In partnership with the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development at the Victorian College of the Arts, MTC’s Indigenous Scholarship Program is continuing into 2018. The program is designed to help boost performing arts careers by mentoring individuals. Applications for 2018 are open right now to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 17 to 22.
Recipients gain new learning opportunities in workshops on performance, writing, technical and design production, and marketing. These workshops are led by Indigenous teaching artists and organisers plus MTC staff and creatives. Not to mention meeting industry professionals at a variety of live performances.
“This program is a fantastic opportunity to learn from highly skilled and knowledgeable industry professionals in a real working environment,” says MTC Executive Director Virginia Lovett. “It is incredibly rewarding to work with young First Nations people passionate about a career in the arts and help them take the next steps in gaining further education or employment in the field.”
The scholarship finishes with a group performance at Southbank’s Lawler Theatre and the opportunity to continue further study at the Victorian College of the Arts through the Wilin Centre.
“The course was more than I expected – very eye opening into the theatre industry. All the learning I got from this program will definitely stay with me,” shares the 2017 scholarship recipient, Shaniqua. “I turned out to be a stronger performer than what I thought I was. Being in the rehearsal rooms at MTC, I felt at home and like I was meant to be there.” Hear more from last year’s participants in the video below.
These Indigenous Scholarships are part of MTC’s Sharing the Light initiative supported by Crown Resorts Foundation and the Packer Family Foundation. In its third year now, Sharing the Light supports those with disadvantage by having five dollar tickets to MTC’s annual Family Programs, travel subsidies for disadvantaged schools and a Victorian and Tasmanian tour of their Education Production.
