EMBARK ON MENTORING JOURNEY

Fourteen Victorian artists are amongst the largest ever intake into an Australian artist mentoring program, announced by Youth Arts Queensland today.

A total of seventy-five young and emerging artists nationally have made their artistic match, and will work with respected arts professionals as part of the 2012 JUMP National Mentoring Program.

Funded by the Australia Council for the Arts as part of their 2008 – 2012 programs of support for Young and Emerging Artists, JUMP identifies and promotes excellence in artistic practice, and provides a unique opportunity for artists to advance their careers and make their mark on the Australian arts industry.

JUMP is managed nationally by Youth Arts Queensland in collaboration with state and territory delivery partner organisations, including Melbourne Fringe in Victoria.

Esther Anatolitis, CEO of Melbourne Fringe said: "What an extraordinary group of artists. I can't wait to see where this intensive JUMP year will take their practice! Once again, Melbourne Fringe is thrilled to extend our support of Victorian artists through this national program with a focus on excellence as well as diversity."

Amongst the group of successful JUMP applicants is emerging classical and contemporary opera singer Trevor Maitland (24 years) from Newtown, Geelong. 

An honours graduate of music from the VCA, Maitland performed the tenor role of Filbert in the premier of Stuart Greenbaum’s opera, The Parrot Factory, at the Malthouse Theatre in 2011, and performs regularly with the Victorian Opera Chorus.   As part of the JUMP program, he will be mentored by the internationally renowned vocal coach, conductor and pianist David Aronson at the Vienna Conservatory.

“JUMP has made it possible for me to reach for opportunities internationally that would have been otherwise impossible,” Maitland said.  “JUMP is an amazing opportunity and its help has been delivered at a pivotal time for me.  I’m excited and determined to make the most of it.”

“David Aronson has worked with the Vienna State Opera as well as singers such as Luciano Pavarotti, Bryn Terfel and Placido Domingo. Working with someone of that calibre is a dream.  Whilst in Vienna I not only plan to hone my singing skills but also make some invaluable international industry contacts.”

The 2012 JUMP artists from Victoria will commence their mentoring journeys on 7 - 8 February when they will participate in an induction event held at Arts Victoria in Melbourne.

More information about successful JUMP applicants can be found on the artists section of the JUMP website www.jumpmentoring.com.au.

To stay up to date with 2012 JUMP artists and their work, sign up to the JUMP email list, or follow JUMP on Facebook and Twitter.

2012 JUMP artists from Victoria and their mentors

Alex Desebrock (community arts, theatre, visual arts) – mentor: Sara Topsøe-Jensen (Denmark)

Amy Spiers (interdisciplinary arts, visual arts) – mentor: Paul Robert Gazzola (SA)

Anna van Veldhuisen (music, theatre) – mentor: Eugene Ughetti (VIC)

Elizabeth Dunn (community arts, interdisciplinary arts, visual arts) – mentor: Lara Thoms (VIC)

Fregmonto Stokes (Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander arts, community arts, music, theatre) – mentor: Lou Bennett (VIC)

Joseph L. Griffiths (interdisciplinary arts, visual arts) – mentor: Dylan Martorell (VIC)

Judith Hamann (music) – mentor: Erkki Veltheim (VIC)

Katie Sfetkidis (interdisciplinary arts, theatre) – mentor: Jude Anderson (VIC)

Lachlan Anthony (interdisciplinary arts, visual arts) – mentor: Bosco Shaw (VIC)

Marcin Wojcik (interdisciplinary arts, visual arts) – mentor: Laresa Kosloff (VIC)

Matt Tierney (interdisciplinary arts, music) – mentor: Ollie Bown (NSW)

Maysa Abouzheid (community arts, theatre) – mentor: Katrine Gabb (VIC)

Shian Law (dance, interdisciplinary arts) – mentor: Jo Lloyd (VIC)

Trevor Maitland (music, theatre) – mentor: David Aronson (Austria)

Please note: full artist biographies are available on the Artists section of the JUMP website www.jumpmentoring.com.au.

Jenny Ellis, the puppeteer work on her new show, The Owl’s Apprentice, and made a little video Tristan Meecham, the live art performerMia Stanford, comic Drew Pettifer, photographer and performerPete Reid, singer and performerJoceline Lee, illustratorZoe Scoglio, installation and new media artistBonne Lane, video artist

Check out some of their projects and acheivements here.

The Melbourne Fringe Festival was awarded the prestigious Skybus Award for Best Major Event or Festival at the RACV Victorian Tourism Awards on November 14.

“On behalf of the Festival’s thousands of artists and hundreds of thousands of audience members, we’re absolutely delighted that the Melbourne Fringe Festival has been recognised with this important award,” said Melbourne Fringe CEO, Esther Anatolitis. 

“This accolade reflects Melbourne’s distinct character as Australia’s home of the independent arts.   The Melbourne Fringe Festival is made for this city by our independent artists. Every year, huge and diverse audiences come together to experience art in traditional as well as unexpected places, constantly reinterpreting Melbourne as Australia’s arts capital.”

The 2010 Melbourne Fringe Festival, for which this award was presented, included the work of 3,989 artists in 331 shows, presented at 132 venues and locations across Victoria, to audiences of 459,003. This generated $21.4m in total expenditure, as independently assessed by EconSearch.

“These figures indicate that Melbourne Fringe not only plays a vital role in supporting the independent arts, it also creates significant cultural and economic benefits for Victoria,” Anatolitis said.

Melbourne Fringe is the leading organisation for the independent arts in Victoria.  It facilitates the presentation of contemporary work across all artforms, and its artistic program gives both emerging and established artists opportunities to gain diverse professional skills and present new work.

Anatolitis acknowledges that important role that Melbourne Fringe’s many partners have played in the success of the Festival. “Melbourne Fringe would not be able to achieve what it does without the commitment of partners such as Yarra Trams, Art Series Hotels, Little Creatures, Innocent Bystander, RMITUniversity, Full Tilt at the Arts Centre, Norton Rose and Tourism Victoria, as well as our major government partners Arts Victoria and the City of Melbourne. 

“It’s this level of passionate commitment that makes Victoria the state of the arts,” she said. 

Ted Baillieu, Premier of Victoria and Minister for the Arts, congratulated Melbourne Fringe on this success. “The Coalition Government was proud to support the 2011 Melbourne Fringe Festival because we understand the critical role of successful arts and cultural events in attracting visitors to Victoria.

“This award shows the Melbourne Fringe Festival is playing its part in helping to strengthen Melbourne’s reputation as the arts capital of Australia.

“The success of the Fringe and our other festivals means more economic activity and jobs in Victoria.”

Congratulating Melbourne Fringe at the gala awards presentation, Minister for Tourism and Events, Louise Asher said the awards are instrumental in encouraging creativity, professionalism and innovation within the tourism industry.

“These awards recognise and reward the best tourist experiences across our state and honour our highly skilled workforce and promote award-winning products,” Ms Asher said.

“These awards celebrate the achievements of those who strive for tourism excellence and quality and to make Victoria a world-class tourism destination.”

More than 140 tourism operators competed in 27 business categories, with another three individual and group awards presented at a gala ceremony on 14 November.

As a Victorian Tourism Awards winner, Melbourne Fringe will go on to represent Victoria at the Qantas 2011 Australian Tourism Awards in Cairns in March 2012.

Best Emerging Circus Performer, supported by ACAPTA – presented by Sue Broadway

WINNER: Tilly Cobham-Hervey, Freefall

AWARD: ACAPTA membership for 1 year and participation in an ACAPTA presented master class

Tour Ready Award, supported by Adelaide Fringe - presented by Greg Clarke

WINNER: Uta Uber Kool Ja

AWARD: The winner of the Adelaide Fringe 2012 Award will receive free registration and $2000 support for Adelaide Fringe 2012.

Best Emerging Producer, supported by Auspicious Arts Award – presented by John Paul Fischbach

WINNER: Erin Voth from The American Astronaut

AWARD: One term in the Auspicious Arts Incubator, worth $1200.

Outstanding Comedy Show Award, supported by Brisbane Powerhouse – presented by Sarah Neal

WINNER: Me Pregnant!

AWARD: Entry into the Brisbane Comedy Festival 2012 and presentation support including $2000 to go toward flights, accommodation and remounting costs.

Innovation in Theatre Award, supported by Brisbane Powerhouse – presented by Sarah Neal

WINNER: Bunny

AWARD: Entry into the World Theatre Festival 2012 (Brisbane) and presentation support including $2000 to go toward flights, accommodation and remounting costs.

Original New Circus, supported by Circus Oz Award – presented by Antonella Casella

WINNER: No Such Thing as Normal

AWARD: Two weeks training/mentorship at Circus Oz with Artistic Director, Mike Finch

Outstanding Indigenous Artist Award, supported by the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts – presented by Leuli Eshraghi

WINNER: Vicki Cousins from Re: appropriate

AWARD: Participation in a short course at VCA

Excellence in Cabaret, supported by the Melbourne Cabaret Festival – presented by Emma Claire-Ford on behalf of David Read

WINNER: The Unexpected Variety Show

AWARD: Double gold pass to all shows in the Melbourne Cabaret Festival 2012 and an invitation to perform in the Melbourne Cabaret Festival

Best Experimental Performance Award, supported by PACT Centre for Emerging Artists

– presented by Cat Jones

WINNER: Sweet Child of Mine

AWARD: Presentation as part of PACT’s Presents...series in Sydney in 2012

Best Original Australian Work, in Memoriam of Caz Howard, supported by Theatre Works – presented by Dan Clarke

WINNER: The Waiting Place

AWARD: Presentation at Theatre Works in 2012

Best Emerging Writer, supported by Victorian Writers Centre Award, in association wit the Melbourne Theatre Company

WINNER: Dan Giovannoni, Amelia Evans and Paige Rattray for Cut Snake

AWARD: $250 worth of professional development with the Victorian Writer’s Centre; membership with Victorian Writer’s Centre and tickets to Opening Nigh performances at MTC for 2012

Innovation in Culturally Diverse Practice, supported by Kultour – presented by Georgie Sedgwick and Magdalena Moreno

WINNER: In Fact, This Crease in Your Trouser is Good My Friend

AWARD: Development time with Kultour

Presented by Neal Harvey, Creative Producer and Beau McCafferty, Independent Program Producer

Best Cabaret: Pirate Rhapsody, Mermaid Requiem

Best Circus: Freefall

Best Comedy: Lawrence Mooney in An Indecisive Bag of Donuts

Best Dance: proximate edifice

Best Live Art: A Window in Mime

Best Music

WINNER: Musical Thoughts for a Darkened Room

HIGHLY COMMENDED: No Place Like Home

Best Performance: After All This

Best Venue: Revolt

Best Visual Arts: Rendered Bones

People’s Choice Award: Mercedes Benz...Awkwardly

Congratulations to all our artists, volunteers, staff and audiences who made the 2011 Melbourne Fringe Festival such a success.

Can't wait for next year!

WINNER AIR Dale Hardiman and Andre Hnatojko

HIGHLY COMMENDEDConvergenceThom Lentini

Lighting Design Award Sponsored by Rob and Winsome Martin

WINNER Spring Collection III Sally Mill

HIGHLY COMMENDEDCHEW&STICKAndre Hnatojko

Emerging Designer AwardSponsored by Craft Victoria

WINNERTriElizabeth Bowtell

HIGHLY COMMENDEDHere, Now, GoneClaude Marcos

and

Child’s Stacking Stool Gemma James

Best Design Addressing the 2011 Fringe Furniture Theme AwardSupported by ISM Objects

WINNERSpring Collection IISally Mill

HIGHLY COMMENDEDHere, Now, GoneClaude Marcos

A highlight will be two free Sunday afternoon sessions at the Fringe Club, curated and hosted by Melbourne Fringe, that explore ideas around contemporary arts. Click through here to browse the talks program.

 What’s the prize?

• Tickets to Opening Night performances at the MTC for 2012• $250 worth of professional development and membership with Victorian Writer’s Centre

To be eligible for this award please email a word or PDF of your script, the name of the writer/s and the name of the show by 5pm Wednesday 14 September, 2011.

Please send the nominations and any questions via email to bronwyn@melbournefringe.com.au or call 9660 9600.

There is a fine line between satire and defamation, parody and copyright. Interested in the specifics?

We’re very lucky to have Robyn Ayres from Arts Law joining us for our discussion. Arts Law is the national community legal centre for the arts in Australia. Come and have some one-on-one time with an expert, and find out what your rights are as  artists and how you can protect your ideas.  

It's also our last Salon for the year, so come along to say goodbye and good luck before the Festival kicks off!

It’s preferable to RSVP to the Artist Development Coordinator, bronwyn@melbournefringe.com.au, but you can also just rock up.

Don't have an iPhone? Never fear, you can visit tix.melbournefringe.com.au on other phones and still buy tickets on the go.

Form a mentoring relationship with a professional artist of your choice and join a diverse national network of program participants and alumni making their mark on the industry.

Apply for JUMP, the Australia Council’s National Mentoring Program for Young and Emerging Artists.

Applications close 28 October 2011.

Find out more and how to apply here and visit the JUMP website here.

Melbourne Fringe is the Victorian State Delivery Partner for JUMP.

A mentorship is a partnership designed for learning, whereby a more experienced practitioner assists a less established artist in developing their craft. It’s also a chance to share, learn and find out about other people in your networks.

Melbourne Fringe is the State Delivery Partner for JUMP, the national mentoring program for young and emerging artists. JUMP applications open this year on August 22 and close on Friday, October 28.

To hear about applying for JUMP or if you’re interested in mentoring in general, please come along for an open discussion about what mentorship can do for you.

It’s preferable to RSVP to the Artist Development Coordinator, bronwyn@melbournefringe.com.au, but you can also just rock up.

Bruce suggests that you dance. In the dark. It’s a small solution to a big problem.

In 2011 Melbourne Fringe Furniture designers will show us their solutions, swing outs, breakaways and inside turns: tiny dance steps that lead us towards a smarter, greener, healthier, more sustainable and beautiful future.

Registrations will open in July, so start planning now.

Sign up to our e-newsletter The Fix and follow us on Twitter @melbournefringe for updates.

If you have any questions, contact the Fringe office on 03 9660 9600.

Tuesday March 296pm-8pmThe Evelyn, 351 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

Where will your work be shown in this year’s festival?

It’s a daunting task to find the perfect venue. Never fear, the Melbourne Fringe has strategies and insider tips to share about securing the best venue for your festival show. This forum is essential for all 2011 Melbourne Fringe Festival artists, especially those considering being in the Fringe Hub and submitting a Hub EOI. Even if you already have your venue organised this forum will still provide you with invaluable strategies for getting the best from the relationship. We will discuss ways of matching your project with a venue, securing that venue and how to create a strong working relationship with venue managers. The evening will also include unique networking opportunities with select Melbourne venues and Melbourne Fringe staff.

We currently have 2 internships available; Communications Intern and Artist Liaison Intern.

If you’re interested please take a careful look at the Position Descriptions here.  They really do contain all the information you need.  Applications for both internships close on Monday 14 March 2011.

22nd March, 6.30 – 8.00pmThe Evelyn, 351 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

Welcome to Melbourne Fringe! This is our first forum for the year and it’s aimed squarely at the artists, musicians, visual artists, performers, circus performers, comedians and cross-disciplinary artists who haven’t been in our incredible Festival before. This is a forum for artists who have always meant to get involved or just haven’t been able to before. On the night you’ll have the opportunity to hear from the Melbourne Fringe team, hear about our year-round artist development programs, network with other Fringe 1st Timers and see where the Melbourne Fringe will fit into your long term creative practice. For more information please contact Bronwyn, our Artist Development Coordinator.

The Victorian artists: Joceline Lee, Jenny Ellis, Bonnie Lane, Drew Pettifer, Peter Reid, Zoe Scoglio, Mia Stanford and Tristan Meecham were recently inducted into the program in an intensive two-day workshop. Throughout 2011 the artists will have the chance to work alongside industry experts as well as present new works.

This is just one of the many ways that Melbourne Fringe supports independent Melbourne artists year round. If you are wondering how we can support you through our diverse and extensive Artist Development programs then please contact Bronwyn, our Artist Development Coordinator.

JUMP, the National Mentoring Program for Young and Emerging Artists, is supported by the Australia Council for the Arts, the Australian government’s arts funding and advisory body, through the Opportunities for Young and Emerging Artists initiative. JUMP is managed nationally by Youth Arts Queensland in collaboration with State Delivery Partners, including Melbourne Fringe in Victoria.

Artists change cities using soft power. They remind us to look up and see the sky, and to recollect and reinvigorate disused urban space. The most radical ideas on how we change our cities come from creatives. How do you remember your city today? Cities and Memory is a part of the public discussion series of Visible City, using a panel of artists and prominent thinkers from the community

Chair – Emily Sexton, Creative Producer Melbourne Fringe. Panel includes Visible City artist Sally Ann McIntyre and Writer and broadcaster Marcus Westbury

Thursday 7 Oct, 6.30pmThe CommonsJane Bell Lane, QV, Melbourne

RSVP essential to visiblecity@melbournefringe.com.au

The 2010 Melbourne Fringe Festival may be well under way but it’s not over yet!

We have hundreds of shows still to go plus some amazing nights of FREE entertainment in the Fringe Club.

Plus there is so much more happening in this great little City that makes Spring the perfect time for a visit:

So much to do!

When you plan your trip to Melbourne town you don’t want to stay anywhere other than the gorgeous Art Series Hotels.

Melbourne Fringe has been working closely with the hotel this year, in fact, all 11 of our Visible City artists are staying there right now.

There are three to choose from and they are all brand spanking new, conveniently located and gorgeous.

We’re thrilled to be able to offer you an incredible Fringe special price at any of these beautiful, creative, new hotels close to all the action.

The Blackman

The Cullen

The Olsen

CLICK HERE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY DISCOUNTED ACCOMMODATION DEAL.

This offer won’t last forever.  If you’re planning a trip to Melbourne then book now!We look forward to seeing you at the Melbourne Fringe Festival very soon!

If you pay attention you'll win double passes to the Fringe show of your choice, a free Fringe Dweller membership and you'll go in running to win a VIP Pass to the 2011 Melbourne Fringe Festival, worth over $700.

Today's Daily Dose is:

Don't want to pick up Chlamydia? Pick up a condom.

For more info on how easy it is to have Chlamydia and not even know it (and, thankfully, how easy it is to treat once you know!) go here. If left untreated, Chlamydia can cause infertility and the rates of infection in Australia are rising rapidly, so make sure you get regularly tested for STIs, and you always use a condom.

All you have to do is keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages. As soon as we Facebook and Tweet the daily dose, be the first to retweet it or comment about it on our Facebook page. The first five people to do so for each Daily Dose will win a double pass, and the first 20 will get a free Fringe Dweller membership. We'll also be randomly giving away free drinks at Auction Rooms and in the Fringe Club, and everyone who reposts the Daily Dose will go in the running to win a VIP Pass to the 2011 Festival, RRR Prize Packs and a 6 month supply of divine coffee beans from Auction Rooms in North Melbourne

The sunburnt country is increasingly foregoing those sweeping plains in favour of city living. By 2050 two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban centres – why does everyone want to be here? How do the intensities of artistic practice generate an urban image that’s attractive enough to motivate these moves? Do the social realities of city life match that image? Cities and Desire is part of the public discussion series of Visible City, focusing on artistic practice that engages people in art of a human scale against the increasing size and density of the city.

Chair – Martyn Coutts, Visible City Director. Panel includes Visible City artists Kerry Ann Lee (NZ) and Rachel Main (VIC)

Thursday 30 Sept, 6.30pmThe CommonsJane Bell Lane, QV, Melbourne

RSVP essential to visiblecity@melbournefringe.com.au

The form and the experience of today’s cities comes from a heady mixture of 'top-down' planning and 'bottom-up' emergent bubbling. What does it mean to make art for the hard surfaces of the city streets? How do urban artforms challenge the way we interpret and inhabit our spaces? Cities and Signs is part of the public discussion series of Visible City, presenting a panel of artists from the project and prominent thinkers from the community.

Chair – Esther Anatolitis, General Manager Melbourne Fringe. Panel includes Visible City artists Joned Suryatmoko (Indonesia), Jennifer Jamieson (WA) and guest speaker, Architect and Academic Rochus Urban Hinkel.

6.30pm, Thursday 23 SeptThe CommonsJane Bell Lane, QV, Melbourne

RSVP essential to visiblecity@melbournefringe.com.au

Become a card-carrying Fringe Dweller and every month you’ll receive resident benefits, discounts and go in the running for prizes and free tickets through our email newsletter The Fix.

Find out more here.

Download our iPhone app MelbFringe10 here.

You can use it to browse the program, buy tickets, check maps, find out what's on daily, make a wishlist and much more.

Don't have an iPhone? Never fear, you can visit tix.melbournefringe.com.au on other phones or mobile devices and still buy tickets on the go.

If you are booking tickets online or via your mobile device, don't forget to take the credit card that you booked with when you turn up at the venue.