Artists Of Colour Initiative - The Scholarship

THE SCHOLARSHIP:
The Artists of Colour Initiative (AOC) is a scholarship competition designed to provide financial assistance and industry support to 6 young, exceptionally talented Theatre performers, based in Australia that identify as Bla(c)k, Indigenous or People of Colour.

The initiative was born from a recognition of the underrepresentation of Bla(c)k and Indigenous people, as well as People Of Colour, in the Australian Theatre Industry. The aim of the scholarship is to ensure participation within the field of Musical Theatre amongst these marginalised communities.

Your donation supports moving the dialogue of inclusivity and social awareness forward - It’s time for change!

 
DONATIONS:
100% of donations collected will be awarded to the 6 performers who reach The Finals.

·      2020 AOC Initiative Winner (First Place): 50% of all donations

·      Runner Up (Second Place): 20% of all donations

·      4 Top Finalists (Third Place): 7.5% of all donations to each

If you are in a position to donate, any and all donations are welcome!


THE COMPETITION:
Applicants will submit videos of themselves; singing, rapping, dancing, moving & delivering monologues in a series of different stages of the competition. They will also be required to submit videos and written material answering questions regarding who they are, what they stand for, and a mission statement detailing their study and performance plans, as well as their long term goals and initiatives.

 
THE PANEL:
The panel consists of a team of longstanding performers, choreographers, directors, musical directors and others working in important sectors of the Theatre industry. All panellists are people who identify as Bla(c)k, Indigenous or People Of Colour.

 
SCHEDULE:
Initial Applicant Submission Deadline (First Round) – 28 September 2020

Semi-Finals Submission Deadline (Second Round) – 2 November 2020 (TBC)

Finals Submission Deadline (Final Round) – 7 December 2020 (TBC)


ELIGIBILITY:
Applicants must:

·      Identify as Bla(c)k, Indigenous, or People Of Colour.

·      Be pursuing a career in Theatre performance.

·      Be aged between 18-30 at the time of submission.

·      Be an Australian citizen or resident.

·      Not have previously secured a leading or supporting role in a mainstage Musical Theatre production.

·      Not be engaged in or scheduled for performance-related work in a leading/ supporting role (as above) at the time of submission.

If you are unsure about your eligibility please reach out to us via email. If you head to our IG page: @aocinitiative, there is a button that will allow you to email us directly. 


SPONSORSHIP:
We are a grassroots movement focused on achieving stability and success for those underrepresented in the Theatre community. If you are interested in sponsoring The AOC Initiative or working with us otherwise, we would love to hear from you! Please get in touch at via email. If you head to our IG page: @aocinitiative, there is a button that will allow you to email us directly. 

 
Please visit the AOC Initiative Website  for more information!


SENDING LOVE TO ALL – PLEASE SHARE FAR & WIDE! <3
Thank you, Tarik Frimpong