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Five women of various ages and cultural backgrounds standing in front of a cabin in the bush.

2021 Bundanon Residency Program Set To Develop Creativity And Careers Of 5 Artists With Disability

Applications are now open for the 2021 Accessible Arts and Bundanon Trust Artist-In-Residence Program which will provide a prestigious creative and career development opportunity for up to five (5) artists with disability from NSW and the ACT.

Successful applicants will be funded to undertake a six (6) night residency at the renowned Bundanon Trust estate from 13 – 19 September (dependent on any relevant COVID travel restrictions).

The Bundanon Trust is a beautiful rural property near Nowra in NSW that was gifted to the Australian people by famous Australian artist Arthur Boyd. The estate now supports arts practice and engagement with the arts through residency, education, exhibition and performance programs. Accessible Arts is NSW’s peak disability and arts organisation and for the last four years has partnered with the Bundanon Trust to present an annual residency program for artists with disability.

Successful applicants will be accommodated in accessible self-catering cabins incorporating an artist’s studio. They will also be given a bursary to cover per diems. Applications close on Monday 12 July: APPLY NOW: https://aarts.net.au/2021-accessible-arts-and-bundanon-trust-artist-in-residence-program/

An online information session will be held on Monday 21 June from 2pm – 3pm to provide potential applicants with more detail about the program and the application process. REGISTER NOW: https://2021bundanonresidencyinfosession.eventbrite.com.au

Accessible Arts Interim CEO Morwenna Collett: “Artists with disability don’t always get the same opportunities as artists without disability due to a range of physical, financial, and cultural barriers. This program is all about trying to level the playing field for professional artists with disability so they can take their creativity and their careers to the next level.

“The Bundanon Trust Artist-in-Residence program is the largest of its kind in Australia, making it highly sought after by artists nationally. The residencies have been important steppingstones in the careers of many successful Australian artists, and this is what makes our annual initiative an incredibly valuable creative and career development opportunity for artists with disability.

“Due to the impact of the COVID pandemic, the budget for this year’s residency program is being raised through a community fundraising program, and so we’d like to thank everyone who is contributing for their kindness and generosity. If you haven’t already contributed, please consider doing so. Any support we receive is going to make a huge difference in the lives of five very talented artists.”

Testimonials

Taking 5 In Bundanon

This video showcases the experience of our 2020 program participants. The five artists – Bernadette Smith, Liz Cooper, Eugenie Lee, Rhiannon Pegler and Michelle Teear – were selected from 23 applications and each undertook a one-week residency from 12 – 18 October. Watch video.

Last year’s artists were profiled on ABC TV, ABC Radio and ABC News Online:

Digby Webster

Digby has undertaken two residencies at Bundanon in 2014 and 2018 and his career as a professional artist has skyrocketed since with several local and international exhibitions, various commissions and selection as a finalist in the 2020 Archibald Prize. Digby is a visual artist with Down Syndrome from Sydney who paints, draws and designs. Digby’s residencies enabled him to create 16 works for a new exhibition at Redfern’s Bearded Tit. “I loved being at Bundanon. It was a fantastic opportunity to completely focus on creating my art and to be inspired by the beauty of the place and the creativity of the other artists.”

Rhiannon Pegler

Rhiannon participated in our 2020 Bundanon residency program. Rhiannon is an emerging visual artist from the Illawarra region who works in the medium of acrylic paint to interpret microscopic aspects of the natural world. Rhiannon has overcome various professional and personal barriers related to mental health and chronic pain to practice as a professional artist. Rhiannon’s residency enabled her to create works for a new exhibition inspired by the Bundanon microverse of fungi, slime mould and plant cross-sections. “Bundanon is such an amazing and inspirational place and I am so thankful for this incredible experience to develop myself creatively and professionally.

Lucas Wright

Lucas participated in our 2019 Bundanon residency program. Lucas is a visual artist with Down Syndrome from Lismore who paints, draws and creates ceramic artworks. He works out of the REDinc. Supported Art Studio and has is a connoisseur of high and popular culture who revels in the beauty around him and translates this into his paintings. Lucas’ residency enabled him to create new works for an exhibition this year at the Lismore Regional Gallery titled In My Town And You Town. “I loved being at Bundanon, making art inspired by the beauty of nature and the buildings, I developed new works for my future exhibition and i loved connecting with the environment and other artists. This time was very useful to me also because my art mentor and support worker was able to be there with me to guide me through the studio process.”

Michelle Teear

Michelle participated in our 2020 Bundanon residency program. Michelle is an emerging Newcastle-based visual artist whose work celebrates the vibrancy and character of the Australian landscape. She produces raw gestural landscape paintings, works with natural fibres to make woven sculptures and extracts plant colour onto textiles. Michelle lives with chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple chemical sensitivities. Michelle’s residency enabled series paintings small paintings using handmade oil and tempera paints. Michelle subsequently was shortlisted last year for the prestigious Evelyn Chapman Award. “It was really so wonderful to be at Bundanon with an incredible group of people and in a location that holds so much provenance for Australian artists. I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity to grow my practice in this phenomenal place.”

Angie Goto

Angie participated in our 2019 Bundanon residency program. Angie is a Deaf visual artist based in Sydney whose vivid paintings reflect her interpretation of the images and stories she experiences in silence. Angie also works as an Art Educator at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Angie’s residency enabled her to explore how to represent sound in a visual context. “My Bundanon residency allowed me to take a big step forward in my creative practice by having time and space to explore and develop ideas. The program is a really practical way of helping artists with disability create work or activate ideas that will make a unique contribution to art and culture.”

Sri Thulin

Sri participated in our 2019 Bundanon residency program. Sri is a First Nations visual artist from Western Sydney who works across a range of mediums. She works out of the Little Orange supportive studio in Campbelltown and uses texture and bright colours to explore themes of hope and possibility. Sri’s residency focused on creating a series of paintings which explored her family connections and cultural heritage from the Bundanon region. “It was such a great opportunity. I got everything done I set out to do. Having my support worker there was important.”

ENDS

Contact: Michael Badorrek | Marketing Manager | +61 0431 594 007 | marketing@aarts.net.au

Image Description: 2020 Bundanon Residency Program participants. Five women of various ages and cultural backgrounds standing in front of a cabin in the bush.