HOTA’s award winning ArtKeeper program is an initiative that supports emerging and established artists by putting them on the payroll.  Following a callout in August announcing the $150,000 investment, HOTA was on the hunt to fulfil its commitment to help artists keep creating with ArtKeeper. They received 130 applications.

Gold Coast locals Fletcher Babb, Norton Fredericks, Nadia Milford and Nicholas Tossmann have been named the newest team members to join the Home of the Arts. ArtKeeper received national industry recognition when HOTA received the Innovator Award at the Performing Arts Connections (PAC) Australia Impact Awards 2022. 

HOTA CEO Criena Gehrke said this program remains a unique offering in this space. “Here at HOTA we stand by our commitment to support our local artists by providing them with this opportunity so that they can create with a sense of certainty and security. We remain one of the only organisations in Australia to offer this type of initiative and to now have this recognised nationally on an industry level is a great feat for the program,” she said. 

Each artist has been offered a fixed-term employment contract to work on their proposed art project at HOTA for three days per week until June 2023. They will be encouraged to take risks, experiment, and create great art in conjunction with internationally acclaimed playwright and artistic director, Wesley Enoch AM, who has been engaged as Artist Provocateur for the roles.

Here is a little more about the recipients:

Cold Ghost is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and sound designer, Fletcher Babb

Norton Fredericks is a queer sustainable fibre artist and workshop facilitator with Indigenous heritage living and working on Bullongin Country, Hope Island.  

Nadia Milford is a performance artist who also creates her own multidisciplinary works integrating dance, theatre, film and immersive installation.  

Nicholas Tossmann’s practice investigates his experience of being a conceptual artist as part of his philosophical search of self and purpose.

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