Award-Winning Magician Matt Tarrant to Mentor Adelaide Fringe Artist

One lucky South Australian artist will have the opportunity to be funded and mentored by an award-winning Adelaide Fringe artist as they prepare to put on a show in the 2019 Adelaide Fringe.

The opportunity is thanks to a new grant created through a generous donation of $2,000 from Matt Tarrant given to the Adelaide Fringe Artist Fund. It is the single-largest donation ever given the to the Adelaide Fringe Artist Fund.

Thanks to the donation, the Adelaide Fringe has introduced the Matt Tarrant Young Performer Grant as part of its suite of support offered through the Adelaide Fringe Artist Fund. Since its inception in 2014, dozens of Australian artists have received grants from the Adelaide Fringe Artist Fund to present work in the Adelaide Fringe and many of the supported shows have gone on to tour the world.

Tarrant is a successful SA-based artist and magician who over the past eight years has performed to sold-out crowds at Adelaide Fringe and across Australia. Winning multiple Adelaide Fringe awards, he has become one of the highest-selling acts in the festival. The South Australian recipient will be given $2,000 as well as up to 12 months mentoring from Tarrant, as they work towards presenting a show in the 2019 Adelaide Fringe.

Adelaide Fringe Director and CEO Heather Croall said the Fringe was over the moon with Tarrant's generous donation and that the organisation is always looking for new ways to support artists.

"We take our responsibility to foster new Australian talent very seriously and this latest grant thank to the extremely generous donation from Matt Tarrant is yet another way that we're able to do just that," Ms Croall said.

"Peer support among artists is something we definitely encourage. Being able to learn from the trials and tribulations of an artist who has experienced success at the Adelaide Fringe will be invaluable to an artist who is starting out or wants to take their show to the next level."

Tarrant said he was looking forward to sharing the lessons learned from his 10 years' experience in the entertainment industry, and he hoped the Grant would encourage other established artists to help emerging acts realise their potential.

"When I first began I found most local magicians not only kept their tricks a secret but also their business knowledge. I wanted to change that and ensure our young performers get the mentoring and support they need from an experienced performer so they don't have to experience as many challenges as I did," Tarrant said.

Applications are encouraged in all art forms, and ambitious proposals delivering daring and diverse contemporary art for new audiences will be looked upon favourably.

The financial support of $2000 will be able to be used to offset some of the costs associated with putting on a Fringe show including venue/equipment hire, marketing, publicity, costumes, materials and fees for artists, technical staff and/or administration.

Applications are open until Monday, April 30, at 5pm (ACST). For more information about the Matt Tarrant Young Performer Grant, visit adelaidefringe.com.au.

Applications for all other annual grants to the Adelaide Fringe Artist Fund will open later in the year. The 2019 Adelaide Fringe will run from February 15 to March 17.

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