Several arts companies have been inducted into the National Arts Council's substantial grant schemes - the Major Grant for long-term development of arts groups, and the Seed Grant for emerging companies that need a boost.
One of the new Major Grant recipients is 12-year-old theatre company Checkpoint Theatre, known for its nurturing of young playwrights and practitioners. It will get $170,000 this financial year for its artistic development. Indian dance company Apsaras Art will get $260,000 and the Singapore Wind Symphony will get $100,000.
Theatre company Pangdemonium, which serves up crowd-pleasing fare and scored big at the Life! Theatre Awards this year, is a new addition to the Seed Grant list with a grant of $150,000. OH! Open House, a popular art walk which announced in November 2013 that it would put future art tours on hold because of a lack of funds, will now have $150,000 in its coffers.
In all, 36 companies will receive funding under the Major Grant, and 23 emerging companies will get Seed Grant funding. The arts council has committed $12.7 million to these schemes in total, a 25 per cent jump from the $10.2 million last year.
