Philanthropic support for Artists in the Black

Artists in the Black and Arts Law have recently received a number of generous philanthropic grants from The Lionel & Yvonne Spencer Trust, Impact100 WA, The Thyne Reid Foundation, The Annie/Danks Trust and The Besen Foundation.

This funding will help expand the reach of Artists in the Black and allow us to conduct more outreach across a number of states. This is all the more important after travel restrictions over the last two years have severely impacted our ability to visit communities and deliver face-to-face legal services.

Philanthropic support will also allow us to grow our Wills project. This key focus of Artists in the Black involves drafting wills for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists across Australia. Approximately 59% of Australians have a will, in contrast to just 2-6% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.  Our Wills project aims to address this imbalance and ensure that artists have control of their rights and their work well into the future.

This will also support us in the delivery of education workshops for artists and the development of a suite of video resources.  Our education workshops aim to empower artists and creatives by giving them the knowledge and resources to manage their arts businesses and advocate for their rights.

We have already started some of this outreach work with Senior Solicitor, Donna Robinson currently in Queensland delivering education workshops, drafting wills and legal advice to artists, art centres and communities.

After a 14-day hotel quarantine, Donna kicked off her travels by visiting the arts community on Stradbroke Island at Saltwater Murris Quandamooka art centre and Island Arts Gallery on Stradbroke Island where she spent her time giving workshops and meeting with artists and administrators.  She has travelled up and down the state from as far north as Wujal Wujal near Cairns, stopping off at Djabugay, Girringun, Yarrabah, Yalanji and Woorabinda art centres, again delivering workshops, preparing wills and giving one on one advice where needed.

Artists in the Black and Arts Law are looking forward to being able to extend our outreach, Wills project and education program in 2022. Thank you to our philanthropic supporters for your generous support; The Lionel & Yvonne Spencer Trust, Impact100 WA, The Thyne Reid Foundation, The Annie/Danks Trust and The Besen Foundation.