Create Lab

Create Lab provides local artists with small grants to research, experiment and explore new ideas that can have a public outcome.

In this next round, young and emerging artists will be invited to submit applications for funding of a new creative work. Successful applicants will be supported by an established artist mentor. Mentors will be matched with projects based on the nature of the successful applications.

Projects will be asked to respond to the themes of people, place, time, culture. Where the focus of the project is exploring an idea with creative research, projects will need to include an outcome.

Projects can involve one or several art forms, including but not limited to: Visual Arts, Illustration, Installation, Sculpture, Fashion, Writing, Storytelling, Spoken Word, Dance, Theatre, Music, Sound Art, Video Art, Film, New Media, Animation, Experimental Arts.

Create Lab intends to: 

• Support young and emerging artists aged 16 to 25 years (including people aged 25 years) to explore ideas and develop their creative capacity
• Support new collaborations and partnerships
• Offer emerging artists practical advice through a supported mentoring relationship with an established artist
• Provide access to workspace, meeting space, studio for filming, green screen
• Provide networking opportunities
• Provide seed funding that encourages artists to test ideas that may see further development

Key information

Up to $2,000 is available for projects, including artist fees, equipment, and materials. Projects need to demonstrate one or more of the following:

• An untested idea that needs support to be explored
• Importance of funding to development of the idea, skills of the artist or artists involved
• A new collaboration or creative partnership between artists and/or artforms that extends the skills of artists
• Projects that represent a diverse range of art forms including film and sound works, collaborative and interactive work, video installation, hybrid or experimental forms

Project examples

• A new work across visual arts, writing, video/film, fashion, music
• Writing, recording, performing a new song or track
• An installation, exhibition, film screening
• A short work of theatre or performance
• A dance artist working with a video artist to create a short video work
• Experimenting with new software to create video, animation or music
• A visual artist collaborating with an animation artist to create a projection-based work
• A sound artist and video artist creating an installation
• A group of artists from different disciplines working together

More information

Register for an information session or request the recording by emailing the Creative Industries Officer.

• The online session will be held at 5pm on Wednesday October 30, 2024 and will also be recorded
• The in-person session will be at 4pm on Friday November 1, 2024 at the Emporium Creative Hub at 25 Mitchell St, Bendigo
• A grant writing workshop will also be held on Friday November 8, 2024 at 4pm, at the Emporium Creative Hub at 25 Mitchell St, Bendigo if you would like support with your application

If you have questions, require additional information or support for your application, please contact:

[email protected]

1300 002 642