Helping communities celebrate diversity
The Australian Government is investing $130,000 in 32 projects across Australia to help organisations host festivals and arts projects that celebrate diversity and unite communities.
The successful recipients of the 2015-16 Multicultural Arts and Festivals Grants were announced today by Minister for Social Services, the Hon. Christian Porter MP and Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Senator the Hon. Concetta Fierravanti-Wells.
“I am delighted Australian Government funding will help a range of not-for-profit organisations and local councils in respecting, supporting and growing social cohesion in Australia,” Mr Porter said.
“Australia’s successful settlement of millions of migrants is a point of pride for our nation and the multicultural community organisations that help new arrivals play a huge role in making everyone feel welcome.”
The festivals are spread across the country with eight in New South Wales, nine in Victoria, five in Queensland, four in South Australia, three in Western Australia, and one in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. A full list of funded events is available on the DSS website.
Senator Fierravanti-Wells, said Australia’s multicultural diversity was reflected in the broad range of activities and organisations funded by the grants.
“We live in one of the most culturally diverse nations on Earth and these projects illustrate the innovative approaches community groups bring to our society to help people share their culture,” Senator Fierravanti-Wells said.
“Funded projects range from a Harmony Weekend residential camp programme in Adelaide to bring together families from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds to the Carnevale Community Celebration to celebrate multiculturalism through food, music and dance.
“We should all get out there and celebrate what makes us Australian and celebrate our cultural diversity.”
The Australian Government will continue to work with communities to capitalise on the social and economic benefits of diversity committing approximately $660 million in the 2015 Budget over the next four years.
| State | Organisation | Project |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Community Migrant Resource Centre | Women of the World Unite |
| NSW | Relationships Australia | Multicultural School Holiday Festival |
| NSW | Sylvanvale Foundation | Festival to link culturally diverse people with intellectual disabilities with their culture of origin communities |
| NSW | Bankstown City Council | Dancing Under the Stars |
| NSW | The NSW Spanish and Latin American Association for Social Assistance Inc | Biennial Afro Latino Festival |
| NSW | Somali Welfare and Cultural Centre Inc | One day festival to celebrate aspects of African culture through music, arts, markets and food. |
| NSW | Manning Valley Neighbourhood Services | The Migrant Settlement Project – one day cultural art event. |
| NSW | Community and Cultural Connections | Granma Multicultural Festival |
| VIC | Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Coalition | Hampton Park Family Day |
| VIC | Ethiopian Community Association of Victoria | Ethiopian New Year Festival 2015 |
| VIC | Inner North West Blue Light Inc | Fun in the Aussie Sun Festival |
| VIC | Russian Ethnic Representative Council of Victoria Incorporated | The Maslenitsa Slavic Pancake Festival |
| VIC | Le Belle Arti Inc | Carnevale Community Celebration 2016 |
| VIC | Frankston Arts Centre | Annual Ventana festival |
| VIC | Casey City Council | Multicultural Arts Exhibition |
| VIC | Cheltenham Community Centre | 4th Multicultural Festival of Creative Art |
| VIC | Whittlesea City Council | The Young at Heart Games |
| QLD | Central Highlands Regional Council | Central Highlands Multicultural Festival |
| QLD | Mareeba Shire Council | Mareeba Multicultural Festival |
| QLD | Mercy Community Services | Toowoomba Multicultural Expo |
| QLD | Migrant Centre Organisation Inc | Photography Exhibition – Zoom In- Gold Coast |
| QLD | Queensland Police-Citizen Youth Welfare Association and Vietnamese Resource Network | Inala Multicultural Youth Day |
| SA | The Islamic Information Centre | 6th annual Eid Al Adha Festival 2015 |
| SA | The Holy Mary of Montevergine Association (S.A) Inc. | Festa of the Madonna Di Montevergine |
| SA | Edmund Rice Camps SA, Build the Bridge Volunteers (Christian Brothers), and Welcome to Australia | Harmony Weekend residential camp program |
| SA | Adelaide Sri Lanka Buddhist Vihara | Sinhala and Tamil New Year (Sri Lankan New Year) – Multicultural Arts and Festival event |
| WA | The Great Southern Institute of Technology | Multicultural Community Concert |
| WA | Esperance Community Arts Inc. Te Whanau O Tumanako Inc, | Esperance Waitangi Day Celebration |
| WA | Bunbury Multicultural Group | Annual Bunbury Multicultural Night Under the Stars |
| TAS | Glenorchy City Council | Moonah Taste of the World Festival |
| NT | Brown’s Mart Arts Ltd | My Lips community cultural exchange |
| ACT | Canberra Islamic Centre Inc | Eid al Adha Multicultural Festival |