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Eight outstanding artists honoured at 2019 Australia Council Awards

Three First Nations artists are among the impressive list of Australia Council Award recipients, including Rhoda Roberts who will receive the prestigious Ros Bower Award, along with Rachael Maza (theatre) and Vicki Van Hout (dance).

Helen Garner receives the award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature. She is joined by Susan Norrie (visual arts), Joyce Hinterding (emerging and experimental art) and composer David Bridie, who receives the Australia Council’s Don Banks Music Award.

Fablice Manirakiza is the recipient of this year’s Kirk Robson Award. A former child soldier from war-torn Burundi, Fablice draws from his hip hop/rap practice to create interactive workshops for young people from marginalised communities in Victoria. The award recognises a young person working in community arts and cultural development.

Australia Council CEO Adrian Collette AM said the awards offered an opportunity to reflect on the significant contribution of Australian artists and to highlight the inherent value of culture and its contribution to society.

“It is wonderful to be able to honour these eight outstanding artists who, each in their own way, reflects Australia’s rich creative talent,” he said.

“These artists have been nominated by their peers for the extraordinary contribution they have made both in their fields, and to the broader cultural life of the nation.”

The awards presentation takes place in Sydney from 7pm tonight (March 4 2019) and will be live streamed from the Australia Council website.

More details about the recipients can be found here.


2019 Australia Council Awards

Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature: Helen Garner 

This award acknowledges the achievements of eminent literary writers who have made an outstanding and sustained contribution to Australian literature.

Past award recipients include Bruce Pascoe, (2018) Kate Grenville (2017), David Malouf AO (2016), Thomas Keneally AO (2015), Frank Moorhouse AM (2013) and Herb Wharton (2012).

Australia Council Don Banks Music Award: David Bridie

This award is named in honour of Don Banks, a composer, performer and the first Chair of the Music Board. The Award acknowledges the achievements of a distinguished artist who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to music in Australia.

Past award recipients include Liza Lima (2018), Lyn Williams OAM (2017), Brett Dean (2016), Archie Roach AM (2015), Mike Nock (2014) and Kev Carmody (2013).

Australia Council Visual Arts AwardSusan Norrie

This award acknowledges the achievements of an artist who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to Australian visual art.

Past award recipients include Pat Brassington (2018), Susan Cohn (2017), Richard Bell (2016), Judy Watson (2015), Fiona Foley (2014) and Tracey Moffatt (2012).

Australia Council Award for Emerging & Experimental Arts: Joyce Hinterding

This award acknowledges the achievements of an artist who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to the practice of emerging and experimental art.

Past award recipients include Nigel Helyer (2018), Madeleine Flynn (2017), Kelli McCluskey (2016) and Stelarc (2015).

Australia Council Award for DanceVicki Van Hout

This award acknowledges the achievements of an artist who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to Australian dance.

Past award recipients include Phillip Adams (2018), Stephen Page (2017), Lucy Guerin (2016) and Garry Stewart (2015).

Australia Council Award for TheatreRachael Maza

This award acknowledges the achievements of an artist who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to Australian theatre.

Past award recipients include Liz Jones AO (2018), Rosemary Myers (2017), Yaron Lifschitz (2016), Bruce Gladwin (2015).

Ros Bower Award: Rhoda Roberts

This award is named in honour of Ros Bower, a journalist, television producer, community arts pioneer and founding Director of Council’s first Community Arts Board. The Award acknowledges the achievements of an artist or arts worker who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to community arts and cultural development.

Past award recipients include Christian (Bong) Ramilo (2018), Steve Mayer-Miller (2017), Lily Shearer, Lockie McDonald, Steve Payne and Alissar Chidiac.

Kirk Robson AwardFablice Manirakiza

This award recognises a young artist or arts worker demonstrating outstanding leadership in community arts and cultural development (CACD). The award was established in honour of Kirk Robson who tragically died in a car crash in 2005. Kirk received the Council’s Young and Emerging Artists Initiative and was the Artistic Director of The Torch Project. The Award acknowledges the achievements of an artist or art worker 30 years of age or under (at the time of nomination) who demonstrates outstanding leadership within the CACD sector

Past award recipients include, Edwin Kemp-Attrill (2018), Nathan Stoneham, Shakthi Shakthidharan, Jade Lillie and Alexandra Kelly.


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Learn more about the 2020 Australia Council Awards.

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