Art prize split over ‘competitive’ entries
Almost $40,000 in start-up funding from the Helpmann Academy was awarded to the next generation of creative entrepreneurs this week, with the major prize split in two.
Visual artist and educator Chelsie Morey and artist Josh Juett each received $10,000 in seed funding from the Helpmann Academy’s Creative Innovator Program, announced on Tuesday.
The program – in its fifth year – has a major prize of $20,000 in startup funds, but this year’s prize was split in two as the Academy deemed their pitches “highly competitive and such great quality”.
Chelsie is a mixed media illustrator, visual artist and educator to transition her art into a sustainable business venture.
She says she will use the CreateSA major seed funding of $10,000 for public art training, business accounting subscriptions, startup supplies, studio access and paid time dedicated to business growth.
Josh – also a visual artist – plans to deliver a major work under his creative brand, FAT DOG, which he says bridges the gap between symbolic objects and functionality.
Josh also received an in-kind boost worth $1000 from Leunig Advisory, which gives business advice to fast-growing companies, family businesses and not-for-profits.
Last year’s winners were local alt folk band Any Young Mechanic, who used their $20,000 to support creating an upcoming album called The Modern Shoe is Ruining The Foot.
The band – which comprises Allan McBean on upright bass, Jachin Mee on drums and backing vocals, Luke Kilgariff-Johnson on electric guitar and banjo, Sam Wilson on vocals and guitar, and Thea Martin on violin – attended this year’s award show at the new Flinders campus at One Festival Tower on Tuesday night.
The funding support “allowed us to discover and meaningfully explore new artistic approaches in our creative practice,” the band says.
Subscribe for updates
“Making this record has been the best experience of our artistic career and we are extremely thankful to have been given the opportunity to engage in this project so wholeheartedly.”
The two major winners join six other award recipients through the Helpmann Academy program which is targeted to support a group of young creatives to turn their creative enterprise ideas into reality.
“It’s exciting to see such a diverse group of artists — from filmmakers to fashion designers — bringing fresh energy to South Australia’s creative landscape,” Helpmann Academy CEO Jane MacFarlane says.
“We’re proud to support a program that not only fuels big ideas but gives these emerging creatives the practical tools, funding, and connections to really make things happen.”
The prizes mark the end of a six-month program guided by creative mentors Andrew Leunig, Andrew Camens, Tom Hendrick, Jason Dunstone, Elen Cuna, Jim Hannon-Tan and Onnie Chan, Lauren Byleveld, and Debbie Pryor.
Partner institutions also handed out tailored awards to separate participants.
Queer emerging visual artist Adrian Mitton was awarded $7000 cash and an in-kind opportunity from UniSA’s Innovation & Collaboration Centre to access its co-working space and professional support.
Flinders University’s eNVISION incubator program awarded $2000 cash prize and an incubator placement to multimedia creator Tony Saad and Speculative fiction writer and founder of Reed and Storm Editing Cameron Rutherford.
Filmmaker and award-winning sound recordist Kyle Davison was awarded $2000 cash and an in-kind opportunity from ThincLab.
Fashion designer Claire McKay and glass artist Katherine Shierlaw also received $2000 cash and Helpmann Academy Highly Commended awards of $500 each to put towards their next creative venture.
