Creators Fund

Meet the 2021 Creators Fund Recipients, selected by expert panels from more than 280 applications.

Auspicious Arts Projects on behalf of Sandra Parker, $38,500
A three-month period of research into new dance and installation works, in sites other than traditional theatres, that explore the intersection of installation art and choreography.

Fiona Tuomy, $35,000
Development and research to pioneer an international best practice model for disability-led inclusive filmmaking and storytelling for screen, which will also inform the development and writing of a feature hybrid narrative/documentary film script.

Michael Prior, $38,603
Research to expand his background in gallery installations into outdoor sculptures for public spaces, including developing techniques to create kinetic artworks that respond to natural energy.

Georgia Mill, $24,973
Research into representations of chronic pain, sexuality and the body, to inform the development of a draft manuscript, by Georgia, a non-fiction writer. This includes undertaking a mentorship with established non-fiction writer Briohny Doyle.

Robin Fox, $35,000
Research and development of immersive audio-visual performances that explore synaesthesia, the condition of perceiving one sense as another. The work includes an exploration of audio-visual hallucinations, using new projection mediums and other techniques.

Omeo Dance Inc., $38,820
For art collective Stony Creek Collective to undertake research into the environmental challenges being faced in the foothill forests of East Gippsland. The research will inform a range of creative works across dance, photography and poetry that will be shared in a series of public installations and performances.

Marco Cher-Gibard, $39,995
As an electronic artist, Marco will work with specialist mentors and undertake research to broaden his practice. He will explore new methodologies to breakdown traditional barriers for amateur musicians to participate alongside, and under the guidance of, experienced mentors. He will also investigate the idea of massed single instrument ensembles and ideas for composition with saxophone.

Kevin Powe, $37,700
Research and creative development of interactive, story-based experiences for the Amazon Alexa (a virtual assistant developed by Amazon). This includes investigating user experience, technical and other challenges related to working with this new platform for storytelling. The project will include ways of delivering voice-controlled interaction and unique soundscapes for listeners as part of an immersive experience.

Jo Ze Sparks, $39,800
Research and development for an immersive theatre piece that explores interdisciplinary forms, Indigenous storytelling that challenges Western notions of theatre, and the resilience of the Indigenous female body.

StudioBento, $50,000
Research by the multi-award-winning production company into how multi-person virtual reality experiences (“social virtual reality”) might evolve and how they could be leveraged by the creative industries.

James Rushford, $27,661
A composer and performer, James will research how the concept of a shadow could be used as a metaphor for the ideas that underpin music. His work will include written analysis, sound surveys at various sites and studio research at EMS (electronic music studios in Stockholm, Sweden) and Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio.

Madeleine Flynn, $42,015
Research and development that will explore artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to create prototypes that will be used in experimental audio works. The exploration includes ways to create AI that is culturally inclusive and accessible so that it can interact and respond to audiences from a range of backgrounds and abilities. The artist will collaborate with app developer Mick Byrne, researcher Josephine Young, Noongar writer Cassie Lynch and Tim Humphrey.

Erica Tandori, $30,270
Development and exploration of ways to incorporate interactive, novel display and robotic technologies, as well as living organisms, into future sculptural artworks that use food, clay and paper to convey key biomedicine concepts to low vision and blind audiences.

Hayley Millar-Baker, $25,800
Research into childhood recollections to inform the development of a body of 11 photographic-assemblage works recounting the artist’s early memories and exploring how attitudes are passed down through generations in a family.

Tristen Harwood, $39,999
Research and development of a book-length hybrid, non-fiction work exploring the relationship and tension between Australia’s city and desert areas. The project will include experimenting with narrative, drawing on family stories, observations of architecture and geography, art criticism and historical research.

Nyein Chan Aung, $47,500
Research into existing palliative care rooms (PCR) and design development of a method to convert any room into a temporary PCR, with an emphasis on dignity, community, efficiency and end of life care.

A2K Media Pty Ltd, $38,490
Research and consultation with the disabled community and early learning education community to inform the development of a sketch comedy show for children that promotes understanding about living with disability.

Ethno Tekh v2, $48,960
As an electronic musician-turned-coder, Chris will undertake research to generate new forms of audio-visual expression in virtual reality platforms. The project looks to the future to uncover the possibilities that virtual reality holds for creative expression.

Jessica Barclay Lawton, CARLTON NORTH, $43,830
Writer and filmmaker Jessica Lawton will undertake a six-month period of intensive practical research exploring what 'the Australian dream' means today. Working with mentor and leading social researcher Pamela Souvlis, director of photography Alex Cardy, casting agents and refugee community support groups, Jessica will connect with people from a range of backgrounds. Her learnings will inform the concept for a new hybrid feature film We're Getting a Pool.

Jacob Boehme, BENTLEIGH EAST, $39,000
Over six months dancer and choreographer Jacob Boehme will undertake research to develop ethical and curatorial frameworks for presenting stories by, for and about people living with HIV. Through workshops, consultations and collaborations with HIV+ community members and HIV+ artists, the new frameworks he develops will form the basis of a new community-led performance installation called The Blood Library.

Tony Briggs, CAULFIELD NORTH, $50,000
Filmmaker and curator Tony Briggs will research the latest in First Peoples filmmaking and attend film festivals in New Zealand and the Arctic Circle to view films, participate in events and develop networks with First Peoples filmmakers, curators and programmers.

Sarah Firth, BRUNSWICK EAST, $30,000
Artist, writer and creative entrepreneur Sarah Firth's six-month project will inform the development of her debut graphic novel Stop Making Sense, an innovative, essay-style graphic work. Sarah will undertake intensive research into issues such as gentrification, death, vanity, perception, cognitive bias, addiction, sex and environmentalism as well as philosophy, science and social and psychological theory before entering into a writing period and thumbnailing stage. She will also explore a range of distinct visual styles aligning with each topic.

Ahmad Galea and Finn Morgan, FAIRFIELD, $36,000
Game developers Ahmad Jacob Galea and Finn Morgan will undertake research and development focused on non-player characters (NPCs) in games. NPCs are characters controlled by the computer rather than the player and are often limited to pre-programmed, repetitive interactions and behaviours. Over six months, they will work to create a series of algorithms to be applied to non-player characters in order to bring them life in games with unpredictable, ever changing environments.

Lia Hills, UPWEY, $24,249
Experimental author Lia Hills will undertake a period of research and experimentation to inform a new literary novel set in the Mallee. Lia will undertake interviews with a range of people living in the Mallee region to get a sense of the community and will also record the landscape. She will then use voice-recognition software which will take the nature recordings and translate them into words and language patterns. Transcripts from her activities will be used to develop her novel Love Songs for a Mortal. Lia will connect with a range of practitioners, film makers, musicians and visual artists to explore new techniques throughout the process.

Courtney Holm, FITZROY NORTH, $50,000
Fashion designer Courtney Holm will undertake research into the areas of zero waste, technology and customisation for the fashion industry. Courtney will explore advancements in robotics that are working to achieve zero waste in knitting as well as compostable stretch fibre. Her research and experimentation will inform the development of a new conceptual fashion collection.

Jonathan Homsey, GARDENVALE, $36,280
Dancer and choreographer Jonathan Homsey's 14-week project will explore how choreography and movement can create a sense of belonging within public spaces and connect diasporas, particularly in the LGBT+ and Asian communities. Jonathan will undertake creative research focussed on pedestrian movement, social dance and improvisation and undertake mentorships with leading choreographers. He will also travel to the US to attend events during Seattle's Pride month and undertake research with US Skinner Release Technique specialist Stephanie Skura. Connecting with Asian and queer choreographers and cultural leaders, Jonathan will explore how dance connects both trained and untrained dancers and will test his research through a series of public workshops and gatherings.

Lyndal Jones, FLEMINGTON, $41,400
Multi-disciplinary artist Lyndal Jones's four-month project will see her working with artists, horticulturalists and space experts to learn about the prospect of human colonies on Mars. It will commence with a residency at the Living Museum of the West where Lyndal will work with artist/writer and Mars specialist Annalea Beattie and set designer and special effects expert Paul Garry who has worked on films such as Star Wars.

Blame the Shadows Collective, $37,997
Blame the Shadows Collective's four-month project will involve intensive research into the lives of Iran's LGBTQIA+ diaspora communities living in Turkey. They will then work with choreographer Tara Jade Samaya and with mentors Amiel Courtin-Wilson (filmmaker and artist) and Roslyn Oades (theatre maker) to explore new ways of telling these stories.

Jo Lloyd, ST KILDA EAST, $47,000
Over four months choreographer Jo Lloyd will seek to expand her choreographic method by undertaking research into new dance methodologies. She will work solo and with a composer and team of established and emerging dancers. Jo will also develop a form of notation that captures her choreographic method and could be used as a way of archiving her work so it can be remounted or further developed in the future.

Mama Alto, FITZROY NORTH, $35,000
Over six months, cabaret artist and musician Mama Alto will undertake intensive research into the concept of the 'Diva' and society's relationship to ideas of womanhood and performance. This will include historical research and interviews with leading performers, as well 'in progress' showcase events to test and trial new theatre, musical and cabaret works that draw on the research.

Luke Miller, FITZROY, $27,620
Game developer Luke Miller will undertake a 13-week research period exploring new filmmaking and game development processes to inform the development of a new artistic game concept. This will include experimenting with bandwidth volumetric capture, where footage is captured that can be viewed on flat screens as well as 3D and VR devices, and passive interaction where the character in the scene reacts to the player based on their location rather than anything they do with their controller. Luke's process will be shared via articles and the code behind his low bandwidth volumetric capture footage will be made available for other developers and filmmakers to access.

Jack Mitchell and Thomas Dudley, BRUNSWICK, $38,000
Architect Jack Mitchell and writer and artist Thomas Dudley will explore how urban development can benefit from cultural knowledge, with a focus on exploring First Peoples' relationships to water. They will conduct research and engage with Melbourne’s creative sector, First Peoples community organisations, design professionals and government bodies. They will create a podcast that shares cultural knowledge about water and highlights how these learnings can be incorporated into Melbourne's future urban development.

Justin Olstein, ST KILDA EAST, $25,897
Filmmaker Justin Olstein's five-month project will see him undertaking intensive research into Orthodox Judaism's stance on homosexuality. He will consult with community members including rabbis, scholars and LBGTIQ advocates to enhance his understanding of a range of perspectives. He will then work with actors in a workshop environment to test potential story and character ideas. This process will inform the development and writing of a feature film treatment.

Anthony Pateras, THORNBURY, $32,706
Musician and composer Anthony Pateras will undertake a three-month period of research and experimentation exploring the links between sound and medicine to inform a major new electro-acoustic composition. Anthony will explore the many and varied physiological and psychological ways the ear, the body and the mind can react to sound and how to incorporate his discoveries into his music.

Oscar Raby, DOCKLANDS, $39,815
Over six months, multimedia artist Oscar Raby will explore the notion of control and user agency in virtual reality storytelling. Oscar will speak with world-leading experts on interactive narrative including video game designer Dan Pinchbeck (Dear Esther), game developer, VR filmmaker and writer Navid Khonsari (GTA), and director/writer David Cronenberg (Existenz). He will also undertake a series of VR experiments and conduct research at the National Theatre in London to explore how actors inhabit their characters. The project will inform a future work that bridges VR and stage performance.

Lisa Radford and Yhonnie Scarce, EAST MELBOURNE, $37,745Over three months, artists Lisa Radford and Yhonnie Scarce will travel to historical sites, museums and memorials across America, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Japan and Australia that commemorate genocide and/or nuclear destruction. They will undertake research and extensively document these sites and their learnings will inform the development of new visual art works and a publication.

Emma Roberts and Ben Andrews, COBURG NORTH, $38,598
Over four months, creative producer Emma Roberts and virtual reality designer Ben Andrews will explore the creative possibilities of multi-sensory virtual reality (MVR). They will research MVR technologies and develop and test a series of virtual reality prototypes that seek to produce, recreate or amplify feelings of awe for audience members.

Efterpi Soropos, WEST FOOTSCRAY, $33,000
Over three months, cross-practice designer Effe Soropos will conduct research into the development of purpose-built artistic environments, or 'access spaces', that allow people with diverse neural and cognitive abilities to access performative, visual and sound-based art works. During this time Effe will interview leading access and engagement specialists in both Sydney and Melbourne, experiment with current technologies in immersive environments and spend time reading, writing and formulating the basis for her new concept that will inform her work for future projects.

Alexander Swords, FITZROY, $49,300
Writer and narrative designer for games, Alexander Swords will undertake research over five months to develop a framework for designing and writing games narratives. He will work with practitioners from a range of game genres to develop and test the framework which will ultimately be made available to any creative wishing to work in this emerging interactive space.

TeePee Studios, DOCKLANDS, $22,716
Digital media production company TeePee Studios will spend three months investigating ways to improve and streamline their workflows to increase productivity and efficiency as their film and games development workload increases. This will include researching and testing new software, hardware and tools, training to expand their technical skills and a redesign of their internal network to reduce the impact of time-intensive processes such as rendering. They will share their learnings with other companies working in the VFX and digital games space.

Jessica Wilson, HEIDELBERG HEIGHTS, $31,000
Theatre maker Jessica Wilson will undertake research and development for a new work that will explore how children from a broad range of cultural backgrounds relate to landscape and place. This collaborative project will be developed in partnership with Aboriginal anthropologist Suzi Hutchings, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Artplay and the Boon Wurrung Foundation.

David Woods and The Small Collective, BRUNSWICK, $50,000
Over six months, multi-disciplinary artist collective The Small Collective will work with renowned directors and choreographers to explore diverse performances practices ranging from theatre to comedy to contemporary dance. The process will support the group to refine their performance style and showcase practical and democratic ways of developing inclusive performances.

Alterfact, BRUNSWICK EAST $29,750
Over a period of five months, experimental design studio Alterfact will design and construct a new ‘flat bed’ 3D printer that will have the ability to produce largescale clay pieces. Currently the studio makes objects on a domestic scale but the new printer, the first of its kind in the world, will enable the studio to expand its offering and make largescale objects.

Nick Barkla, SOUTH MELBOURNE $36,800
Actor, writer and director Nick Barkla will research the lives and experiences of youth involved in Melbourne’s justice system to develop a feature film screenplay treatment and a proof of concept teaser film. The six-month project will see Nick collaborating with young at-risk people involved in the justice system as well as youth workers, social workers, health workers, parents and carers. Nick will bring a group of young people with no acting experience together with professional actors for a series of performance workshops that will experiment with improvisation and self-devised dialogue as Nick investigates the best way to direct untrained performers. The learnings of the project will be documented as a case study and through a short documentary.

Sophia Brous, MALVERN EAST $32,500
Over four months, vocalist, musician, performer and curator Sophia Brous will undertake research and development for a new contemporary opera, Gorgons. Sophia will travel to New York’s Yale University to conduct research into improvisational music, experimental compositional techniques, theatrical methods, ancient Greek literature and art history. Following the research, Sophia will undertake a series of development workshops to experiment and workshop musical materials, libretto and compositional techniques with a collection of creative collaborators. On her return to Melbourne, Sophia will continue her research and development and lay the foundations for a work-in-progress of the opera at the New York music space National Sawdust.

Cake Industries, NEWTOWN $30,000
Artist duo Jesse Stevens and Dean Petersen of Cake Industries are known for creating works that utilise robotics, animatronics and 3D printing to explore the intersection between humans and machines. Over three months, Jesse and Dean will explore and experiment with new materials and methods that can be used in their future projects. They will experiment with using resins and platinum-based silicon to make casts and reusable moulds and they will explore the use of pneumatics (compresses air systems). In addition, the team will expand their skills in creating video collages and audio pieces and will explore methods for merging these elements with the physical objects they create.

David Chisholm, BENDIGO $50,000
Over six months, composer David Chisholm will work with local and international collaborators to develop his most ambitious work to date, Into the Darkness. The project will see David collaborate with Finnish live art duo Harrie Liveart to create a six-hour long music, projection, video and performance event that will take over the UNESCO world heritage listed Suomenlinna, a sea fortress off the coast of Helsinki. During the development period David will host his collaborators in Bendigo to commence planning and experimentation. David will then travel to Finland for further planning on site and to continue his compositions. During the project, David will introduce the Harrie Liveart team to local organisations and potential collaborators, he will also create opportunities for Victorian musicians to be involved in this major international work which will be presented in Finland in 2020.

Susie Dee, BRUNSWICK $30,000
Theatre director Susie Dee will undertake six months of research to inform her most ambitious theatre work yet, based on the 1882 travelogue On Sledge and Horseback to Outcast Siberian Lepers. This non-fiction work details a nurse’s journey from the UK to a leper colony in far east Siberia and Susie will travel to London and Russia following the life of the protagonist, retracing her path from the book and exploring the notion of an ‘outcast’. Susie will learn new filmmaking skills to document the trip and on her return, she will commence adapting the book undertake set up a lab-style workshop at the University of Melbourne’s Union Theatre. Susie will work with students to experiment with form and ways to bring the story to life both dramatically and through the use of dynamic, largescale staging to be operated by the performers.

Fayen d’Evie, MUCKLEFORD $49,680
Visual artist and writer Fayen d’Evie’s six-month project will see her working in Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Washington and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) to explore how blindness can create new ways of experiencing artworks and exhibitions. In addition to undertaking a research phase based on the collection at SFMOMA and with collaborators including Georgina Kleege, an expert on blindness and art at the University of California Berkeley, Feyen will experiment and create works with Australian choreographers Prue Lang and Shelley Lasica, performance artist Brian Fuata, actor Janaleen Wolfe, printmaker Trent Walter and sound artist Bryan Phillips in addition to developing her own creative writing.

Moira Finucane (auspiced by Auspicious Arts Projects) $38,000
Writer, director and performer Moira Finucane will undertake a research trip across Australia and beyond to connect with people from a range of backgrounds and gain an understanding of the ways we are connected to the land, the effects of climate change, how we tell stories, express our culture and make art. Moira’s will travel to Marlinja in the Red Centre and to the Tiwi Islands to collaborate with, and learn from, Indigenous artists, Sistagirls and community members. She will travel across Victoria to learn the stories of eight towns and will join a scientific expedition to Antarctica, under the mentorship of an environmental scientist. Moira will share her learnings and stories during a residency in Melbourne.

Martin Friedel, BRUNSWICK $20,000
Recent discoveries in plant neuro-biology indicate that plants can produce and react to sound. Inspired by these findings, composer Martin Friedel will undertake a 3.5 month project to investigate and experiment with the sound and music possibilities of ancient trees and ecosystems. Martin will undertake research into Victoria’s Gondwanan forest remnants, undertake field trips and meet with scientists to learn more about the sonic capabilities of trees. Martin will then record audio tracks that will be combined with his own compositions to create new music.

Antony Hamilton (auspiced by Insite Arts International) NORTHCOTE $20,000
Over three months, choreographer Antony Hamilton will work with a diverse range of collaborators to explore, experiment with, and learn about, different types of movement - primal and technological. Antony will meet with robotics and animatronics engineers at Melbourne’s Creature Technology Company and Boston Dynamics in the USA, animal handlers and trainers, fashion designer Paula Levis, dancers and other stage craft practitioners. Through his research, Antony will gain new artistic skills and develop new relationships with a diverse range of potential collaborators from outside of the dance field. Antony’s research will inform his future dance works throughout 2019 and beyond.

John Harvey (auspiced by Auspicious Arts Projects) SUNSHINE $22,630
Storyteller John Harvey will combine Indigenous storytelling with research into government policies and scientific studies to explore our past, present and future relationship with water in Australia. John’s three-month project will see him researching sound design, video installation and the changing states and sounds of water with a view to developing a new theatre work.

Michelle Heaven (auspiced by Auspicious Arts Projects) CASTLEMAINE $35,700
Dancer and choreographer Michelle Heaven will work with lighting designer Ben Cobham and a team to research and explore the possibilities for presenting performances in atypical and non-theatrical spaces such as hospitals and care facilities. Over three months, their research will involve meetings with staff from metropolitan and regional organisations and interviews with target audience members in order to better understand the parameters of working in new environments. They will explore the requirements for stage design, lighting and sound in these environments as well as how to ensure that content is suitable and offers maximum benefit to the audience.

Melanie Joosten, BRUNSWICK EAST $29,145
Over four months, author Melanie Joosten (Berlin Syndrome) will undertake research into the suffragette movement and develop a form and structure for a new novel that explores this history in a way that connects with contemporary politics. In order to create a story unlike her previous works, Melanie will research literary forms and experiment with developing competing or interlinked narratives. This project will lay the groundwork for the writing stage of this new novel.

Tristan Meecham (auspiced by Auspicious Arts Projects) MELBOURNE $37,900
Tristan Meecham is a performance artist who places the social rights of the LGBTI+ community at the core of his work. Tristan’s five-month project, which will take place in Melbourne and in the USA, will see him undertaking research into the different viewpoints that exist in the community in relation to homophobia and same sex marriage. Tristan will work with artist Lenine Bourke and LGBTI+ community service organisations to develop the framework for his research and engage with conflict resolution experts to learn skills for engaging with people from different cultures and opposing political viewpoints. Tristian will then conduct interviews with people from different walks of life to capture a range of perspectives. Working with producers John Molloy and Richard Kelly (John Safran’s Race Relations) Tristan will explore how the project could be developed for the screen and how it could be translated into live public presentations.

Logan Mucha, BRUNSWICK $33,060
Director Logan Mucha’s five-month project will see him research, write and develop a hybrid documentary anthology - Dark Tide - that tells a story of a fictionalised climate change event. Logan will undertake research into the potential impacts of climate change on Victoria including connecting with historians, scientists and experts from organisations including the CSIRO’s Marine and Atmospheric Research team. Logan will also work with collaborators to produce a proof of concept film that can be shown at film festivals or gallery settings and presented to potential investors and distributors with a view to producing the full anthology in the future.

Tiffany Parbs, BRUNSWICK WEST $24,700
Jewellery maker Tiffany Parbs’ six-month project will see her undertake research into the ways women are portrayed in the media. Tiffany will explore how these representations affect how society views women and how women view themselves. Having generally created small scale works throughout her career, Tiffany will also develop her skills in creating large scale, wearable works. Tiffany’s research will feed into the development of a series of new jewellery works.

Sibling Architecture, MELBOURNE $35,000
Design studio Sibling Architecture will undertake intensive research into ageing and how design can play a role in creating a more equitable society for all ages and abilities. Building on the studio’s recent work to create an accessible furniture line, this project will draw on research from RMIT’s design research studios, Arup, Uniting Care, the City of Melbourne’s Ageing and Inclusion Department and The University of Melbourne’s Hallmark Ageing Research Institute. The Sibling Architecture team will hone its learnings and respond in a number ways including producing an exhibition that includes speculative designs to demonstrate how spaces and products can meet the needs of people of all ages, and by producing a public program of events and talks in collaboration with RMIT’s Design Hub.

Anna Spargo-Ryan, CHELTENHAM $25,000
Author Anna Spargo-Ryan will work over five months to research and write a new historical fiction novel, Foundlings. Foundlings was the name given the babies abandoned by their mothers and the work will be based on the true story of Rose Lattin who was an inmate at the Adelaide Destitute Asylum in 1887 and 1890 and was also Anna’s great grandmother. Focusing on the themes of women, fertility and poverty in the 1800s, the novel will explore a time of poor treatment of women but also a time of great change as the suffragette movement gained momentum.

The Rabble (auspiced by Auspicious Arts Projects) $40,000
As they develop a new work inspired by Dante’s Inferno, theatre company The Rabble will undertake a three-month project where they will experiment with video, sound, projection, special effects, wireless technologies and more. The team will investigate ways that they can make their work scalable and flexible for presentation in theatres, non-arts venues and outdoor spaces of all sizes. The project will also explore ways The Rabble can expand their practice and develop works that can exist as a performance, an installation and an exhibition.

Robot Circus, CARLTON $49,752
Games studio Robot Circus will work over six months to develop a new video game, The Last Bastion. The game, which will be developed for phones and tablets, will tell the story of a world that is on the brink of being taken over by a tyrannical force. During the project, the team will develop the design for the game, create an art bible that sets out the world and the characters and create a playable preproduction prototype that can be presented to potential investors or partners.

Lyn Al Young, WARRANDYTE $31,000
Emerging Aboriginal fashion designer Lyn Al Young will be mentored by creative director and stylist Philip Boon as she researches, designs and manufactures a small range of clothing intended for presentation at Hong Kong Business of Design Week in December 2018. In November and December 2017, Lyn Al was part of a Victorian Government Trade Mission to Hong Kong Business of Design Week where she explored potential business opportunities in Asia. This project will see her build on these connections and support her to expand her business into new international markets.