Cultural Fund ignites MONA curator’s inspiration
January 18, 2018
In 2017, the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund selected eight emerging Australian creators to receive funding from its IGNITE program. Pippa Mott was granted $4000 to complete the week-long ‘Criticism and Curating in Art and Design’ course at London’s prestigious Royal College of Art, to expand on her skills as a Curatorial Assistant at Tasmania’s esteemed Museum of Old and New Art (MONA).
Chief Executive of the Copyright Agency, Adam Suckling, says the IGNITE grants are essential to keeping the Australian creative industries dynamic, and ensuring they can compete on the world stage.
IGNITE aims to grow Australia’s reputation on a global scale by equipping the nation’s emerging creators with world-class skills. The Royal College of Art is the world’s premier art and design postgraduate university, and is located in the epicentre of London’s great museum district, Kensington Gore, making it the perfect location for Pippa Mott to access new skills and insights in curation.
“Grants such as IGNITE allow creators to pursue opportunities for professional enrichment that might otherwise be beyond their reach. The support of institutions such as the Copyright Agency is vital in promoting a vibrant and sustainable cultural ecosystem within Australia,” Pippa Mott says.
The ‘Criticism and Curating in Art and Design’ course presented Pippa with the opportunity to broaden her theoretical perspective on curating and substantially increase her network with other emerging curators from different countries and cultures, whilst developing a project with the guidance of the course conveners.
“Up until this point, I have worked primarily on the project management side of things. I am now looking forward to transitioning to a more active curatorial role. The course was an enormous confidence booster, and I returned to Tasmania feeling inspired and prepared to embark on my own projects,” says Pippa.
Philippa says the most inspiring advice she received came from Helen Nisbitt, the Curatorial Fellow at London’s Cubitt Gallery, who encouraged students to embrace an interdisciplinary approach, experiment beyond traditional gallery environments and always put art and the artists first.
With newfound confidence stemming from her three-month curatorial pilgrimage throughout Europe, incorporating visits to the Venice Biennale, Skulptur Projekte Munster and Documenta, and having worked alongside leaders in the industry at the Royal College of Art, Curatorial Assistant Pippa is looking forward to a new phase in her career.
MONA is usually known for its blockbuster exhibitions but is expanding into new territories, offering emerging Australian curators such as Pippa the opportunity to take on smaller projects and broaden the diversity and scale of its creative exhibits.
“I am enormously grateful to the Copyright Agency for making this incredible opportunity possible,” says Pippa.
The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund offers grants to individuals such as writers, publishers and visual artists to develop their skills and take their careers to the next level, building a strong foundation for Australian creators.