Media release
The Department's cultural diplomacy grants program for 2013-14 will support a range of activities that will strengthen Australia's links with Asia and promote Australia internationally as a culturally vibrant and open country.
The grants program falls under the auspices of the Australia International Cultural Council (AICC), the Government's principal cultural diplomacy body which is administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The sixteen recipients of AICC funding of $470,000 in 2013-14 represent a cross-section of Australia's creative excellence, including the visual arts, cultural heritage, music, dance, contemporary circus and multicultural and Indigenous arts.
Consistent with the objectives of the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper, the lion's share of the AICC funding is directed to supporting activities in Asia, notably the past, present and future AICC priority focus countries, India, Vietnam and Indonesia.
As the focus country in 2014, Indonesia will host contemporary visual arts activities, community workshops and literature projects during 2013-14. The AICC will deliver a major Australian cultural festival in the country, Oz Fest Indonesia 2014, from January to April next year under the auspices of the AICC. Program details will be released later this year.
India was the focus country in 2012 and Vietnam in 2013, and AICC funding for projects in both countries will maintain the momentum and consolidate the linkages established during those cultural programs.
A full list of grant recipients and further information on the AICC is available at www.dfat.gov.au/aicc