The Resilient stream provides organisations based in, or delivering services in, regional and remote areas of Queensland and the Northern Territory with multi-year general operating support — the funding Australia’s for-purpose organisations need most. Resilience funding to arts and cultural organisations is delivered in partnership with the Australian Cultural Fund, piloting a new service for the philanthropic sector called Amplify. More information on Amplify can be found here.
new approvals
organisations supported
First Nations organisations
total Resilient funding approved and distributed
The figures in the infographics above refer only to funding approved and distributed in the 2022/23 financial year.
The Productivity Commission found that up to 75% of all ‘Indigenous-style’ consumer products for sale in Australia are inauthentic or fake, and consequently up to $54 million in gross sales income was lost to First Nations people in 2019-20 (2022).
Entrepreneurs Amanda Hayman (Kalkadoon and Wakka Wakka) and Troy Casey (Kamilaroi) decided to provide consumers an ethical solution by founding Aboriginal Art Co. (AAC) in 2019. It’s their contribution towards a self-sustaining and self-determining Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander retail and arts industry in Australia.
As Magandjin/Meanjin’s (Brisbane’s) first Indigenous Art Centre, Aboriginal Art Co. connects Indigenous Art Centres and independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from predominantly regional and remote Australia to the metropolitan Queensland market. It operates on a wholesale and consignment model, and while all contracts are negotiated individually, an average of 70% of total sales returns to artists and/or art centres.
An important aspect of Aboriginal Art Co.’s philosophy and success is its commitment to elevating all aspects of the retail experience. Every piece is treated with the respect deserving of original artwork and artisanal goods, and displayed as such in the South Brisbane shopfront and gallery. The online store provides an equivalent experience, with curated photography for each item on sale and information about the artist and/or art centre who made them.
Aboriginal Art Co. founders Amanda Hayman and Troy Casey. Photograph courtesy of Aboriginal Art Co.
As creatives themselves, Amanda and Troy know the potential of connecting Indigenous culture and commerce to sustain happy and healthy lives. Beyond sales, Aboriginal Art Co. provides many employment and development opportunities for their community; from its artist-in-residence program, to retail and gallery assistants, workshop facilitators, caterers, photographers, and even models — they also own and operate social enterprise fashion label Magpie Goose, which is stocked in-store.
Aboriginal Art Co. is Magandjin/Brisbane’s first Indigenous Art Centre, operating a shopfront in the Southbank Cultural Precinct. It provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists an economic platform that prioritises their agency in cultural practice, while giving consumers a clear ethical choice in how to purchase First Nations art and design. It also offers various professional development and engagement activities, including solo exhibitions and residence programs for emerging artists and makers, and creative workshops and walking tours for the general public.
BlakDance is the national industry and producing organisation for First Nations contemporary dancers and choreographers: an organisation working to continue over 100,000 years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytelling through movement. BlakDance facilitates creative and professional development opportunities, artist management, and producing support for contemporary First Nations dancers and choreographers. It incubates emerging companies and facilitates local and global networks connecting artists to industry decision makers, program directors, and potential collaborators.
Camerata’s primary aim is to empower artists, inspire audiences, and enrich communities through music. It provides career and performance opportunities for string players who wish to build professional, international careers from Queensland. Camerata undertakes a major concert season annually in both Brisbane and Toowoomba, and performs a variety of musical styles, often featuring a contemporary soloist or vocalist. The ensemble commits to one regional tour each year, delivering full-scale concerts, education workshops and pop-up performances for communities young and old.
Cape York Partnership (CYP) is working to empower Indigenous Cape York families and communities to strive for lives of value, freedom, and prosperity via an ecosystem of interrelated organisations and initiatives. The School to Jobs initiative is part of that ecosystem and is led by Cape York Employment. The Initiative aims to address the major barriers for youth transitioning to employment. Promoting an aspirational culture that encourages students to strive for bright futures and become the drivers of change in their local communities, the initiative ensures students maintain their cultural identity and connection to family.
Working in the Northern Territory with children, families and communities that face the greatest exclusion and live with injustice and disadvantage every day, Children’s Ground have a vision to create a new future filled with promise, hope, and empowerment. Children’s Ground’s 25-year strategy envisages all First Nations children and families realising their aspirations for a life of opportunity, strong cultural identity, and personal wellbeing. Children’s Ground recognise the expertise of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems and integrate cultural knowledge with international leading educational practice to enable Indigenous children to walk in two worlds.
In 2022, Brisbane’s Circa Contemporary Circus launched a new regional offshoot: Circa Cairns. Circa Cairns is a proudly First Nations-led contemporary circus ensemble working on Gimuy Walubura Yidinji and Yirrganydji country. This new ensemble is focused on developing and sharing culturally engaged productions and community programs locally in Cairns, to be toured nationally and internationally, while building career pathways for First Nations circus artists. Circa Cairns values thrilling, challenging, and connected experiences, and is dedicated to creating new possibilities for circus from the nexus of place and culture.
Crossroad Arts is an inclusive arts organisation in Mackay with the vision of ‘Arts for All.’ Through facilitating high-quality inclusive arts experiences, Crossroad Arts co-creates new narratives with artists with disability that aim to change perceptions and shape the sector of the future. It runs year-round community workshops enabling social and cultural connection, and offers professional development programs for emerging and established artists to refine and expand their skills, as well as major production opportunities.
Recognised as one of Australia’s leading performing arts companies, Dancenorth balances a dynamic regional presence in Townsville with a commitment to creating compelling contemporary dance that tours the globe. Alongside its professional ensemble and touring productions sits an equally vital pillar of focus, the Community Experience Program. Driven by a dedicated team, Dancenorth works with diverse and minority communities across Queensland using dance to support, enhance, inspire, and heal.
Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair provides a unique opportunity for arts industry buyers, and art and design lovers, to purchase art directly from Indigenous owned and incorporated Art Centres. In 2022 DAAF brought together a record 77 Indigenous Centres across in-person and online events, represented more than 1,800 emerging and established artists, and generated $4.33M in sales — 100% of which go directly back to Art Centres and their artists.
Darwin Festival is a major international festival with a vibrant and eclectic arts and cultural program. Born out of the devastation of Cyclone Tracy, Darwin Festival now attracts over 170,000 attendees annually, making it the largest in-person cultural event in the Northern Territory. The Festival reflects Darwin’s position at the Top End of Australia, its unique Indigenous and multicultural population and its close proximity to Asia, while at the same time showcasing some of Australia’s finest live performance artists.
Deadly Inspiring Youth Doing Good (DIYDG) is a youth led, First Nations governed organisation aiming to inspire, equip and empower the next generation of change makers. Founded in 2016, DIYDG provides a platform for young people to co-design and lead their own projects and values family, leadership, wellbeing, and growth. DIYDG is committed to collaboration and working in partnership to ensure a brighter future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.
Flipside Circus is Queensland’s largest youth arts organisation, with a reputation for excellence in training and performance, and for supporting Brisbane’s renowned circus sector. Flipside's vision is to empower communities through circus, guided by values of celebration, experimentation, creativity, wellbeing, and agility. Flipside delivers training, community, and social circus programs across Queensland, including extensive remote and regional residency and touring programs. Flipside recently opened its purpose-built training and performance facility, the Brisbane Circus Centre.
Flying Arts Alliance (FAA) is an arts and cultural development organisation which has been delivering visual arts projects and services to regional and remote Queensland since 1971. The Alliance has played a significant role in inspiring artists and communities, as well as helping to overcome the impacts of regional isolation and remote living. The signature offering in the FAA calendar is the Queensland Regional Art Awards, which tour the state the following year.
JUTE Theatre Company is a nationally regarded new work theatre company with 30 years of continual operation in Far North Queensland. From its home in Bulmba-ja, JUTE is committed to creating and presenting exceptional theatrical experiences from regional storytellers that engage, challenge, represent and entertain Cairns’ diverse audience. The Company invests deeply in educational outreach, like its Dare to Dream Program which tours remote Aboriginal communities and schools in Far North Queensland sharing inspirational stories and safety lessons.
Situated in the Lockyer Valley, Laidley Community Centre (LCC) is a grassroots, community-run organisation with the motto ‘everyone welcome’, and takes a place-based approach to addressing disadvantage. LCC’s vision is for all residents in Laidley and surrounding areas to have access to basic necessities in order to experience quality life opportunities in a thriving and supportive community. It’s Early Connections Program aims to support families to give their children the best start in life possible.
Museums & Galleries Queensland is the peak professional body for the public museum and gallery sector in Queensland, established in 2004. It strives to foster understanding, knowledge and excellence in museums, galleries and keeping places; and to ensure a future where these institutions are relevant, accessible and valued by their communities. M&G QLD offers a range of services and programs to organisations and artists, including training and mentorships, exhibition development and facilitating touring throughout the state.
Opera Queensland (OQ) is the state opera company for Queensland, bringing the joy of opera to all Queenslanders. Recently celebrating its 40th anniversary, OQ has been central to the evolution of the art form in Queensland and nurtured the careers of some of the country’s most renowned artists. Through its Learning, Regional and Community program, the organisation has established and grown The Festival of Outback Opera, in collaboration with communities in Winton and Longreach.
Outback Futures’ mission is to nurture and empower outback communities by renewing hope, building resilience, and strengthening relationships. Particularly focused in Greater Western Queensland, Outback Futures recognises and prioritises developing trusted relationships with rural and remote communities, aiming to create an effective, long-term, whole-of-community mental health and well-being solution.
Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) is Queensland’s flagship symphony orchestra, celebrating 75 years in 2022. QSO’s vision is to be a great orchestra on and off the stage that entertains, inspires and educates Queensland. QSO Connect umbrellas education, community and regional activities, bringing together musicians, community members and students around the state.
Seed Foundation is focused on growing the health workforce of Australia’s First People. With a vision to nurture the true potential of the young people it supports; Seed Foundation provides wraparound support services to Year 10-13 students seeking health-related career pathways. In additional to growing a First Nations workforce, Seed inspires and promotes self-determination through education, health, and employment.
Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts is an independent contemporary and experimental arts organisation in Gurambilbarra (Townsville). Founded almost 40 years ago as an artist collective, Umbrella Studio works to express and amplify distinctive and authentic North Queensland voices, while connecting regional perspectives across Australia and the world. It achieves this through: onsite and touring exhibitions, new commissions and residencies for the region’s artists makers, professional development programs, creative studio access, and a biennial festival, Pop Up North Queensland (PUNQ).
Operating since 1990 as a response to youth homelessness, Youth Link provides a ‘One Stop Shop’ of services that support at-risk young people from 12-24 years of age. These services include the Youth Cre8 Kuranda Initiative (Cre8). Established in 2013, Cre8 is a place-based program on the Atherton Tablelands delivering a range of activities to empower young people towards a positive future.
1Co-administered through the Australian Cultural Fund’s Amplify Program; full multi-year sum is paid to ACF upon funding approval. Applications approved in previous financial years are not included in total FY23 Resilience funding approved and distributed.
2Two payments received in one financial year, for expenditure over multi-year period.
