Organisers of Newcastle’s flagship cultural festival, New Annual, are giving local artists the chance to apply for up to $40,000 in funding to present works during the 2025 festival.
The call for applications marks the beginning of preparations for this year’s program under the leadership of newly appointed Festival Director Tory Loudon.
Artists working across a broad range of disciplines including interdisciplinary art, visual arts, dance, theatre, music, and multimedia are encouraged to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) by Friday 21 February.
The funding, part of the Made New initiative, is aimed at showcasing the creativity and diversity of Newcastle’s thriving artistic community. Ms. Loudon emphasized the program’s role in supporting local talent and fostering a deeper connection between artists and audiences.
“One of the most important things any arts and culture festival can do is celebrate and in some cases introduce emerging and established local artists within the communities where they live and work,” Loudon said.
“Supporting local talent has been one of the real strengths of New Annual since it was established by City of Newcastle in 2021, and I look forward to continuing that tradition.”
Ms. Loudon, who joins New Annual after an impressive two-decade career in the arts and creative industries, brings extensive experience from institutions like the Sydney Opera House, Vivid Sydney, and Bangarra Dance Theatre. Her appointment follows the tenure of outgoing Festival Director Adrian Burnett, who helped elevate New Annual’s reputation on the national festival circuit.
“Made New provides a fantastic opportunity to elevate the work of Newcastle’s thriving creative community,” Loudon said.
New Annual will take over Newcastle for 10 days in September 2025. Funding applications are now open visit newannual.com for full details.
