Dave Brown Australia Council Fellowship Recipient Announced

Seven of Australia's most accomplished artists working across diverse art forms have been recognised with prestigious Australia Council Fellowships.

The highly sought after fellowships, worth $80,000 over two years, are awarded to outstanding, established artists with a significant track record in their chosen field to undertake creative activity, research and professional development.

This year's recipients are:

• Dave Brown - Theatre

• Alison Croggon - Literature

• Lucas Ihlein - Emerging and Experimental Arts

• Debby Maziarz - Community Arts and Cultural Development

• Kate Miller Heidke - Music

• Andrew Morrish - Dance

• Justene Williams - Visual Arts

Australia Council Chief Executive Officer Tony Grybowski congratulated the recipients of this year's fellowships and paid tribute to the outstanding body of work each had already produced in their respective art forms.

"Fellowships are an important component of the Council's grants program and for many artists they are life-changing to their career," Mr Grybowski said.

"Our fellowships are only granted once in an artists' lifetime. They go to artists who demonstrate outstanding achievement on the national and international stage, and the calibre of the recipients is incredibly impressive again this year.

"One of our strategic goals is to see Australia increasingly known for its great art and artists, and central to this is support for artists to make excellent work and push boundaries in their practice.

"Fellowships support artists to develop their arts practice, experiment, research and explore new ways to both pursue their artistic vision and share it with audiences.

"They play an important role in providing artists with the time and financial security needed to focus on their work and the freedom to reflect, innovate and collaborate."

Fellowship applications are assessed and awarded by peers in the relevant art form areas.

Past Fellowship recipients include Gary Lang, Alana Valentine, Archie Roach, Tim Daly, Judith Wright, Tamara Saulwick and Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Fellowship recipient will be announced along with the Red Ochre and Dreaming awards on 27 May 2016.

Australia Council Fellowships are offered once a year and will be offered again in 2016.

For more information on Australia Council Fellowships, go to: http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/funding/new-grants-model/fellowships/

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