Actors Benevolent Fund Of Nsw, In Association With We The Industry, Announce A New Grant For Aspiring Theatre Practitioners

Created in honour of Tessa and Chrysanthy Mallos, whose generous bequest to ABFNSW has made this opportunity possible, the Mallos Training Grant is offered to artists and arts workers from underrepresented groups, seeking a career in the arts industry.

In June 2020, Actors Benevolent Fund of NSW received a bequest from the estate of Chrysanthy Mallos, in accordance with the wishes of her daughter, Tessa Mallos, who had predeceased her. Chrysanthy had inherited Tessa's estate on the understanding that she would leave an agreed portion of it to ABFNSW on her own passing.

Tessa Mallos was an actor, an early graduate of NIDA, a political figure and arts advocate. Her acting life was grounded in her mother's support and encouragement, starting with her childhood elocution training and her choosing a NIDA diploma over a university degree.

ABF Chair, Bruce Spence said: 'During her career, Tessa frequently came up against discrimination due to her ethnicity and so it seems appropriate to use her generosity to assist in increasing representation within the industry by encouraging people from underrepresented groups to enter into a course of study.'

The grant is open to NSW residents, with a confirmed place at any accredited tertiary training institution in Australia, whose primary course of study is within a performing arts stream. Undergraduate, post-graduate and some vocational diploma courses are all applicable. Students undertaking courses in performance, theatre production, technical theatre, stage management, directing, design and writing are eligible to apply. First Nations, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, people with disability or who are d/Deaf are strongly encouraged to apply.

Actors Benevolent Fund of NSW will work in partnership with We The Industry and other industry professionals in selecting recipients. We The Industry will provide additional support to recipients through mentoring services throughout their training.

We The Industry co-founders Ainsley Melham and Callum Francis said 'When we founded We The Industry, we dreamed of establishing new pathways to arts training for those who might not otherwise have access. We are thrilled to be teaming up with the Actor's Benevolent Fund of NSW to launch the Mallos Training Grant, an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of two extraordinary women and expand our push for improved representation in our industry.'

Each year one student entering the first year of a 3-year course will be awarded with a $40,000 grant, distributed over three years. Additional one-off grants of between $5,000 and $10,000 will be made available to students continuing their study or undertaking post-graduate training.

Successful recipients will be paired with a We The Industry Mentor who will work closely with mentees, building close relationships whilst providing guidance and access to current industry perspectives and developments, giving context to their training and preparing them for a successful career.

The Mallos Training Grant is not affiliated with any specific training institution and is intended to support students with relocation and/or living costs while undertaking their studies.