Ipswich artist Mr Lincoln Austin will receive more than $17,000 to develop the exhibition Don’t get carried away with yourself Lincoln with funding from the Palaszczuk Government’s Queensland Arts Showcase Program (QASP).

Member for Ipswich Jennifer Howard said the large-scale sculptural and performance work was one of 17 arts projects funded with $738,905 in the latest round of QASP funding.

“Don’t get carried away with yourself Lincoln will form a central part of an exhibition at Ipswich Art Gallery,” she said.

“This creative undertaking will be a significant cultural project for Ipswich and the artists involved, and the accompanying public artist-in-residence program will provide a unique opportunity for Mr Austin to engage directly with his audience.” 

Minister for the Arts, Leeanne Enoch said the range of projects receiving QASP funding demonstrated the importance of the arts and artists in connecting communities, and to the vital role that arts and culture will play in social and community recovery after the pandemic.

“The arts offer hope during tough times and these latest QASP grants will fund an inspiring mix of circus, cabaret, festivals and new theatre works and exhibitions,” Minister Enoch said.

“These grants will remain valid even if the projects need to be postponed or re-imagined due to COVID-19 social distancing measures and restrictions on public gatherings.

“It is so important for work to continue, and for new projects to be created, developed and when safe, shared with audiences.

“That is why I recently announced a $2 million boost to available QASP funding as part of a $10.5 million package of arts sector relief measures, to help support individual artists and arts organisations to continue to develop creative projects during these difficult times.”

Mr Austin said the funding support through QASP would allow him and his mentee, Kirralee Robinson, to realise an ambitious new work that had been in the planning for more than two years.

“This work and associated gallery-based residency, will form a significant part of a 20-year survey exhibition, prophetically titled the space between us, scheduled to re-open the Ipswich Art Gallery once COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted,” he said.

QASP has invested more than $15 million to support over 430 arts and cultural projects across the state since September 2015. Applications are accepted at any time. For more information, visit www.arts.qld.gov.au