Blue Mountains News

For the City of the Arts Grant Program,Blue Mountains-based individuals and organisations can apply for funding of up to $10,000 for projects that encourage arts quality and innovation, strengthen the local arts sector and engage the local community and visitors as participants and/or audiences.

2022 grant program recipient Kalani Gacon received funding for a youth mentoring project, consisting of a 12-week immersive storytelling and filmmaking program for year 9-10students from Katoomba High School. The project culminated in the production of a professional quality film Soles, which premiered at the Edge Cinemas in November.

“I have been given the opportunity to take 11 diverse youth from the mountains through an immersive and truly life changing creative experience, allowing me to enrich and develop my skills as a workshop facilitator and creative mentor. This grant opportunity gave me, our team and our mentees a significant creative opportunity to professionally produce a high-quality film product,” Gacon said.

The Blue Mountains Cultural Centre’s Altitude Program, previously known as the Expose Program, is dedicated to exhibiting the work of Blue Mountains and Western Sydney creative practitioners and invites applications from individual artists and arts collectives residing in the Blue Mountains City Council Local Government Area and Greater Western Sydney Region.Successful applicants will exhibit their work in the Blue Mountains City Art Gallery in the 2024 exhibition program and take advantage of the resources, marketing and programming of one of New South Wales’ premier public exhibition spaces.

Adrienne Richards was selected to exhibit in 2022 and said her experience of exhibiting at a world-class facility such as the Cultural Centre has been invaluable for her ongoing practice as an artist.

“It allowed me the opportunity to produce a large body of work which I made especially for the expansive, flexible, purpose-built gallery space. I was well supported by the wonderful exhibition staff and the installation equipment available meant I was able to realise my vision,” she said.

JOINT INFORMATION SESSIONS for both programs will be held on Wednesday 1 March, 12.30pm at the Blue Mountains Theatre & Community Hub and Thursday, 2 March at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre at 5pm.Please register for these events via Eventbrite.

Interested artists and organisations are encouraged to read the relevant guidelines and review the application forms available at here.

Through the Arts and Cultural Services, Blue Mountains City Council is thrilled to extend these two opportunities to support the work of local artists and creatives.

Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill said: “The Arts are one of the Blue Mountains’ most treasured and inspiring industries. We have a higher percentage of artists and creatives in our LGA than the average, and that is why we strive to support a strong and vibrant arts culture.

“Through our cultural venues and the Blue Mountains City of the Arts Trust, local arts and cultural initiatives can apply for funding or find new exhibiting opportunities in order to innovate, engage audiences and strengthen the cultural fabric of the region,” he said.

City of the Arts Grant program close 5pm on Sunday 26 March.  Get more information on the City of the Arts Grant program at bhere

Altitude exhibition program submissions close midnight Sunday 19 March. Get more information on the Altitude Program at here.

Info session registration is available at Eventbrite