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HORSHAM Rural City Council’s Art Matters project has secured their future with a $15,000 grant from Regional Arts Victoria.
Council’s cultural development officer Jillian Pearce said the grant, along with contributions from Wimmera Rural Access and Horsham council, means the project could continue.
“This money ensures the artists continue to work and participate in art matters,” she said.
“And participants still get to keep meeting as we develop a new project focus.”
Art Matters was only one of 10 projects selected to share in $95,052 of grant funding.
The project brought 15 artists with a disability together with professional artists Anthony Pelchen, Amy Anselmi and David Bowe to create and engage.
The collective showcased their work at an exhibition in the Art is… festival, an impromptu swap mob performances and a sell out silent auction.
Artists Mary French and Trevor Flinn have joined the group as they create large scale puppets in the lead up to their major performance, Tall Story, on the International Day of Disability on December 3.
“The program is an opportunity for people with disability to come together for art and participate and socially connect,” Ms Pearce said.
“The idea came out of a long identified need, a lack of opportunity for adults with disability to participate in arts outside day programs, this seeks to address that.
“Of course a wonderful benefit of art participation is coming together to work as team.”
The project was also designed as a trial in the lead up to the October 2017 introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
On Friday NDIS officially begun it’s Victoria roll out and will operate statewide in 2019.
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) chairman Bruce Bonyhady said NDIS is the most significant social and economic reform in a generation.
“Today we move away from the old one-size-fits-all approach to a new approach which is based on choice and control for people with disability on a scale not seen anywhere in the world,” he said.
The Art Matters team hope to create a viable art option for people to chose as a part of their NDIS package, as an alternative to the sport-heavy opportunities.
Ms Pearce said the project and it’s success had given participants and artists a great sense of pride.
“The work created is incredibly strong, and we were very proud it all sold silent auction,” she said.
“It was incredibly pleasing, all the money goes back into project.”
Ms Pearce said the program allowed participants not only to learn, but to teach.
“During the big collective painting, the general public involved to make the work,” she said.
“It became incredibly inclusive art practice.
“Our participants and general community came together because of art.
“Participants knew the processes so directed others.
“It was a lovely outcome.”
Member for Mallee Andrew Broad welcomed the grant and praised the Horsham initiative.
“I love the sound of this project, which explores a person’s ability to achieve the seemingly impossible and I think there is something in the story for everyone to connect with and be inspired by, regardless of age and ability,” he said.
“It is a worthy recipient of the funding and I congratulate all those involved with the project and wish them well with the production and performance of Tall Story.”
The Regional Arts Fund is an initiative of the federal government’s Regional Arts Program, which gives all Australians, wherever they live, better access to opportunities to practice and experience the arts.