Culture and the Arts Minister John Day has announced a new grants program that would provide $600,000 a year over four years for regional communities to improve participation and development in cultural and arts activities.

Mr Day said the ‘Looking Forward Fund’ would be one of Western Australia’s largest regional art grant programs.

“This program shows this Government is committed to supporting arts and cultural activities in regional WA,” he said.

The Minister said the funding would use pre-existing allocations to support community-based partnerships for the delivery of arts and cultural projects and initiatives developed by and for regional, rural and remote communities.  

“This fund will work in tandem with other State and Commonwealth funding grants such as the State Government’s Royalties for Regions initiative,” he said.

“The ‘Looking Forward Fund’ has been developed by the Department of Culture and the Arts in collaboration with Regional Development Commissions.

“The ‘Looking Forward Fund’ will encourage and stimulate strong and diverse regional cultural and arts projects and lead to social and economic benefits for communities and artists.

“Even in the current economic climate, this Government is not withdrawing from any pre-existing arts funding commitments, which is confirmed in the 2009-10 State Budget.”

Mr Day said that funding proposals would need to be well planned, include collaborative partnerships and present opportunities for creativity and engagement with arts and culture.

Submissions will be accepted in two stages. The first will be an expression of interest that will require a brief outline of the proposed cultural activity and the benefit or value to the community.

The second stage will be for short-listed applicants who will be eligible to receive financial support to expand their idea into a fully developed program plan for consideration in May 2010.

All applications to the ‘Looking Forward Fund’ will be assessed by a panel of regional and industry experts and with input from Regional Development Commissions.

For more information on the ‘Looking Forward Fund’ visit http://www.dca.wa.gov.au/lookingforwardfund or for other DCA arts grants programs visit the Department of Culture and the Arts’ website http://www.dca.wa.gov.au