Awards

$1000 provided to each eligible artist, assessed monthly. The total pool of financial support available is dependent on fundraising currently underway. REQUEST SUPPORT HERE

TNA is pleased to announce Natano Fa’anana as winner of the 2020 TNA SMASH Bursary!

Natano is Co-Founder and Creative Director of Casus Circus. Natano’s unique style of performance draws inspiration from his Samoan roots, creating artistry unique to his values: accessibility, culture, quality and diversity. His commitment to campaign for greater diversity on the contemporary circus stage is a driving force and well reflected in his works to date.

Awarded annually to one recipient per year from 2018 to 2022, the bursary recognises both the existing and potential contribution of an outstanding Australian-based Independent Artist or Producer to the performing arts sector. Offering cash and mentorship, the award is a small gesture to acknowledge that these vital contributions are often a result of many unpaid hours.

We are thrilled to announce that the 2019 SMASH bursary will be awarded to Alex Desebrock.

Alex is the director of her own Independent Company called Maybe ( ) Together, working primarily in the area of theatre for young audiences, and she is based in Perth, WA. As well as her company, she runs a semi-regular gathering for independent artists in the Perth region, called Flock, and has undertaken advocacy on behalf of her peers, for example a version of the UK artist Bryonny Kimmings, You Show Me Yours, sharing information about earnings and conditions in the independent performing arts. Alex has been a long-time, active member of TNA and regular participant at TNA gatherings.

This award acknowledges the many unpaid hours she spends, not only in her own artistic work, but in the pursuit of a fairer sector for independent artists, the most vulnerable part of the sector. We hope it might inspire her to keep up her work and continue to mentor the next generation of independent leaders such as herself.

Awarded annually to one recipient per year from 2018 to 2022, the bursary is open to Australian-based Independent Artists or Producers to recognise existing and potential contribution to the sector. TNA acknowledges that these vital contributions are often a result of many unpaid hours engaging with the broader performing arts sector. 

Designed in honour of TNA founding board members Simon Abrahams (Chair) and Alice Nash (Deputy Chair), this bursary encourages and enables a break-through independent artist or producer to continue adding their voice to the Australian performing arts sector.

Dance Award for Production
plenty serious TALK TALK

Contemporary & Experimental Performance Award for Circus
Party Ghost – Poached Eggs & Asparagus

Dance Award for Production
Overture (Arts House and Jo Lloyd)

Contemporary & Experimental Performance Award for Circus
End Grain (Skye Gellman) (TIE) Hell is Other People (Jess Love, Love is the Drug, Melba Spiegeltent and Circus Oz)

Contemporary & Experimental Performance – Community Collaboration
WINNER: Body of Work (Congress, Coming Back Out Ball, Fun Run) – All the Queens Men 

Direction – Independent Theatre
WINNER: Stephen Nicolazzo – The Happy Prince (Little Ones Theatre in association with La Mama)

Innovation in Experimental Performance – Contemporary and Experimental Performance
WINNER: Imagined Touch, Jodee Mundy Collaborations (Arts House)

Sincerely Survivor, Grace Dance Company

The Crying Room, Marcus McKenzie

Supported by TNA CaPT Initiative
Harley Mann – Social Staples

DOG SHOW

Supported by TNA CaPT Initiative
Annalise Moore & Andre Augustus – No Frills Cabaret

The Very Good Looking Initiative – Let’s Get Practical! Live

Full House
Jackob Maddocks, Edward Greene, Lewis Stanley, Amber Davies, Cameron Gergely

Finite by Split Second Theatre
Paddy Robinson, Sienna Bontempelli, Liam Dawson, Natalie Parker, Nicole Esposito and Nadia Sirninger-Rankin

Like Dust by Rough Conduct Theatre
Kyle Wright, Jarrad Evison-Rose, Chelsea Crosby, Sarah Hartnell and Darcy McGaw

50 years of food protection you can trust
Ciara Bailli, Mathew Charles, Aidan Niarros and Olivia Fisher

Winner: Marina Gellman and Lisa Goldsworthy of Point and Flex Circus