Arts grants

Flourish: Arts Recovery Grants Program

Merri-bek City Council is committed to strengthening and investing in the creative community of Merri-bek and recognises the challenges the sector is currently facing. These grants aim to help Merri-bek’s arts and culture sector recover and flourish.

Objectives:
  • To support local artists and arts organisations to recover and flourish.
  • To strengthen the capacity of local artists and arts organisations.
  • To support local artists and arts organisations to navigate new models of engagement.
  • To build connection and engagement through community led arts and cultural activities.
  • To support and encourage more people to be involved with arts and culture in Merri-bek.
Grant Categories:
  • Individual Artists (up to $5,000)
  • Arts Organisations (up to $10,000)

Open: August 2023

Close: September 2023

Information Session: To be confirmed 

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The full recipient list for previous rounds of this program are below.

  • The 2022 Flourish recipients were:

    • Baris Uluso: Near Dark Productions (film)
    • Julia Flaster: Debris Magazine (literature)
    • Harrison Ritchie Jones: Creative Development for "Cuddle" (dance)
    • Pink Ember Studio: New Studio space (visual arts)
    • Coady Green: Tempo Queer at Tempo Rubato (music)
    • Outer Urban Projects' Producing for Impact (digital production)
    • Fleur Murphy: Plot. Hedda (theatre)
    • Michele Lee: ‘The Lookalike’ (theatre)
    • Emma Thompson: correspondences Creative Program (literature)
    • Anna Dunnill: Side Gate (visual arts)
    • Ruby Duncan: Creative Development for 'Bruv' (theare)
    • Elle Sachs: The Travelling Sisters: Development Period (theatre)
    • Brittany Devlin: Honey Bones Group Series (visual arts)
    • Emma Riches: The Not New Project (dance magazine)
    • Jeff Achtem & Tim Sneddon: The Merri-Bek Family Festival (community arts)
    • New North: 2023 Concert & Development Program (music)
    • Andrew Weldon: 'It's All Silver Lining' (graphic memoir)
    • Collide Public Art Initiative: Expanded Field Artists (visual arts)
    • Sofia Sabbagh: Trees of Moreland (graphic novella)
    • Carole Yelland: Devilled Eggs (theatre)
    • Jackson Castiglione and Tamara Searle: Imagination Ballet (dance)
    • Honey Long and Prue Stent: photography workshop (visual arts)
    • Richard Chadwick: Karen From Finance is Doing Time (performance)

  • The 2021 Flourish recipients are:

    • 7th Floor: 7th Floor 2022 Program
    • Alison Adriano: Ali Adriano - EP Project
    • Barry Solomon: Camping with Mrs Barb Wire
    • Belinda Locke: Disability Pride Month
    • Bonita Carzino: Purchasing Camera Equipment for Cinematography
    • Chelsea Hickman: Lockdown Response: Digital Adaptation Project
    • Commoners Press: 10 Press
    • Ell Sachs: We Too Us Too Me Too Too Too - Rehearsal Period
    • Gamaka Incorporated: Gamaka presents REVIVAL
    • Georgie Darvidis: Georgina Darvidis - Music Video
    • Jemma Cotter: The Fling - Short Film
    • Josh Glanc: Josh Glanc - Vroom Vroom
    • June Lamb: Writing, recording, production, mixing, and mastering of June Jones EP
    • Jungle City projects: Movement Maps
    • Lemony S Puppet Theatre: Lemony S Puppet Theatre Lab
    • Margaret Mayhew: Queers Draw BEEF: Dancing, drawing, and colouring in for LGBTIQA+ people in Merri-bek
    • Moreland City Band: Getting Better
    • New North: New North 2022 Program: Elevating Exploratory Music with Concerts, New Works & Audience Development
    • Norm Warehouse: Norm Warehouse Survival Reboot
    • ON3 Studio: ON3 Artist Development Workshops
    • Outer Urban Projects Ltd: TRANSMISSION
    • Pink Ember Studio: Pink Ember Workshops & Open studio days
    • Prue Stent: Still Almost Blue
    • Roosevelt Street Studios: Surviving COVID-19 hardship
    • Schoolhouse Studios: Schoolhouse Studios Rent Relief
    • Seat at the Table: Race on the Table Vodcast Series
    • Sofie Dieu: Hyper Sensorial Art
    • Vardos ANTFARM: an Anthropomorphosis
    • Zoë Bastin: Waves Are Disturbances

  • The 2020 Flourish recipients were:

    • Alana Holmberg: 'Porch Diaries' (Exhibition)
    • Blakademy - Blak Dot Gallery: 'Around the Fire' (Blakademy Public Program 2020-2021)
    • Bunk Puppets: 'Organisational Funding' - Company diversification and core planning
    • Dylan Martorell: 'Sonaflora Field Guide' (Interactive Experience)
    • Eddie Botha Creations: Fawkner Bowls Club Community Mural
    • Fleur Murphy: Research and development of a new play script, 'The Fence'
    • GalleryGalleryInc: 'Inside Out Projection Window' (Exhibition)
    • Jade Imagine: Recoding of their second album
    • James Ruse: Untitled short film project
    • Jazzlab: Jazzlab Digital Corona Sessions (Pilot program)
    • Joel Ma: Development of 'Joelistics Presents Film School' into a live performance and short film
    • June Lamb: Creation of Video clip for 'Home', the 3rd single off June Jones' upcoming album release
    • Kate Lefoe: Development of an online LGBTIQ community for 'Wicked Women' web series
    • Lemony S Puppet Theatre: Open design process and puppetry workshops
    • Melbourne Minute: Melbourne lo-fi hip hop radio
    • Melbourne Sound School: Sound School - 'Watch and Learn' Program
    • Merlo Art Collective: 'People on the Streets' (Exhibition)
    • Milk Records Pty Ltd: Organisational Funding - Supporting Merri-bek based recording artists at Milk Records
    • Nicola Castle: 'The Alt-Right Addiction' (Film)
    • NOIR Darkroom: Organisational Funding - Supporting Exhibiting Merri-bek Artists at NOIR
    • Norm Warehouse: Organisational Funding - Supporting Merri-bek Artists at NORM Warehouse
    • Pink Ember Studio: Pink Ember Workshops Series
    • Riot Stage: 'Everyone Is Famous' (short film)
    • Roosevelt Street Studios Inc: Organisational Funding - Supporting Merri-bek Artists at Roosevelt Street Studios
    • Simon Aubor: 'Moreland: 23/03/2020 to xx/xx/xxxx' (Photographic project)
    • Stephanie Lake Company: Creation of new work, 'Manifesto' (Dance)
    • TCB Art Inc: 'Mulana - First Nations Residency Programme'
    • The Listies: 'SMELLOVISION!' Filmclips for forthcoming comedy album for children
    • The Wandering Room: 2021 Solo Exhibition Program
    • Varuni Kanagasundaram: 'Messages That Link Us' (Kolam Ritual Drawing)