The Australian Museums and Galleries Association (AMaGA) is thrilled to announce the successful applicants from Batch 1 of the Culture, Heritage and Arts Regional Tourism (CHART) program.
AMaGA is delivering the $3 million CHART program in 2021-22 on behalf of the Australian Government. Grants of up to $3,000 (plus GST where applicable) are being awarded to support museums, galleries and historical societies to implement activities that stimulate local economies as they recover from the impacts of COVID-19.
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said more than $135,000 in grants would flow to 50 organisations across the country from Batch 1, to support activities that encourage cultural tourism in regional, rural and remote Australia.
“These grants will support the reactivation and ongoing sustainability of these successful applicants, with each playing an integral role in telling the stories of their local communities and preserving Australia’s cultural heritage,” Minister Fletcher said.
“This first batch of grants marks an important milestone in the benefits that CHART will provide to regional communities, including the promotion of regional arts tourism across Australia, which in turn will enhance arts access and increase local expenditure.”
AMaGA’s National Director, Katie Russell, said that the grants will have a significant impact on Australia’s regional museums and galleries, helping them to encourage domestic tourism and recover from the challenges brought about by COVID‑19.
“We are impressed with the wide variety of projects from a diverse range of organisations who are coming up with innovative ways to reboot their activity and share local stories with their communities and domestic travellers.
“Projects supported under Batch 1 include dishwashers for volunteers’ kitchens, refreshed museum signage, and display cases for historical collections to travel around the regions – each project showcases the dynamism and resilience of our sector.
These CHART recipients have unwavering enthusiasm and commitment to their work in the face of the disruptions of the past two years.”
Batch 1 grants have already started to flow to successful applicants.
A full list of successful Batch 1 CHART projects is available at amaga.org.au/CHART.
AMaGA hopes these projects will inspire other eligible organisations to access the grant funds. Full details on eligibility and the program guidelines are available from AMaGA’s CHART webpage, along with the contact details of AMaGA’s Regional Coordinators who are ready to assist organisations to apply.
CHART program projects must be completed by 30 June 2022.
