“The Australia Council Scholarship will provide $150,000 over the next three years for three high-performing regional arts leaders to participate in the Australian Rural Leadership Program,” Mr Coulton said.

 

“A scholarship will allow a high-performing arts administrator or manager working in regional Australia to participate in the Australian Rural Leadership Program to further develop their management skills and build networks with other regional leaders.

 

“I encourage arts leaders in the Parkes electorate to apply.”

 

Minister for the Arts, Senator the Hon George Brandis QC, said that the scholarships have been developed to address additional barriers regional arts leaders face including fewer opportunities than their metropolitan counterparts to participate in arts sector initiatives.

 

“The Australian Rural Leadership Program is the flagship program of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation,” Senator Brandis said.

 

“Running over 15 months, it consists of five residential programs and covers topics such as leadership, advocacy, media, international relations and community programs. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend a two-week study tour to South East Asia.

 

“The scholarships are part of the Australia Council’s commitment to further the business and strategic skills of managers for the long-term benefit of the arts sector.

 

“The new scholarships for regional arts leaders complement the Australian Government’s support for regional arts through the Regional Arts Fund, particularly the new Regional Artist Development Fellowships announced in 2014.”

 

Applications for the Australia Council Scholarship close on 31 August 2015. Scholarship recipients will be announced in February 2016 and the program will commence in August 2016.

 

More information is available on the Australia Council’s website at http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/arlp.