Perth conductor and Melbourne soprano among 99 recipients in the latest round of funding.

Almost one hundred young artists from across the country are starting the New Year with a great deal to be happy about, as the Australia Council announces the 99 recipients of the first of this year’s ArtStart grants. The ArtStart Scheme provides up to $10,000 to recent arts graduates wanting to establish careers in their respective fields, and offers two opportunities annually for artists to apply. The highly coveted awards offer the financial resources to allow the young beneficiaries of the funding programme to establish themselves as professional artists. The Australia Council’s Executive Director of Arts Funding, Frank Panucci, said that applications for this round were received from across the country, with successful artists coming from a wide range of artistic fields, including dance, music, theatre, visual arts and literature.

Among this year’s first ArtStart recipients is Victorian Soprano Josephine Grech, a University of Melbourne graduate who will be appearing in Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria’s production of The Merry Widow in April. Josephine’s plans include travelling to Europe where she will study privately with European-based coaches, conductors, artists and directors, including fellow Australian soprano Yvonne Kenny. Josephine...