The Hon Rod Kemp was Minister for the Arts and Sport from Friday 23 November 2001 to Tuesday 30 January 2007. This site is available for archival purposes only.

Visions of Australia funding announcement

The Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, today announced funding of $1,106,159 in the latest round of grants under the Australian Government's Visions of Australia program, which will assist with touring for 11 exhibitions and development of a further eight exhibitions.

'This grant round has a strong representation of innovative craft and design exhibitions, and projects featuring significant artists including David Malangi, Arthur Boyd and Janet Dawson, as well as diverse contemporary artworks' that tour widely from Albany to Cairns,' Senator Kemp said.

'Object-Australian Centre for Craft and Design has received funding of $78,000 to develop a landmark national touring exhibition, Australian Design Now , profiling recent work by some 40 outstanding Australian designers.

'The Visions development funding will assist Object to work in partnership with the Museum of Victoria and bring together a skilled team to complete research and documentation for a customised touring exhibition and major catalogue.'

Visions of Australia also assists in making some of Australia 's significant regional collections more widely available through such exhibitions as:

•  Town and Country: Portraits of Colonial Homes and Gardens from the Bendigo Art Gallery will tour to Newcastle , The Rocks, Morwell, Geelong and Launceston ; and

•  Fireworks from Artspace Mackay will tour to Rockhampton, Townsville, Gladstone , Gymea, Wagga Wagga, Bathurst , Ballarat, Mornington and Brisbane

'Visions funded exhibitions will visit some of Australia's most remote venues such as Darnley Island in Queensland, Melville Island in the Northern Territory, as well as major regional centres in every state and territory,' Senator Kemp said.

'It is pleasing to see larger organisations providing support and professional development opportunities for smaller institutions as part of their touring plans.

'The Visions of Australia Committee will maintain its strong regional focus with more than half of the committee members from regional areas of Australia .'

A full list of the successful grantees for the program is attached and available online at www.dcita.gov.au/visions .

Through the Visions of Australia program, the Australian Government provides assistance to museums, galleries, libraries, archives and community cultural organisations, to develop and tour exhibitions nationally. 

MELBOURNE
14 December 2004

Media contact: Adrian Chippindale 02 6277 7350 or 0407 208 743