Emerging Artist Grants
Our annual artist development grants program provides emerging artists an opportunity to construct manage and present new work to a large audience in a natural, outdoor environment. We encourage submissions that develop a high-quality, imaginative artistic practice; and can reach and engage with diverse audiences.
We invite everyone to bring their creative ideas and unique flavour; and that participating in this program will encourage greater artistic expression and allow your unique artistic endeavours to come to life.
Who is eligible?
The Emerging Artist Grants Program is to open to emerging and up and coming individual artists/collectives who can display their artworks at the Rainbow Serpent Festival in Lexton, Victoria. This program supports individuals and collectives in developing new concepts in their chosen art form and to exhibit new work in a safe, professional manner.
What are we looking for?
The Artist Grants Program encourages innovative original art that engages with people, decorates and enhances the Rainbow Serpent Festival grounds. Please remember that we are situated in the Australian outdoors and artworks must be able to withstand extreme weather conditions. All installations must be well lit at night in order to be viewed throughout the entire event. Submissions must be well thought out, and use materials that are conducive to the harsh conditions of the Australian outdoor environment (eg. high winds, rain and extreme UV(sun) and heat).
The grants program is open to, but not limited to the following mediums:
- Digital
- Lighting
- Sculpture
- Recycled
- Shade Structures
- Kinetic
- Functional
- Installation
- Interactive
- Social/ Environmental/ Political themes
Selection Criteria
- Applicants must be individual artists or a collective
- Applications must be for original works
- Artworks that demonstrate innovation
- Weather resistant materials must be used.
- Artwork must be viable to produce in an outdoor environment.
- Proposal must demonstrate all safety precautions are addressed.
- Installations must be transportable and be erected and dismantled by the applicant.
Please take careful note of the selection criteria. You will need to address these points in your proposal for it to be considered. All sections of the online form are to be completed in order for your submission to be accepted.
How much funding is available?
The Artist Grants Program totals $27,000 and is divided into the following grants**;
- 2 x $5000
- 1 x $5000 Aboriginal Culture Arts Grant (details below)
- 1 x $3000
- 2 x $2000
- 1 x $2000 Memory Seed Multimedia Arts Grant (details below )
- 2 x $1000
- 2 x $500
**Please specify in your application which funding stream you wish to apply for.
Support Material
It is important that adequate information is submitted with your application. This is so we can assess the applications with a clear and thorough knowledge of what you wish to produce and how it will be installed at the venue. Safety is the most IMPORTANT aspect of installing your work at Rainbow Serpent Festival. You must demonstrate how you will address this in an area with high wind and extreme heat for the duration of the event!
Please include the following information:
- Technical Drawings
- Demonstrate your ability to comply with safety requirements
- How and where you intend to install the artwork
- Dimensions of installation
- Power Requirements (electrical equipment list and wattage)
- Budget/Funding category
- Biography of artist(s) involved
- Pictures of previous works
- Additional Information
Aboriginal Culture Arts Grant
The $5,000 Indigenous Artists Grant is open to any individual or group who identify as Aboriginal or a Torres Strait Islander to produce a work of art of any medium including but not limited to sculpture/installation, painting, workshops, digital and more.’
The work needs to be suitable for extreme conditions as it will feature at Rainbow Serpent Festival as part of the artistic programming. The artist will also feature on the website and highlighted in our promotional booklet.
Memory Seed Multimedia Arts Grants
Early 2014, Gav Seed passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer. Gav was an inspiration to many, and was interested in projects that saw talented artists work together to achieve artistic goals through projection, sculpture digital and visual arts. The Memory Seed Multimedia Arts Grant is awarded to a project that embodies Gav’s visionary enthusiasm and passion for multimedia.
Medium: Digital, Multimedia, Sculpture/ Installation, VJ, Interactive, Visual presentation.
We are looking for artists who work between light and surface in the sculptural, projection, VJ, film, interactive and digital arts. The work will feature at Rainbow Serpent Festival as part of the artistic programming. The artist will also feature on our website and in highlighted in our promotional booklet.
Festival Site Specifics
Rainbow Serpent Festival is held in the rugged outdoor environment of Western Victoria, Australia. It is exposed to high winds at times and baking sun. Access to site to begin building the work in situ is from 20th January 2018. Artists can have access to machinery such as EWP and Manitous however this cost will be passed onto the artist.
Important Dates
- Submission deadline is midnight Sunday 13th October 2019
- Successful applications will be notified Wednesday 13th November 2019
- Successful projects are to be installed onsite between Saturday 18th January and midday on Thursday 23rd January 2020.
- All art installations are to be removed by 6pm Tuesday 28th January 2020. If you need to install your artwork at an earlier date this must be pre-organised.
If you have any questions or wish to supply additional information to support your online application please email us here
There is no rush to complete your application, please take your time to read the Application FAQs on the Rainbow Serpent Festival website before you apply and good luck with your submission.