One of the region's most widely celebrated photographic festivals has continued to prove its viability to the City of Ballarat, reaping the highest funding in the council's annual grants report 2021-22.
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Ballarat International Foto Biennale, which will mark its 10th anniversary later this year, first came to the region in 2009.
Since its inception, the council has backed the premiere event which has showcased the works of big-named local and international talents including Kristoffer Paulsen and Linda McCartney.
In the council's report, the city cemented its ongoing partnership with the Ballarat International Foto Biennale, awarding them $200,000 in the past financial year.
This money forms part of the council's Strategic Partnership program which will see $250,000 in cash support delivered to the arts entity per annum up until June 30, 2024.
In an article published last month by The Courier, Ballarat mayor Des Hudson said the biannual photography exhibition had contributed to notable visitation and economic return for the region.
"In 2019 the festival had significant growth attracting more than 37,800 visitors, with 71 per cent of these visitors from outside Ballarat; and despite the challenges of presenting events during 2021, the Biennale brought more than 26,000 visitors to experience, taste, sip and explore the city through photography," Cr Hudson said.
Other top grant recipients included Ballarat Basketball ($126,000) and Commerce Ballarat ($110,000).
Both groups, like the Ballarat International Foto Biennale, are part of long-standing relationships the council established several years prior.
For Ballarat Basketball, its affiliation with the City first began in 2017 when the council moved a motion to approve funding of $75,000 per annum for three years.
This was then followed up with a Strategic Partnership program in 2020 to run until 2023 valued at $106,000 per annum as well as a dual event grant of $20,000 per annum.
The council noted the sports body, which has been "a major promoter of visitors to Ballarat and the economy through sports tourism", had been a key facilitator in supporting a number of community activities such as the Ballarat Healthy living program and the Sudanese leadership program.
Similarly, Commerce Ballarat, a business championing the voices of various operators in the region, was first set to receive funding when the city signed off on a Strategic Partnership program in 2018 of $110,000 for three years.
The council then went on to engage in a funding agreement in April last year with Commerce Ballarat. This will see a total $227,150 given to the group until June 30, 2024.
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A total of $1.46 million to more than 60 organisations through three different grant streams were awarded over the 2021-22 period. It was also highlighted those operating in the events sector received the most funding, followed by infrastructure and asset management and then sporting-related entities.
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Malvika Hemanth
Malvika has a strong interest in covering stories on welfare, cost of living pressures and the arts. She works on the unceded lands of the Wadawurrung people and pays her respect to elders past, present and emerging.
Malvika has a strong interest in covering stories on welfare, cost of living pressures and the arts. She works on the unceded lands of the Wadawurrung people and pays her respect to elders past, present and emerging.
