2025 recipients

ARTS MANSFIELD, Mansfield, $4,000

To present Geraldine Quinn’s cabaret performance The Passion of Saint Nicholas and a follow up writing workshop led by the artist.

BRUTHEN ARTS AND EVENTS COUNCIL INC, Bruthen, $3,250

To bring the cabaret performance The Passion of Saint Nicholas to their community as part of the East Gippsland Winter Festival.

CASTLEMAINE COMMUNITY HOUSE, Castlemaine, $15,000

To present the children’s theatre performance Play Date during Castlemaine Pride in 2025.

CHARLTON NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSE INC, Charlton, $13,920

To present a series of live performances including circus and physical theatre, comedy and cabaret, contemporary and classical music and theatre.

PROM RECITALS, Yanakie, $4,300

To present Trio Arapilés, a saxophone, bassoon and piano group at the Fish Creek Memorial Hall and the string quartet Genesis Baroque at the Foster War Memorial Arts Centre.

GANNAWARRA SHIRE COUNCIL, Gannawarra, $12,000

To present the Creative Gannawarra program of circus and physical theatre, comedy and cabaret, poetry and theatre throughout 2025.

Geelong Chamber Music Society Inc., Geelong, $8,800

To present the 2025 Concert Series of five concerts including performances by the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra.

INDIGO SHIRE COUNCIL, Beechworth, $7,450

To present a series of four creative programs in collaboration with local primary schools featuring the performances and workshops.

LINK NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSE INC., Kaniva, $14,000

LINK Neighbourhood House Kaniva and Birchip Resource and Learning Centre will present children’s performances Dinosaur Time Machine and storytelling theatre performance Garage Girls in remote towns of Western Victoria.

RED ROCK REGIONAL THEATRE AND GALLERY, Cororooke, $9,300

To will host four performances of theatre, music, storytelling and laughter across their 2025 season.

SOUTH GIPPSLAND SHIRE COUNCIL, Leongatha, $10,085

To present four live performances including circus and physical theatre, comedy and cabaret, contemporary and classical music and theatre in Outtrim, Mt Eccles, Kongwak and Foster.

THE GUMBOOT COLLECTIVE, Yarram, $9,930

To present the Reclaiming Voice Through Story panel of four storytellers at the Gippsland Writers' Festival.

WARRAGUL HERITAGE PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION, Warragul, $8,000

To present a season of seven professional acoustic music performances in the community owned and operated arts space, Wesley of Warragul.

2024 recipients

BRUTHEN ARTS AND EVENTS COUNCIL INC, Bruthen, $6,270

Bruthen Arts and Events Council will bring the circus comedy Casting Off and the children’s theatre performance You're a Musical Instrument to their community.

FISH CREEK MEMORIAL HALL INC Fish Creek, $4,000

Fish Creek Memorial Hall will host a performance of the music, comedy and story-telling show, Piano Palooza for the local community.

KING VALLEY ARTS INC, King Valley, $10,781

King Valley Arts will bring theatre and musical productions to the region, with performances in Whitfield, Cheshunt, Myrrhee, Edi Upper and Moyhu.

MURTOA MECHANICS HALL, Murtoa, $5,000

The Murtoa Mechanics Hall Committee will bring the music, comedy and story-telling show Piano Palooza and the comedy theatre performance Letters from My Heroes to their community.

MUSIC AT THE BASILICA INC, Geelong, $5,500

Music at the Basilica will present two concerts by the Australian Chamber Choir in St Mary’s Basilica, Geelong.

SOUTH GIPPSLAND SHIRE COUNCIL, South Gippsland, $8,050

South Gippsland Shire Council will bring the music, comedy and story-telling show Piano Palooza and the all-women circus show Casting Off to the community halls of Strzelecki and Mirboo.

ST ARNAUD ARTS COUNCIL INC, St Arnaud, $4,070

St Arnaud Arts Council will host music, comedy and story-telling show Piano Palooza in the local town hall featuring a grand piano purchased by the community.

STRATFORD COURTHOUSE INC, Stratford, $15,000

Stratford Courthouse Theatre will present Full House - 2024: The Year of More, a dynamic showcase of feminine voices, offering a diverse range of live music, comedy, circus feats and theatre.

TALLAROOK ARTS INC, Tallarook, $3,850

Tallarook Arts will present the comedy show Letters from my Heroes along with the Where do we find our mentors? workshop for young people in the region at the Tallarook Mechanics Institute.

TARWIN LOWER MECHANICS INSTITUTE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT INC, Tarwin Lower, $3,000

The Small Halls of Venus Bay and Tarwin Lower will each host a night of folk/acoustic music performance for their local communities.

THE SOUND DOCTOR PRESENTS INC, Anglesea, $15,000

The 2024 Sound Doctor annual program will bring live contemporary music to Anglesea's Art Deco Hall over four weekends in 2024.

UPPER MURRAY PERFORMING ARTS INC, Tintaldra, $14,400

Upper Murray Performing Arts will bring a program of four musical, comedy, science and children’s theatre performances to the local community throughout 2024.

WARRAGUL HERITAGE PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION INC, Warragul, $8,947

Warragul Heritage Preservation Association will present a season of 10 professional acoustic music performances in the community owned operated arts space, Wesley of Warragul.

WINTERWORDS AUTONOMOUS COLLECTIVE, Beechworth, $2,970

The 2024 Winterwords Festival will present Stephen Hall's comedy show Letters from My Heroes along with a workshop taking participants through various storytelling strategies and writing techniques.

YEA ARTS INC, Yea, $7,146

Yea Arts Showtime 2024 will present the music, comedy and story-telling show Piano Palooza, the Garage Girls theatre performance and Someone in the Dark, an immersive puppetry experience for children along with puppetry workshops for young people.

2022 recipients

CRESWICK NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE INC, Creswick, $14,700
A series of monthly FOKIE Fridays music performances of folk and world at the Leaver’s Creek Hotel in Creswick giving local musicians the opportunity to be supporting acts.

UPPER MURRAY PERFORMING ARTS INC., Tintaldra, $10,220
A performance by the Mendoza Tango Quartet who specialise in traditional Argentinian tango music at the Corryong Memorial Hall.

ST ARNAUD ARTS COUNCIL, St. Arnaud, $4,44
Presentation of the Sass & Secrets cabaret and comedy show by Cath Jamison and Aurora Kurth at the at the St Arnaud Town Hall.

YARCK (ARTZ@YARCK), Yarck, $10,068
Presentation of five live performances across the Murrindindi Shire at Yarck, Alexandra and Eildon, including a Mother’s Day Jazz High Tea event at the Yarck Hall.

MALDON GOLDFIELDS GOTHIC INC, Maldon,$3,505
Presentation of the Sass & Secrets cabaret and comedy show by Cath Jamison and Aurora Kurth at the at the Maldon Community Centre.

C-DOC LTD (CASTLEMAINE DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL), Castlemaine, $12,813
Presentation of the Monash University research lab, SensiLab, at the Castlemaine Documentary Film Festival (C-Doc) showcasing new media technologies and their role in storytelling

THE SOUND DOCTOR PRESENTS INC, Anglesea, $11,463
A series of 5 Sound Doctor contemporary music concerts at the Anglesea Memorial Hall with emerging musicians as support acts.

GANNAWARRA SHIRE COUNCIL, Kerang, $12,000
Presentation of the Creative Gannawarra program that includes a performance and song writing workshops in halls across the district including the Nancy Bates Trio, Jude Perl’s musical comedy, Roommates and the Bon Appetit family circus show.

KING VALLEY ARTS, King Valley, $3,000
Presentation of the children’s shadow puppetry play Crow Kid by Lemony S Puppet theatre at Myrrhee.

BIRREGURRA COMMUNITY ARTS GROUP, Birregurra $6,541
Presentation of the Sass & Secrets cabaret and comedy show by Cath Jamison and Aurora Kurth at the at the Birregurra Mechanics Hall.

NEWSTEAD ARTS HUB, Newstead, $7,500
Presentation of the Sparrows of Kabul live music performance that tells the story of Australia’s involvement in Afghanistan at the Newstead Community Centre.

EAST GIPPSLAND FESTIVALS LTD, Ellaswood, $15,000
Presentation of the Primitive Horn Orchestra as part of the East Gippsland Winter Festival in Orbost and Nowa Nowa.

THE GUMBOOT COLLECTIVE, Yarram, $7,950
Presentation of the Hearts and Minds: Celebrating Community panel of Storytellers at the Yarram Storyfest.