We are pleased to announce the funding of five projects targeting and developing new audiences, through the Audience Development Fund, a devolved funding program of the NSW Government through Create NSW and administered by Museums & Galleries of NSW.

The fund offers up to $10,000 per project to regional galleries and museums across NSW to trial new models for engaging audiences, creating innovative public programs that engage artists and the community and increasing access and participation.

2017 Audience Development Fund Recipients

Fairfield City Council (Fairfield City Museum and Gallery) $10,000

Soundground: A Musical Playground is a participatory audience engagement project, specifically designed for children and families from CALD backgrounds. This project will connect children and families in Western Sydney with opportunities to access multi-lingual workshops that interact, collaborate and produce creative works. Participating artists include Keg de Souza, Lucas Abela, Nicole Barrakat and Kim Siew.

Gurehlgam Corporation Limited – Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre (Wadjar Regional Indigenous Gallery) $9,700

Wadjar Regional Indigenous Gallery will engage Aboriginal students from years 5/6 at five regional public schools to attend a workshop at the gallery themed around embracing nature. The workshop will result in a public installation that will open with and be on display for the duration of the Birriimba (embrace) exhibition.

Newcastle Art Gallery $7,300

Newcastle Art Gallery will develop two new projects as part of Last Fridays, their free extended hours program held on the last Friday of every month. The new projects will be two special collaborative events partnering with two local arts groups, Independent Galleries Newcastle and Critical Animals in delivering Last Fridays April and September respectively. 

Newcastle Historic Reserve Trust (The Lock-Up) $10,000

Argo Pacifico Kids Club is a suite of public programs targeted at young people including young people with CALD backgrounds. This program will run in conjunction with the exhibition Argo Pacifico, where The Lock-Up’s spaces will transform into a surreal, fantastical, absurd carnival cruise ship via large and small-scale installations.

Verge Gallery $8,000

Accessible Conversations makes pre-existing public programs hosted at Verge accessible online via captioned video documentation. This project aims to expand their existing audience by providing the opportunity for people who are not physically in Sydney or are not able to attend the conversations due to financial, physical or other boundaries.

The Audience Development Fund is a Create NSW devolved funding program, administered by Museums & Galleries of NSW (M&G NSW) on behalf of the NSW Government.