Midsumma and more: Deadlines are closing for these grants and programs for artists

Australia’s leading queer arts and cultural festival, Midsumma Festival has announced two programs to support and mentor artists. Midsumma Pathways is a nine-month mentorship program for LGBTQI artists with disabilities. The second program, Living in Queerantine, will award 10 grants of $1,000 each to produce a work on a queer theme that can be showcased on Midsumma’s online platforms.

Midsumma Pathways

Mama Alto, ‘jazz singer, cabaret artiste, gender transcendent diva’, who recently joined the team, will coordinate the Midsumma Pathways program for 2020-2021. Ten LGBTQI artists with a disability will be selected for the program and mentored by professional artists.

“I am deeply passionate about helping emerging artists to flourish, so facilitating pathways for LGBTIQI artists and culture makers to develop and grow is the best part of my role at Midsumma – and luckily for me, that’s the very purpose of the Artist Development program coordinator!” Mama Alto said about her role on the Midsumma website.

Get your application in by May 1, 2020.

Living in Queerantine

The COVID-19 lockdown and subsequent cancellations has impacted creative artists adversely. Midsumma is calling for expressions of interest from artists for the $1000 grant. The works have to be such that they can be exhibited on the Midsumma website and can include digital works, visual art, video recordings, poems, stories, online workshops et al. Apply for the grant before May 3, 2020.

City of Melbourne Quick-Support Artist Grants

The City of Melbourne has reopened applications for its special $2 million grant for artists, that it had announced as part of its response to the COVID-19 crisis. Artists and small art organisations can apply for up to $4,000 in grants to invest in a new work. Hurry, the deadline closes on April 24, 2020.