ARTISTS MATERIALS FUND
From the Coorong to Coober Pedy, the Flinders Ranges to Port Lincoln, the Artists Materials Fund enables Ku Arts to provide tangible and necessary support to emerging artists and those leading the next generation. Overcoming barriers of equity and access, including the prohibitive cost of freight, this vital funding champions artists’ agency and self-determination, supporting cultural practice.
Ku Arts invite you to donate to the Artists Materials Fund. Together we can provide access to quality art materials - creating endless opportunities for wellbeing, creativity, and artist’s careers.
Donations over $2 are tax deductible.
-
Providing quality art materials to independent Aboriginal artists across South Australia, the fund overcomes barriers of equity and access. The full amount of your tax deductible donation is used to purchase and deliver quality art materials. to independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists living in South Australia. Your support allows them to make a sustainable living and have every opportunity for career success.
-
Independent Aboriginal artists from across South Australia can access quality art supplies for free by reaching out to our team. We then provide a package suited to their project needs. The fund also covers the cost of freight where required to any part of the state. Donations over $2 are tax deductible. The full amount of your donation is used to purchase materials and pay for freight across South Australia.
-
The Artist Materials Fund builds on the success of an Arts SA funded pilot in 2022 that saw over eighty artists across seven regions provided with artist materials such as canvas, paints, brushes, watercolours, masking tapes, scissors, wood carving equipment, sculpting and weaving supplies.
This pilot program demonstrated the direct benefits of this crucial support for emerging artists to launch careers, grow their economic participation and financial independence. Artists were able to create new bodies of work that were exhibited for sale at events such as the Tarnanthi Art Fair, Our Mob Exhibition, and Ku Arts' Arts in Health Exhibitions at Flinders Medical Centre.
-
Without ongoing donations to the Artists Materials Fund, this crucial and simple support for regional, remote, and metropolitan Aboriginal independent artists is not possible. We rely on donations to keep this fund active - and without it we put the artistic practices of hundreds of artists at risk.
-
Any donation towards the Artists Materials Fund is appreciated. We’ve calculated the costs of our most common material requests so that you know how far your donation is going. A contribution towards materials is a great start, while an Opportunity Pack can have a significant positive impact on an artist’s career.
-
You can choose to donate whenever you are ready. Select from a number of options - one-time, monthly, quarterly, or annually to make the impact you desire.
“Having access to the art supplies provided by Ku Arts was very beneficial not only to myself, but also my little family. Living in Port Augusta there isn’t anywhere here, or in the nearby region that we can access quality art supplies. Without this assistance from Ku we would not have much art supplies to continue our art practices. We do not visit Adelaide very often and can’t afford the freight costs or fuel costs to go between Port Augusta and Adelaide for supplies.”
-- Juanella Donovan (Adnyamathanha, Luritja)
Independent artist located in Port Augusta“I’ve lived in Coober Pedy all my life and my family has been here for generations. If we didn’t have this [support from Ku Arts] we wouldn’t be able to buy brushes, paints, or canvases. My whole family paints and now the younger generations are starting. We get tourists asking for us to paint and it is important that the quality is good - if we use the cheap paints they fade after time.”
-- Jillian Williams (Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara)
Independent artist located in Coober Pedy“Ku Arts supported me in accessing quality art materials and jewellery findings so I could finesse my work, leading to exhibition and retail outcomes at Tarnanthi Art Fair in 2023. I couldn’t have done this without Ku Arts’ support.”
-- Belinda Wilson (Ngarrindjeri)
Independent artist located on the Coorong