It’s been a good year for Aussie bands making a name for themselves overseas (Flume, Jagwar Ma, Courtney Barnett, and Hiatus Kaiyote – just to name a few), and thanks to government backing a selection of Australian artists will be awarded the finances to continue to make their impressions internationally.
Nearly $150,00 in grants has been handed to 11 artists as the Australia Council announces the successful applicants for the next round of International Pathways, including such acts as Ball Park Music, The Preatures, Vance Joy, and Dead Letter Circus among their ranks, as The Music Network‘s Industrial Strength column reports.
According to the Australia Council of the Arts the International Pathways “assists with the development of markets and audiences by supporting international touring by Australian musicians.” Earlier this year the likes of The Rubens, San Cisco, and The Rubens shared in $20,000 worth of touring investment by the Government’s funding schemes.
Applications were assessed by an industry panel on the artistic merit of their project, the quality of their development plan, and their tour management, with the first two of the 11 winning applicants earning $20k each.
Brisbane indie popsters Ball Park Music will use the funds fo their first headline tour of the UK, Europe, and USA, while The Preatures – who are already making great in-roads with their Is This How You Feel? EP and titular single – have also scooped $20,000; the Sydney five-piece will be putting their money towards a run through America and Britain.
Sydney progressive rock outfit Northlane have been awarded $19,560 towards their Never Say Die Tour through Europe and the UK (though not wasting time on the costly touring regulations of Canada), while fellow heavy rock outfit (and album art aficionados) Dead Letter Circus will continue international touring of their second album The Catalyst Fire, with the band co-headlining an Australian tour with Karnivool next January.
Melbourne favourites The Smith Street Band will put their $13,240 worth of grant money towards their North American shows with UK folk-punk star, Frank Turner, while singer-songwriter Jordie Lane scored $7,165 to put towards a Canadian tour to promote his newest single.
AIR Award-winning Melbourne troubadour Vance Joy also pocketed $3,800 from the Australia Council, and having already made in-roads in America – signing a groundbreaking deal with Atlantic Records and invited to SXSW 2014 – the singer-songwriter will be taking his God Loves You When You’re Dancing EP to Europe and the UK with a tour.
Rounding out the successful International Pathways applicants are Sydney duo The Falls ($17,461) for a tour of the USA (including performances at CMJ) to promote the release of a new EP; Catherine Hope ($16,190) for a European tour with Perth music ensemble Decibel, Sydney singer-songwriter Mark Wilkinson ($12,500) live dates and promotional work in North America, and finally Eamon Sprod ($3,083), who under his TARAB stage name will present site specific sound performances in Chile and Argentina.
Applications for budding bands sick of playing the local pub, the next round of International Pathways grants closing on 2nd December, for tours commencing from 17th February 2014.
Australia Council of the Arts International Pathways Successful Applicants Oct 2013
Ball Park Music (NSW) $20,000
Undertake their first tour of the UK, Europe and USA
Dead Letter Circus (Vic) $15,000
A tour of the UK, Europe and USA launching their recent album
Hope, Catherine (WA) $16,190
A tour of Europe by the new music ensemble Decibel
Lane, Jordie (Vic) $7,165
A tour of Canada in October to promote a new single
Northlane (Vic) $19,560
A tour of Europe and the UK on the Never Say Die Tour
Sprod, Eamon (Vic) $3,083
The presentation of site specific sound performances in Chile and Argentina
The Falls (NSW) $17,461
A tour of the USA including performances at CMJ to promote the release of a new EP
The Preatures (NSW) $20,000
A tour of USA and UK in October
The Smith Street Band (Vic) $13,240
A tour of the USA and Canada supporting Frank Turner
Vance Joy (Vic) $3,800
A tour of Europe and the UK tour to support the release of a new EP
Wilkinson, Mark (NSW) $12,500
A tour of North America with promotional activities to support an album release
