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Country Arts SA and Guildhouse earmark two $5,000 Catapult mentorships for regional visual artists
Country Arts SA is partnering with Guildhouse over three years to support regional visual artists with essential funding and support to further their artistic practice through a meaningful mentorship.
In 2021 two $5,000 Guildhouse Catapult mentorships will be earmarked for regional visual artists, designers and craftspeople – with one of those specially allocated for a young person aged 26 years and under.
Catapult mentorships provide South Australian artists with the essential funding and support they need to develop their artistic practice guided by a mentor of their choosing. Mentorships are custom tailored by the applicant to suit the needs of their artistic practice and current career goals.
Country Arts SA Visual Arts Program Manager Lauren Mustillo said this is a unique opportunity: “The Catapult program is special in that the structure and focus is completely determined by the applicant. This is hugely important for regional artists who may be seeking specific skills that just don’t exist in their local communities.”
Past Catapult mentorships have supported a diverse mix of artists and learning outcomes with an ambitious drive to build on existing skills and extend the development and professionalism of practice.
Contemporary jeweller Regine Schwarzer received a Catapult mentorship to work with Barbara Ryman to develop her technical skills in enamelling. “I picked one of the best enamellers in Australia,” she said. “The range of techniques I have learned and applied is quite vast. Enamelling is very complex, and Barbara helped me to gain a deeper knowledge and thought me some new enamelling techniques such as painting and drawing on enamel as well as enamelling small vessels.”
2019 Catapult recipient Tom Borgas can attest to deep and lasting benefits of a Catapult mentorship. “Having the support to invest significant time, be in the same space and develop a solid relationship with a more experienced artist has been the highlight of this mentorship,” Tom said. “It has facilitated deeper, more honest conversations. It means feeling more supported. It means that more is possible individually but also collaboratively.”
Guildhouse CEO Emma Fey says “Catapult supports artists with the crucial funding they need to build sustained connections with mentors who can guide and support them in taking their practice to new heights. We are passionate about more regional artists benefiting from this opportunity – Catapult can enable access to mentors from anywhere in the world, opens artists up to their greatest ambitions in a way that can transform careers.”
Find out more about past Catapult recipients and their projects here.
2021 Catapult applications open 5 April and will close Monday 24 May, 9am.
Application can be made via the Guildhouse website. You will also find full details including eligibility, key resources, application criteria and FAQS.
Applicants must be members of Guildhouse to be eligible for this opportunity.
Memberships start from $98 per year and by joining, enter the member into a network of over 950 creative professionals from across South Australia. All memberships include a suite of professional services, including a number of one-on-one tailored services. Read more about Guildhouse and membership benefits here.