Australia’s largest arts festival is shaking up the way it provides grants to independent performers as part of the 2019 Adelaide Fringe Artist Fund, for which applications open today.

This year, grants provided by the Fund will be separated into two funding streams – Make It Happen and Innovate – and will be distributed in varying amounts depending on the artists’ needs.

Adelaide Fringe Director and CEO Heather Croall said having a more transparent application process would make the Artist Fund more accessible for a larger cross section of artists and companies.

“We’ve revised our grants program in response to artist’s feedback and to ensure that the money we’re giving out can be tailored to their needs,” Ms Croall said.

The Adelaide Fringe Artist Fund was established in 2014 and has since delivered nearly $200,000 in grants to help independent Australian artists present a show in the Adelaide Fringe. The 2019 Fund is set to award up to $90,000 – up from the record $84,000 delivered for last year’s festival.

Ms Croall said the funding helped alleviate some of the financial risks that independent artists take by presenting their show in the festival.

“The Adelaide Fringe Artist Fund supports all forms of expression and allows ground-breaking works to flourish. Some of these works wouldn’t be possible without our support, and we know that our grants can help artists leverage other funding for their shows, so they can make a huge difference,” Ms Croall said.

Make It Happen Grants will provide financial assistance across three categories – travel, marketing and production – to support artists in covering the costs of their Fringe season.

The Innovate Grant will support daring and diverse new projects that will premiere at the 2019 Adelaide Fringe and have an ongoing ‘life’ after the festival – including future touring or presentation opportunities. Ms Croall said many of the previous Artist Fund recipients had seen their work go on to be presented across Australia and overseas.

“We’re so proud to support exciting and daring work in the early stages of development, and it’s encouraging to see so many of our Artist Fund recipients going on to scale new heights,” Ms Croall said.

Brisbane’s Black Honey Company was awarded a $10,000 Artist Fund grant to premiere Hot Brown Honey at the 2015 Adelaide Fringe. The group went on to tour the work internationally and last year received a Helpmann Award for Best Cabaret.

“Hot Brown Honey is a great success story for the Fund, and we hope it inspires more artists to apply for grants,” Ms Croall said.

Last year’s recipients included Not Today’s Yesterday by South Australian artist Lina Limosani, who won a Peace Foundation Award and BankSA Best Dance at the 2018 BankSA Fringe Awards.

Applications for the 2019 Adelaide Fringe Artist Fund close on Friday, July 20.

The 2019 Adelaide Fringe will run from February 15 to March 17.

Emily Steele – 19 Weeks (Recipient for 2017 Adelaide Fringe)
• Received the Melbourne Fringe Tour Ready Award at the 2018 BankSA Fringe Awards
• Received the 2017 BankSA Fringe Award for Best Theatre
• Received a John Chataway Innovation Award as part of the Fringe Weekly Awards
• Received a $3800 grant from the State Government’s Made in Adelaide initiative to attend this year’s Edinburgh Fringe
• Future presentations to occur at: Assembly Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 2018; strong interest from the Blue Room Theatre in Perth, Melbourne Fringe, Sydney Festival, Country Arts SA and Soho Playhouse in NYC

Anya Anastasia – Rogue Romantic (Recipient for 2017 Adelaide Fringe)
• Recipient of the Arts SA Made in Adelaide Award at the 2017 and 2018 BankSA Fringe Awards
• Went on to present at Underbelly Festival London, Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Dan Daw – On One Condition (Recipient for 2017 Adelaide Fringe)
• Received a Fringe Weekly Award for Best Theatre
• Received a $3000 grant from the State Government’s Made in Adelaide initiative to attend the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe
• Presented at Soho Playhouse New York City, in May 2017

Leah Shelton – PULPSHOW (Recipient for 2016 Adelaide Fringe)
• Received the John Chataway Innovation Award as part of the Fringe Weekly Awards
• Received a Matilda Award for Best Set Design (also nominated for Best Costume Design, Best Cabaret, Best AV design)
• Presentations subsequently occurred at: Brighton Fringe, Darwin Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse, Centre of Contemporary Arts in Cairns, Melbourne Fringe, Provocare: Festival of the Arts, Chapel Street Melbourne

isthisyours? – The Awkward Years (Recipient for 2015 Adelaide Fringe)
• Recipient of the Adelaide Festival Centre's inSPACE Development Award

Black Honey Company and Briefs Factory - Hot Brown Honey (Recipient for 2015 Adelaide Fringe)
• Achieved a sell-out season at the 2015 Adelaide Fringe
• The work received a Fresh Ground residency at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts (QLD) to further the creative development, dramaturgy, choreography, costume and set design
• Presentations subsequently occurred at Tiger Dublin Fringe, Assembly at Edinburgh Festival Fringe (2016 and 2017), Red Hot Arts NT, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Brisbane Festival, Sydney Opera House and Darebin Arts Victoria
• Received a 2017 Helpmann Award for Best Cabaret