Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV) is the very proud recipient of a Gandel Philanthropy Major Grant for its Emerge Cultural Leadership Program for 2018-2019.

This generous grant of $100,000 will enable MAV to continue to work with artists and communities from emerging refugee, culturally diverse and Indigenous backgrounds in outer metropolitan and regional localities of Whittlesea, Wyndham, Bendigo and Shepparton.

Over the next two years, MAV will continue to work with emerging artists and communities, local governments and cultural organisations in each municipality to collaboratively develop and deliver a cultural leadership program that responds to local needs and builds on local strengths. Emerge Cultural Leadership will foster new cultural leaders from emerging communities and help strengthen engagement and dialogue between cultures. It will also make more visible and celebrate the achievements of local emerging refugee, culturally diverse and Indigenous communities. The core activities will include artistic mentoring, seeding new cultural projects and enterprises, cultural management and creative industries workshops, and an Ambassadors program.

“Multicultural Arts Victoria values the support of Gandel Philanthropy and are honoured that our partnership will continue over the next two years, empowering our future cultural leaders and strengthening our diverse community.”

George Lekakis AO, Chair of Multicultural Arts Victoria

The program aligns with Gandel Philanthropy’s mission statement, to empower communities to deliver programs that will create a positive and lasting impact on their quality of life, as well as to help build stronger, more resilient, more vibrant and more inclusive communities.

“Through strengthening new community cultural leaders, the Emerge program ensures active participation and cross-cultural dialogue. It encourages well-being of individuals, a sense of community and belonging through cultural expression and the arts,”  says Jill Morgan AM, CEO of Multicultural Arts Victoria. This grant from Gandel Philanthropy is a great opportunity to build on the work of our Cultural Network in outer metro and regional Victoria. We have found that a long-term approach is required to build trust, to build a sense of community and to build capacity for collective action and empowerment. We look forward to working closely with our new communities through the support by Gandel Philanthropy.

For further information please contact Miriam Abud, outer metropolitan Program Coordinator or Anita Larkin, Regional Program Coordinator 03 9188 3681