Press Release from Acess Public Relations
Five of Australia’s top emerging creatives have won the British Council’s 2009 Realise Your Dream award and will travel to the UK for the chance of a lifetime to work with a leading mentor in their chosen field.
The five talented winners, all in the emerging stages of their career, were selected from almost 500 entries from across the country.
Sydney Theatre Company Directors Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton showed their support at the awards ceremony and outlined the importance of nurturing Australian artists and helping them to gain international experience through programs like Realise Your Dream.
The winners were:
- Sascha Ettinger-Epstein, filmmaker from Double Bay, NSW
- Mark Robinson, filmmaker from Potts Point, NSW
- Julian Day, sound artist/composer from O’Connor, ACT
- Timba Smits, designer/independent publisher from Richmond, VIC
- Lally Katz, playwright from Kew, VIC
Pictured left to right: Julian Day, Mark Robinson, Sascha Ettinger-Epstein, Lally Katz, Timba Smits
British Council’s Director Rebecca Matthews said: “The passion, commitment and energy exuded by this year’s winners was remarkable. I highly commend each on their outstanding work and ongoing contribution to the creative industries.”
To ensure winners gain invaluable work experience and mentoring, the British Council will tap into its strong network in the UK creative industries to help craft a tailored professional development program and open the doors winners need most to further their career.
Each winner will be flown to the UK by British Airways and receive an $8,000 NAB Cash Passport.
“NAB is committed to nurturing Australia’s creative talent and is proud to be supporting this year’s recipients of the British Council’s Realise Your Dream awards. We hope that the awards will encourage them to continue to strive towards creative excellence and inspire others in the same way,” said John Simpson, Strategic Adviser, Office of the CEO, NAB.
The 2009 Realise Your Dream entries were open to candidates in creative fields such as visual arts, fashion, design, advertising, architecture, music, animation, digital media, performing arts and computer games.
The scheme awards excellence in Australia’s creative industries by providing financial and professional support to help winners make lasting connections and expand their horizons in one of the world’s most vibrant cultural settings, the UK.
Realise Your Dream is a British Council initiative made possible by principal sponsor NAB, in association with British Airways, Stamford Hotels & Resorts, triple j, Access PR and The Glue Society.