ArtKeeper is an initiative supporting emerging and established artists to keep creating by putting them on the payroll.
Following the call out in Nov 2023, we received 180 applicants from artists, and are pleased to share that Lisa Smith, Loki Liddle, Samuel Leighton-Dore and Tal Fitzpatrick will be joining the HOTA team as Artists in Residence, while Lachlan Woods will be Storyteller in Residence.
ArtKeeper, a $160,000 investment in 2024, was our response to the conditions produced by the pandemic, and an opportunity to provide job security to artists at a time when they needed it the most. In Sept 2022, ArtKeeper received national industry recognition with HOTA receiving the Innovator Award at the Performing Arts Connections (PAC) Australia Impact Awards 2022. Now in its third year, the program’s continuation recognises the essential and ongoing work that artists do in shaping our culture and supports practicing artists to contribute not only through their creative work, but through their unique perspectives in the workplace.
Each artist has been offered a fixed-term employment contract to work on their proposed art project at HOTA for three days per week until June 2023.
They’ll be encouraged to take risks, experiment and create great art in conjunction with internationally acclaimed playwright and artistic director, Wesley Enoch AM, who’s been engaged as Artist Provocateur for the roles.
Since its inception in 2019 the Creative Development Program has already supported 71 projects involving over 128 local artists, provided $445,000 in direct cash support and hundreds of hours of in-kind labour, space, and support to progress and bring new works to life.
We can't wait to see what Lisa, Loki, Samuel, Tal and Lachlan create while working here at the precinct! Throughout their stay, they’ll be sharing their progress and ideas - follow along on HOTA’s social media channels, including Facebook and Instagram, or follow the links below.
For more information on the ArtKeeper program, visit hota.com.au/artkeeper
The project
Tal’s dedicating her time at ArtKeeper to developing the next iteration of her most recent body of work ‘Quietly Seething’ which she first shared in a solo exhibition at Art-Work Studios, Mermaid Beach in May/June of 2023. This socially engaged project will investigate the power and pain of feminine rage by making use of the gentle and familiar textures of cloth. Incorporating stories shared with her by more than 60 female-identifying people via an anonymous online survey - Tal will work to create a new body of work that honours the raw and sometimes heartbreaking honesty of people’s experiences with feminine rage. Part of this project will involve creating further opportunities for public participation as well as the facilitation of soft spaces where people can come together to connect and take part in vulnerable conversations about the challenging emotional and gendered landscape of anger.