Now in its fifth year, the Minderoo Foundation WA Artist Fund has quickly built a track record of impacting artists’ careers.
Tailored to assist mid-career artists to take that next inspiring leap, the application process is surprisingly free of limiting categories or disciplines. Simply, ‘WA mid-career artists from all art forms are encouraged to apply and there is no restriction on what project they can propose,’ explains Executive Director of Communities at Minderoo Foundation, Penny Dakin.
She adds, ‘Whether it’s exploring new techniques, or being allowed the space and time to be nothing but creative, these artists have really taken the opportunity to further their practice and that’s something we are really proud of.’
In 2025, the Artist Fund will be awarding up to six grants of $35,000 to West Australian artists to help them create bold new work that will inspire and connect communities.
Additionally, up to two month-long artistic residencies at Forrest Hall in Perth will also be awarded. And the bonus? Each artist selected for the 2025 cohort will also be in the running for the $50,000 Minderoo Artist Award, which is selected by a judging panel.
Dakin says the program has ‘built an amazing alumni of Artist Fund artists over the past five years, and we are continually astounded by the work they produce and the impact they have on their communities’.
Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the Minderoo Foundation WA Artist Fund have opened this week.
Why the focus on mid-career artists?
‘Artists face immense challenges persevering in their professional careers, and the mid-career stage is often a turning point,’ Dakin tells ArtsHub. ‘Whether it’s because of financial or personal pressures (or both), mid-career can be a time when artists begin to question whether they should keep going, or pivot away from risky or bold work.’
The Artist Fund is intended as an opportunity that can be leveraged to take one’s career to an exciting next stage. Dakin continues: ‘Something we often say at Minderoo is that when artists thrive, our communities thrive. By supporting independent mid-career artists to have sustainable career opportunities, and skill and capability development, artists will increasingly contribute to a rich and vibrant cultural landscape in WA.’
Broome-based dancer and Yawuru woman, Tara Gower was one such mid-career artist searching for that career leg-up. She was a recipient of an Artist Fund grant in 2023 and the $50,000 Artist Fund Award in 2024. That opportunity allowed her to establish an Indigenous dance studio for the community in Broome, and to create a body of new work.
‘Since winning the Award, and the exposure that goes alongside such a prestigious opportunity, I have received many opportunities,’ says Gower. ‘The most significant [was] being asked to create a dance work for the WA Ballet.’
She added that the visibility that comes with the recognition of winning has also led to ‘new job opportunities as a choreographer statewide’. Over the past 12 months she has created new work for the Shinju Matsuri Festival, Taste of Broome Festival and Broome Pride, and choreographed the Kimberley Aboriginal Fashion Textiles Art (KAFTA) Runway performance as part of Reconciliation Week.
But for Gower, the real career growth has come through the Indigenous dance studio she is working to create thanks to the Fund. ‘The studio will be a safe space for local kids to flourish creatively and learn how to look after their body through physical awareness, strength and stretching to promote wellness.’
She continues, that a highlight has been ‘a collaboration for my First Nations youth dance group based in Broome with CO3 Dance Company, to perform in Perth at the State Theatre’.
‘This partnership also included workshops for remote community students in the Kimberley (Lombadina and Bidyadanga) and Broome dance students,’ she says.
Building resilience is key to career growth
This kind of rich professional development speaks to Minderoo’s goal in making career paths more resilient for artists.
Dakin explains: ‘We need a resilient, professional and well-supported arts sector driven by resilient, professional and well-supported artists.
‘The aim of the Artist Fund is that the grants and residencies can be used to leverage further opportunities to propel the artists’ professional careers. We want to encourage artists to lean into their professional practice, pursuing bold projects they are passionate about while also strengthening their careers.’
Another great example of this in action is multidisciplinary artist Nathan Beard, who was part of the 2021 Artist Fund. He used his grant to deliver, Low Yield Fruit, an exhibition inspired by his Thai-Australian heritage, which was then a catalyst for attracting more grants, exhibiting nationally and winning awards.
Understanding the Forrest Hall residency on offer
On top of the financial awards are two residency opportunities. ‘Spending a month in a self-contained serviced apartment at Forrest Hall, on the shores of the Swan River, is a unique opportunity for artists to totally focus on their practice in an idyllic environment,’ says Dakin.
‘That artists need time and space to create is a cliché, but it’s also very true,’ she adds.
Forrest Hall’s grounds are also home to the Forrest Research Foundation, where scholars from across Australia and around the world gather to pursue projects across the sciences and humanities. Many artists who have had residencies there have been able to discover new ways of thinking, working and doing through engaging with this community.
‘Many artists who have been to Forrest Hall have told us of the breakthroughs they’ve had, and the chance they’ve had to think, reflect and connect to their vision,’ says Dakin.
How to apply
All eligible artists are invited to submit an Expression of Interest with a brief outline of their project. A shortlist of artists will then be invited to submit detailed applications on their work and practice.
Dakin adds: ‘There are no limits to what you can propose, and we welcome all artistic disciplines.’
‘The Artist Fund is a key part of Minderoo Foundation’s 2030 strategy, and aligned to the Foundation’s vision that all children in Australia reach their full potential in thriving communities. Leveraging Minderoo’s long-term commitment to the arts, culture and creativity can help address these challenges, making our communities vibrant and connected,’ explains Dakin.
Expressions of Interest (EOI) close at 5pm (AWST), 7 October 2024. The final list of selected artists will be announced in early 2025.
