Grant McLennan Fellowship Postponed

For 2020 to Support More Local Opportunities
for Queensland Artists

Image: Jack Bratt, Bobby Rein Photography

Grant McLennan Fellowship Postponed for 2020 to Support More Local Opportunities for Queensland Artists

The Grant McLennan Fellowship, delivered by QMusic in partnership with the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, has been postponed for 2020 due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, but the music industry is still a winner with this year’s Fellowship funds reinvested through an extension of Queensland Government's stART Grant for seven artists to perform and create new work.

Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said hundreds of artists and arts workers had already received benefits from the stART program, with the allocation of more than $700,000 in individual $3000 grants.

“This funding from the Grant McLennan Fellowship is to be rechanneled where it is needed the most - directly to the sector supporting artists and arts workers who have been impacted by COVID-19,” Minister Enoch said.

“Since the onset of COVID-19, the Palaszczuk Government has committed more than $42.5 million in relief measures to support the sector, including the $22.5 million Arts and Cultural Recovery Package. The stART program was one of the rapid response initiatives to support local artists and arts workers to ensure they can continue to pursue their creative endeavours.”
Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch

QMusic CEO Angela Samut said: “During this extremely difficult time for our industry, and with international borders closed, it is important for us to pivot to the needs of our local artists. We spoke to Grant’s sister Sally about reallocating these funds and she agreed that what Grant would want right now is to help local artists create new music when they are not receiving income.”

With the postponement of the 2020 award, the 2019 winner Jack Bratt has been given an extra 12 months to take his Fellowship. His pre-COVID-19 plans were to travel to New York and be inspired by the city's musical significance to write songs for a new album.

The prestigious Grant McLennan Fellowship offers the recipient an opportunity to travel to New York, London or Berlin for up to six months and use the experience of being immersed in a foreign and vibrant music culture to further develop their own artistic skills.

2018 recipient, Danny Harley, aka The Kite String Tangle, used his Fellowship to travel to Berlin and London, where he wrote songs for his recent album, C()D3X, which has gone on to win two 2020 Queensland Music Awards (Best Dance/Electronic Award and Best Video Award).

Previous winners include: 2019 - Jack Bratt, 2018 - Danny Harley (The Kite String Tangle), 2017 - Jeremy Neale, 2016 - Hannah Macklin (MKO Sun), 2015 - Timothy Steward (WE ALL WANT TO, Screamfeeder), 2014 - Thomas Calder (The Trouble With Templeton), 2013 - Seja Vogel, 2012 - Louise O'Reilly and Paul Hannan (Laneway), 2011 - Scott Spark, 2010 - Danny Widdicombe and Andrew Morris, 2009 - Hannah Franzmann (McKisko), 2008 - Josh Busby and Chris Dale (Halfway), 2007 - Greg Charles.

Grant McLennan

Grant McLennan was a seminal Australian singer-songwriter-guitarist who co-founded The Go-Betweens with Robert Forster in Brisbane in 1977. Grant was also a successful solo artist, releasing four albums throughout his career.

He was an advocate for emerging Queensland artists and in 2001, the Australasian Performing Right Association listed "Cattle and Cane" (1983), written by McLennan, as one of their top 30 Australian songs of all time.

McLennan passed away at the age of 48, but is still considered one of Australia's greatest artists.

Grant McLennan Fellowship Postponed

For 2020 to Support More Local Opportunities for Queensland Artists