Applications are now closed
Please direct enquiries to commissions@acmi.net.au
Applications are now closed for the third Mordant Family Moving Image Commission for Young Australian Artists.
The Mordant Family Moving Image Commission for Young Australian Artists, created in partnership with Professor Cav. Simon Mordant AO and Catriona Mordant AM, ACMI and John Allsopp from Web Directions, builds on the success of the Mordant Family VR Commission.
This commission resources artists under 35 years of age to undertake research, collaborate with experienced mentors and engage professional technicians or performers. ACMI will provide curatorial and production support to the successful project. This round of the commission provides $50,000 to support a project that references contemporary social, cultural or political issues with energy and originality and is open to artists working across a range of formats including film, video, interactive installation and mixed reality.
The successful artist or filmmaker will receive $50,000 to make a new screen-based work which will be exhibited at ACMI and enter the ACMI Collection. The winner also receives technical and production support from ACMI.
Applications closed at 5pm Sunday 5 November 2023
The 3rd Mordant Family Moving Image Commission supports projects
- by Australian artists under 35. Proof of citizenship or permanent residency may be required.
- by individual artists or artist collaborations.
- projects that are moving image centric and suitable for exhibition in ACMI’s Gallery 3.
- projects involving artists from across different disciplines or that incorporate different art forms are welcome, however the main outcome must be a moving image artwork.
- projects that address current social and political issues and/or concerns.
- ambitious moving image projects designed for exhibition in a gallery context. There are no restrictions on the duration of the work, or on the number of channels.
- projects that are ready to enter production in early 2024 and can be completed by February 2025. Artists need to be able to fully commit to the production period and it must be possible for ACMI to maintain regular contact throughout the production process.
Previous recipients
2021 recipient: Jason Phu
Leading Melbourne-based visual artist Jason Phu’s multi-disciplinary practice includes drawing, installation, painting and performance.
Phu’s work, Analects of Kung Phu: Book 1, The 69 Dialogues between the Lamp and the Shadow, reclaimed "wise" sayings from martial arts and Wuxia films and re-contextualised them into a contemporary "guide to life" which addresses current problems faced by individuals and society.
Analects of Kung Phu: Book 1, The 69 Dialogues between the Lamp and the Shadow was shown at ACMI on 2 Dec 2021 – 30 Jan 2022
2019 recipient: Stanislava Pinchuk
The recipient of the inaugural $80,000 Mordant Family Moving Image Commission for young artists is Stanislava Pinchuk. Pinchuk's project was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently in pre-production.
Pinchuk will premiere her work at ACMI and an edition will become part of our collection.
Eligibility – who can apply?
To apply, the artist must be
- under the age of 35 as of 1 January 2024
- born in Australia
- or an Australian citizen
- or living in Australia as an approved temporary resident for a minimum of two years, and/or a permanent resident of Australia.
The artist may be living in Australia or overseas as long as at least one of the above stated criteria are demonstrable.
Where the artwork is produced by an artist collective or collaboration, no less than fifty percent of the contributors must meet the above criteria.
The proposed work should be suitable for exhibition in a gallery space at ACMI. This includes
- being appropriate for display in public spaces and for a general audience
- being in intrinsically sound condition and reasonably resistant to deterioration in the routine operations of ACMI including display, packing and transportation.
The project must be delivered within 14 months. It should be ready to commence development in 2024 and delivered in February 2025.
- Artists need to be able to commit to the production period and it must be possible for the commissioning partners to maintain regular contact throughout the production process.
- We are not able to fund projects retrospectively.
Key dates
Monday 25 September 2023 Applications open
Sunday 5 November 2023 at 5pm Applications close
Monday 4 December 2023 Shortlisted artists interviewed
December 2023 Project commences
February 2025 Delivery deadline
Applications are now closed.
Enquiries
Please direct enquiries to commissions@acmi.net.au
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly does the winner receive?
The successful artist or filmmaker will receive $50,000 to make a new screen-based work which will be exhibited at ACMI and enter the ACMI Collection. The winner also receives technical and production support from ACMI.
What should I include in the budget?
You must ensure your budget realistically covers the cost of making the project and paying contributors appropriately, as there is no capacity for an increase in the Commission sum of $50,000.
ACMI will cover the cost of your project’s presentation where it includes standard audio-visual gallery equipment and infrastructure. These costs do not need to be included in the budget.
It is expected that commissioned artist(s) pay themselves an artist fee. The artist fee is not fixed, however this will be looked at in the context of the budget, the scale of the project, the amount of time you need to allocate to making the work and the number of roles you will be taking on as part of the project. It is recommended that the National Association for Visual Arts (NAVA) fee schedule is used as a guide. The commission funds cannot be spent on arts training, study or conferences.
Will the commissioned work be exhibited?
Yes. We envisage this exhibition to take place in ACMI’s Gallery 3 in March 2025, but this is subject to change.
What does Gallery 3 at ACMI look like?
View the Gallery 3 3D model and floorplan
Does the Work have to debut at ACMI?
Yes. The work will premiere at ACMI and should not have been shown elsewhere during its development.
Will there be another funding round?
This is the final round of this three-year commissioning program.
Can I reapply?
Yes. With the exception of previous winners, artists who have previously submitted applications are welcome to reapply.
How many proposals can I submit?
Applicants can only submit one proposal. You can however, submit one application as the principal artist and be included as a collaborator on another artist’s proposal.
When does the project have to be completed once receiving the Commission?
The project must be able to be completed within 14 months’ of receiving the Commission. The deadline for delivery is February 2025.
How will my application be assessed?
Applications will be assessed by a judging panel. This year, the panel will be made of Seb Chan, CEO ACMI, Keri Elmsly, Executive Director of Programming ACMI, Jenna Rain-Warwick, Curator ACMI, Professor Cav. Simon Mordant AO and John Allsopp, Web Directions, As part of the process, the shortlisted applicants will be invited for a zoom interview with the panel on the 4 December 2023 to discuss their project further.
Each application will be scored by the panel according to the following selection criteria:
- Quality and originality of the proposed screen-based work, as demonstrated in the project description
- Feasibility of the project, as demonstrated through the project budget and production schedule
- Artistic merit, as demonstrated through visual support material and CV
Can I get feedback on a project idea before I submit it?
ACMI’s curators can provide general advice on a project idea, but they will not read applications before they are submitted. Decisions regarding short-listed artists and winners are at the discretion of the judges.
Please direct enquiries to commissions@acmi.net.au
Proudly supported by Professor Cav. Simon Mordant AO and Catriona Mordant AM, John Allsopp (Web Directions) and ACMI
