’s professional development needs and are unique to their respective career ambitions. A full list of grantee projects and destinations can be found in the grants database on our website. ianpotterculturaltrust.org.au
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CRAFT
The Ian Potter Cultural Trust Annual Grants Report 2022–23
CLEMENTINE BARNES NSW
Clementine Barnes
$3,500
clementinebarnes.com
Megan MacKenzie
$2,000
Clementine Barnes’ creative practice explores how human identity is constructed through fabric, unravelling the language of textiles to showcase historical narratives and sociological shifts. Using the craft-based techniques of needlework and collage, Clementine’s work often draws attention to social justice issues, a method that has been coined as craftivism. Supported by the Trust, Clementine is undertaking a residency at Cité internationale des arts in Paris, France, working on a collaborative publication with master printer Eric Mercier in the collective screen print studio. The publication Material poetry/La poésie de la matière will eventuate in a bilingual anthology of 20 screen-printed poems, each relating to one of the 20 arrondissements of Paris. The poems will highlight the significance of textiles and cloth witnessed in each district, captured by Clementine, a foreigner and Eric, a local. “The choice of content for each poem will be a collaborative decision and a combination of mixed-media collage, photography, text, and stitching. Eric will play the role of mentor and collaborator, introducing me to different screenprinting techniques and teaching me how to prepare digital files for screen preparation.” The residency and creation of Material poetry/La poésie de la matière is a crucial opportunity for Clementine to expand her technical skills and artistic network while also engaging in craftivism. “Given the current political and social situation in France, it is a relevant time to undertake this project, which will undoubtedly present further opportunities to combine my passion for social justice with craft-based practice.”
Clementine Barnes. Image credit: Peter Morgan.
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DANCE
Matthew Bradwell
$10,000
Lerato Masiyane
$11,262
Alexandra Petrarca
$6,838
LERATO MASIYANE VIC
Lerato Masiyane is a Zimbabwean-born dancer and choreographer specialising in traditional and contemporary African and Caribbean dance styles. A leading Afro Dance performer and instructor, Lerato has performed with some of Australia’s highest-profile musicians and shares her expertise with diverse communities across Victoria, raising the profile of African dance. Lerato was awarded a grant to undertake the Training Diaspora Africa course at École de Sables, The International Centre for Traditional and Contemporary African Dances in Toubab Dialaw, Senegal. Lerato is one of 30 dancers worldwide to be invited to the course, which is designed for dancers from Africa and its diaspora. “The opportunity will allow me to deeply progress my skills and knowledge in traditional and contemporary African dance in a way that is not possible in Australia.” Over 10 weeks, participants train with choreographers and award-winning artists, and take part in excursions, film screenings, and cultural events. The immersive program is also a rare opportunity for Lerato to connect with peers pursuing performance practices similar to her own. The skills, knowledge and networks provided by this opportunity will no doubt serve Lerato’s ambition to increase the visibility and representation of African art and culture in Australia. “I want to be a role model for young people in the arts, particularly those from African-Australian communities, and help them to stay connected to their culture and be inspired to pursue professional artistic careers in African dance.”
Lerato Masiyane. Image credit: Kimberly Summer.
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DESIGN
The Ian Potter Cultural Trust Annual Grants Report 2022–23
HARRIET WATTS NSW
Chloe Greaves
$6,000
cargocollective.com/harrietwatts
Harriet Watts
$10,000
Harriet Watts’ interdisciplinary practice addresses ecological issues occurring in contemporary Australian society, from biodiversity and habitat loss to deforestation, ecosystem collapse and climate change. “My work examines human relationships with materials and objects and fosters a close connection to nature, encouraging adaptability in the context of the climate crisis and a rapidly changing world. Ecological thinking and sustainable design theory inform much of my work, as well as an ongoing relationship with land and place.” Spanning design, visual art and craft, Harriet’s creative output is often experimental and includes exhibition works in the mediums of ceramics, paper and textiles, functional design, research, and writing. With the support of the Trust, Harriet is undertaking a residential Master of Arts Engaged Ecology at Schumacher College in Totnes, United Kingdom. The program brings together transdisciplinary perspectives and experiential learning experiences to explore complex ecological and social issues. In the words of Schumacher College, the program is ‘a radical new experiment in embodied learning for students looking to reconsider their relationship with the more-than-human world, find solutions to the environmental and social crises and develop the tools to become a leader in ecological, economic, and social decision-making conversations’. The 10-month program will see Harriet develop a deep understanding of ecology in a theoretical, practical, and embodied way. This framework will amplify Harriet’s capacity to navigate and communicate complex contemporary issues through her work, providing a unique perspective that will guide her creative practice.
Harriet Watts working with terracotta clay. Image credit: Jacqui Turk.
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LITERATURE
NICOLE W. LEE NSW
Laura Collins
$2,700
nicolewlee.com
Nicole W. Lee
$10,000
Raeden Richardson
$7,500
Audrey Schmidt
$12,929
Bernadette Trench-Thiedeman
$10,000
Nicole W. Lee is an emerging writer of Chinese (Teochew and Hakka) Malaysian heritage whose practice explores her identity as an Asian Australian woman and spans fiction, theatre and poetry. Nicole’s writing has been published in literary magazines Crazyhorse (USA) and Meanjin (AUS), and performed at shows held by the Inner West Collective, the American Australian Association, and the Institute for Australian and Chinese Arts and Culture at Western Sydney University. Supported by a grant, Nicole is studying a low-residency Masters of Fine Arts in Poetry at Warren Wilson College in Swannoa, North Carolina, USA. The program is both prestigious and highly selective, known for its rigorous creative and analytical curriculum, and benefits from a faculty of leading international poets. The ‘low-residency’ program will see Nicole attend five ten-day in-person residencies at the Warren Wilson campus and four five-month individualised study periods with online faculty mentorship while living off-campus at home in Sydney. “I believe two years of deep study with some of the best poets in the world, and significantly poets of colour, will put me in good stead to develop into a polished Asian Australian female poet of international standard.” “I hope that my time at Warren Wilson will allow me to bring back some of the most current, vital thinking and poetic practices to Australia and potentially prepare me for PhD study.”
Nicole W. Lee. Image courtesy of the artist.
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MULTIMEDIA
The Ian Potter Cultural Trust Annual Grants Report 2022–23
EMILY HONEY WA
Emily Honey
$10,000
emilyhoney.com
Victoria Lu
$10,000
Ranima Montes
$11,720
Jamieson Pearce
$8,000
Emily Honey is a self-taught screenwriter and director, whose creative writing practice began while studying at the University of Oxford, writing sketches, and touring with the Oxford Revue. After completing her studies, Emily dove into screenwriting, interning at Warner Brothers and directing her no-budget first short film, Organ Donor. Her work has been shortlisted for the Sundance Screenwriting Lab five times, and her most recent feature film script, Suki, was a 2022 finalist in the prestigious Academy Nicholl screenwriting competition. Emily was awarded a grant to undertake an internship at Roserock Films, a Warner Brothers in-house production studio in Burbank, California, with celebrated producers Hunt Lowry and Patty Reed. The internship provided Emily with firsthand experience in script and project development and a deeper understanding of Hollywood industry standards and the broader film and television industry in the United States of America. This experience is crucial to Emily’s plans to pitch her latest works. However, it coincided with the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike over a labour dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. As an associate member of the Australian Writers Guild, which stands in solidarity with the WGA, Emily was mindful of not ‘crossing the picket line’ while the strike is ongoing. “It has impacted a series of pitch meetings I had set up, but not my engagement with Warner Brothers, as I will not be writing for or pitching to them. I’m very cognisant of not breaking strike rules as I don’t want to undermine what the WGA is trying to achieve.”
Emily Honey. Image credit: Ross Swanborough, The West Australian.
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MUSIC
CLASSICAL
ZIGGY AND MILES JOHNSTON
Emilia Bertolini
$10,000
Charlotte Miles
$15,000
VIC
Fleuranne Brockway
$10,000
Gabrielle Penney
$10,000
ziggyandmiles.com
Amelia Cody-Byfield
$15,000
Alexander Rodrigues
$10,000
Naomi Flatman
$9,659
Isaac Said
$13,626
Rebecca Hart
$9,000
Madeleine Grace Stephens
$8,000
Miles Johnston
$15,000
Aiden Sullivan
$10,000
Ziggy Johnston
$15,000
Megan Yang
$15,000
Claire Lane
$8,500
Brothers Ziggy and Miles Johnston share a passion and talent for classical guitar that has seen them win awards as soloists and a duo and perform concerts together across Australia and internationally. After completing the Master of Music at The Juilliard School in 2022, the brothers became the first Australians, the first guitar duo, and the second guitarists to be invited into Juilliard’s Artist Diploma program. The brothers were each awarded a grant to support the second year of their studies in the prestigious program, the highest-level performancefocused qualification offered by Julliard. “The program provides unparalleled professional and educational opportunities. This year, seven instrumentalists were accepted; we count as one of the seven. Normally, only soloists can apply, but Juilliard made an exception for us,” shared Miles. Through the program, Ziggy and Miles are further developing all facets of their performance while learning guitar duo concertos and creating works for guitar duo in a larger chamber ensemble. The program also provides the brothers access to top artists and industry professionals from whom they gain advice on crucial entrepreneurial skills for advancing their careers. “Our goal is to develop the skills and connections to become ambassadors for Australian music as a classical guitar performance duo,” shared Ziggy. Ziggy and Miles’ international debut album, Sidekick, was released on streaming platforms in July 2023.
Ziggy and Miles Johnston. Image credit: Jiyang Chen.
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MUSIC
CONTEMPORARY
The Ian Potter Cultural Trust Annual Grants Report 2022–23
RAMA PARWATA VIC
Monique Bartkowiak
$2,000
Rama Parwata
$6,500
ramaparwata.com
Flora Carbo
$14,690
Jaslyn Robertson
$6,000
Danica Hobden
$8,000
Nigel Wearne
$9,676
Rajiv Jayaweera
$10,000
Emerging musician, composer, and curator Rama Parwata’s contemporary music practice draws influence from diverse genres. Since completing tertiary study in improvisational jazzbased performance for the drum set, Rama has developed solo and collaborative works by fusing jazz, metal, and experimental electronic styles with gamelan music from his Balinese and Indonesian heritage. Gamelan is the traditional ensemble music of Indonesia and refers to an orchestra predominantly composed of tuned percussive instruments. Gamelan composition has precise rhythmic and metric patterns and is integral to Indonesia’s cultural heritage and identity. Supported by the Trust, Rama will travel to Bali, Indonesia, to study with two of the region’s most distinguished gamelan artists, Yande King and I Putu Adi Septa Suweca Putra (Putu Septa). “Being half-Balinese holds an obvious cultural impetus towards studying gamelan, yet it is Bali’s unique reputation in attaining one of the planet’s most rhythmically advanced musical traditions that have inspired me towards this goal.” This period of intensive learning will see Rama study the fundamental repertoires and techniques of gamelan instruments, such as the kendang, a Balinese hand drum. Under the tutelage of Putu Septa, Rama will gain insight into approaches to gamelan performance, including progressive compositional techniques using electronics to augment solo performance. By building practical and theoretical fluency in gamelan, Rama can continue to develop his experimental work and explore the possibilities of his artistic practice. “Everything I learn will unquestionably inform my drum-set methodology. I could create new avenues for my jazz, experimentally improvisational, and even extreme metal drum-set vocabulary through the informed influence of gamelan.”
Rama Parwata. Image credit: Nathan Goldsworthy.
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PERFORMING ARTS Rupert Bevan
$6,000
Chelsea Burton
$10,000
Raechyl French
$9,000
Sanja Grozdanic
$6,544
Rudolf Hendrikx
$8,000
Elias Jamieson Brown
$9,000
Patrick Klavins
$8,250
Patrick Livesey
$10,000
Romaine McSweeney
$9,800
Julia Robertson
$6,487
Eliza Scott
$15,000
Jordan Shea
$6,000
Emily Sheehan
$10,000
JORDAN SHEA NSW Jordan Shea is an emerging playwright whose work showcases the diverse narratives of Filipino-Australians and how they engage with Australia’s national landscape. Since graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts, Jordan’s work has been developed, commissioned and supported by significant arts organisations, including Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir, Australian Theatre for Young People and Performing Lines. Supported by a grant, Jordan will travel to Los Angeles to undertake a mentorship with Giovanni Ortega, a Playwright and the Artistic Director of FilAm Arts Teatro, a FilipinoAmerican theatre company. The mentorship coincides with Filipino-American History Month and FilAm Arts annually run Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture, which celebrates California’s significant Filipino population, recognising the community’s culture, creatives and stories. This opportunity will allow Jordan to observe the development and management of new Filipino-American theatre works and how the festival has been curated to reflect the FilAm Arts cultural perspective. “The time and resources dedicated to the [Filipino] population are absent in Australia due to the community being significantly smaller.” “The sheer amount of Filipino-American theatre creatives working in California alone is thrilling. Learning what they are creating will undoubtedly allow me to understand the universality of themes presented in my work.”
Marcus Rivera performing Jordan Shea’s Ate Lovia, 2022, the Old Fitz. Image credit: Clare Hawley.
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“At this stage of my career, understanding this [FilipinoAmerican History Month] recognition and seeing its place in an artistic context would inspire and galvanise to create more opportunities for Filipino-Australian creatives upon my return.”
VISUAL ART Kate Bohunnis
$6,500
Andy Butler
$10,000
Eugene Yiu Nam Cheung
$9,860
Sally Craven
$10,000
Alice Duncan
$3,600
Genevieve Elliott
$10,000
Blake Griffiths
$10,000
Julia Gutman
$10,060
Georgie Mattingley
$5,500
Kate Power
$10,000
Caitriona Ryan
$11,566
Kaspar Schmidt Mumm
$9,000
EJ Son
$10,000
Alana Wilson
$11,088
The Ian Potter Cultural Trust Annual Grants Report 2022–23
JULIA GUTMAN NSW juliagutman.net Julia Gutman is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice is anchored by an experimental textile process; repurposing found textiles to produce ‘patchworks’ that merge personal and collective histories to explore themes of femininity, intimacy, and memory. Julia’s work has been exhibited across Australia and internationally. In May 2023, she was awarded the Archibald Prize for her portrait, Head in the sky, feet on the ground, of singer-songwriter Montaigne. Julia is the eleventh woman to win the prize in its 102-year history, and the youngest winner of the past 85 years. Supported by the Trust, Julia will undertake an intensive program of international research with components in Europe and North America. Julia’s program includes an intensive two weeks engaging with experimental theatre and performance art at Theaterreffen, Berlin, and artist residencies at Palazzo Monti in Brescia, Italy, SOMA, Mexico City, and fountainhead, Miami. While undertaking the residencies, Julia will explore new possibilities for her practice, working and learning alongside other artists and curators. “I will be working in media I have yet to have the time to explore, experimenting with the narrative and filmic possibilities of textiles and alternative methods of sewing, dying and weaving.” “This program will offer a unique opportunity to bring a collaborative, performative and community-centred approach to the studio practices I have developed over the past three years and expand the parameters of my work.”
Julia Gutman in residence at Palazzo Monti. Image courtesy of the artist.
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Harriet Watts, I am holding on to the parts of you that I will always love, 2022. Stoneware, stain, glaze, timber dowel. 10(h) x 10.5(w) x 4.5(d) cm. Image credit: Brydie Piaf.
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The Ian Potter Cultural Trust Annual Grants Report 2022–23
Sally Craven, Live Dreams: Portal (video still), Performance Space, Liveworks Festival 2021, Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia, curated by Emma Webb (Vitalstatistix), digital video/audio, performance lecture, 10 min. Image courtesy of the artist.
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