American Australian Association Announces Applications Now Open for US$10,000 Travel Grant for Art Writers

AMERICAN AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN
FOR US$10,000 TRAVEL  GRANT FOR ART WRITERS

New York, NY, –– The American Australian Association is pleased to announce The Beverley Art Writers  Travel Grant (The Beverley) is open in the 2023 application round to support American journalists and  writers to travel to Australia to explore and report on the wealth of Australian visual arts culture. The Beverley is the result of a partnership between the Association and Australian expatriate John Melick,  founder of Blue Medium, a New York-based art and design public relations firm. This round of grant  applications is open now through March 31 and will be awarded in June 2023.  

The Beverley will be administered by the American Australian Association. A grant selection  committee—comprised of art world professionals with a working or personal connection to the visual  arts community in Australia— will award The Beverley each year. The committee members for the 2022  inaugural grant were: Nicholas Baume, Artistic and Executive Director of The Public Art Fund (New York,  NY); Anne Ellegood, Good Works Executive Director of the Institute of Contemporary Art (Los Angeles,  CA); Ben Hartley, Executive Director of The National Arts Club (New York, NY); Mark Hughes, Founder of  Mark Hughes Art Advisory (Sydney, Australia); Elizabeth Ann Macgregor AM OBE, Former Director of  MCA Australia (Australia), and Trevor Smith, Associate Director of The Peabody Essex Museum (Salem,  MA). After a detailed review of all applicants, the committee selected Jessica Lynne to receive the 2022  Beverley Art Writers Travel Grant. While in Australia, Jessica Lynne plans to engage in study focused on  the work of Carole Y. Johnson, founder of the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development  Association (NAISDA).  

The grantee will be at liberty to set their own itinerary, is required to spend at least two weeks in  Australia (preferably longer) and must complete their trip within nine months of being awarded the  grant. The grantee will also be invited to report on their experience at an event hosted (either virtually  or in person) by the Association within two months of their return. The Beverley is intended to support  the career and practice of the grantee. While there is no obligation to generate articles as a result of the  travel, coverage is encouraged. 

“Travel is one of the essential ways we learn and refresh our understanding of the world”, explained  John Berry, President of the American Australian Association. “By traveling to Australia, our arts  journalists here in the United States can help spread the rich culture of Australian fine art and culture to  wider audiences.” 

The name of the grant is in honor of the grant founder’s mother, Beverley Joan Melick (née van Eerde),  who currently resides in New South Wales, Australia. According to John Melick, “as a painter and  designer, my mother has inspired me to pursue a career in promoting the visual arts in the US and globally. As a public relations professional, I’ve witnessed a reduction in media travel budgets that has  also led to less cultural exchange and coverage of my home country’s art. This is a small way to have a  positive impact on free, independent and exceptional art journalism from the US while also benefiting  Australia more broadly.” 

To apply for The Beverley, please visit here.  

Background: 

The American Australian Association is the leading privately funded nonprofit organization dedicated to  deepening and strengthening cooperation and understanding between the institutions and people of  the United States and Australia. Since 2002, the Association’s philanthropic scholarship and grant  programs have awarded over US$ 15 million to more than 1,000 graduates, veterans and artists. This  investment has contributed to further advancing the careers of the next generation of leaders,  developing international networks and generating solutions that address the global issues of our time.  

Website – www.americanaustralian.org

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Media Contacts 

For additional information or to request an interview please contact:
Andy Cushman, Blue Medium, Inc.
acushman@bluemedium.com
+1.212.675.1800 

For additional information on the American Australian Association please contact:
Libbi Swan, Director of Government Affairs, Arts and Operations
libbi.swan@americanaustralian.org
+1.212.338.6862