Applications Open For the 2010 Arts Grant Fund 'The Seed'

In its sixth year running The JB Seed, will be re-branded The Seed. Encouraged by the amazing generosity and trust people have shown the project, this shift will make The Seed an initiative whose ownership is that of the entire community of contributors.

The Seed has evolved over the years to become an integral part of the Australian Arts & Music industry, contributing over $533,000 worth of funding to over 200 Artists and Music Managers. The passion and support of all contributors has helped to make it what it is today and although John Butler and co-founder Danielle Caruana will remain a driving force behind the project, they believe it is time to make The Seed something that the arts community can call their own.

“When Danielle and I first started the fund we always intended for it to grow into something that wasn't just funded by ourselves but contributed to by many movers and shakers within the Australian music community. By the second year of "The JB Seed" that is exactly what started taking place. Over the past five years the fund has been blessed with generous contributions from many members of the Australian music scene such as Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins, The Cat Empire, The Waifs, Carlo Santone (Blue King Brown), John Watson (Eleven Music: Silver Chair, Missy Higgins, Little Birdy), Sebastian Chase (MGM), John Woodruff (Rough Cut Music), Correne Wilkie (The Cat Empire & Jackson Jackson), Maureen Ritchie and many others.

In the beginning we felt it was necessary for this fund to have credentials and for that my initials served well . But now as we look towards the next five years it's time to put the next phase of the plan in motion. This is an Initiative funded BY the music community FOR the music community and I feel The Seed best represents our inclusive approach.” - John Butler

To launch The Seed a brand NEW WEBSITE is live, check out: www.theseedfund.org. This new website will be an information source, to artists and arts workers in the establishment phase of their careers, assisting and guiding in self sufficiency. The 2010 grant categories are live on the website. This year there is a focus on incidental and social activism in The Arts For The Public program, while the immensely successful Management Workshop Initiative will return once again. A new and exciting program is The Seed And Skinnyfish Indigenous Community Music Initiative, which will see a partnership between The Seed and Skinnyfish Music to create opportunities and encourage positive outcomes in community life through music.

All grant categories are now open and details regarding applications can be found at www.theseedfund.org Applications close Monday March 15th 2010 and final successful applicants will be notified early May 2010.

The Seed is a project that Soulshine is very keen on pushing; the opportunities available are numerous and it will no doubt result in the giving of the right helpful hand at the right time in a band's early career. It's probably summed up best by Paul Kelly: "I couldn't get a record deal in 1984 so I borrowed money from a friend to make a record called Post. Not everyone has friends who can afford that but I see the seed as the kind of friend that can."

If it sounds like you fit the bill, check out the website and let us know how it went.