14 May 2024
The Creative Development Grants extend crucial support to up-and-coming creatives, offering funding of up to $3,000 to kickstart projects, facilitate research and development of fresh concepts or works, refine skills, engage in markets, and foster creative growth.
Last year, Chris Siu and Jack Calver were two of ten creatives who received a Creative Development Grant from us, enabling them to successfully carry out their projects.
Chris, a University of South Australia graduate, is a Hong Kong-born photographer, currently living and working on Kaurna Yerta in Tarntanya Adelaide, South Australia. Specialising in medium-format analogue photography, his work is deeply influenced by the dynamic socio-political landscape of his homeland, Hong Kong, and his evolving role within it.
The grant enabled him to present his solo exhibition ‘Then We Keep Living’ at Nexus Arts Gallery, which ran from 7 September to 8 October 2023, providing a platform for him to showcase his works and artistic narratives.
“This opened doors to professional and public engagement opportunities that further expand and consolidate my creative practice. Helpmann provided crucial support during my transition from academic study to the professional art field,” comments Chris.
Jack, a Flinders University graduate, was another recipient of the grant. The actor and producer made his first leap into the creative industry when he was awarded the State Theatre Company of South Australia’s Young Playwright Award. At the age of 17, he established Glassroom Theatre Company to showcase his productions, including Clanstow for the 2018 Adelaide Fringe and Blackrock in 2019.
With the grant, Jack created and staged a satirical theatre production titled ‘Unfair Verona’, a twist on Romeo & Juliet, which premiered in Sydney in July 2023. This opportunity allowed Glassroom Theatre Company to expand its presence beyond South Australia, receiving acclaim from various reviews and critics.
“The grant removed a multitude of barriers that so often prevent new graduates from creating their own work, allowing me to continue developing my skills and showcase my SA-based acting training to the Australian theatre industry interstate,” says Jack.
Applications for the 2024 Creative Development Grants are currently open.
Creative Development Grants are made possible through the generosity of John Phillips and proudly supported by the Government of South Australia through Arts South Australia.
Images: (1) Chris Siu 2023 Nexus Arts Installation 5. Image courtesy of the artist. (2) Jack Calver and Alyssa Peters in ‘Unfair Verona’. Image courtesy of the artist.