The State Government and the Australian Government are equal partners in the $9.35 million Queensland component of the national $49.5 million Visual Arts and Craft Strategy (VACS) with each contributing $4.674 million to Queensland's contemporary visual arts and craft sector over the next four years.

VACS funding focuses on providing support to individuals, key organisations, Indigenous infrastructure and market development.

Seven small to medium arts organisations will receive more than $2 million over four years in VACS funding, including the Institute of Modern Art; Museum and Gallery Services Queensland; KickArts Contemporary Arts, in Cairns; and Umbrella Studios in Townsville.

VACS has set aside $1 million for the development of the annual Cairns Indigenous Art Fair to market the region as a hub for Far North Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art as part of Arts Queensland's Backing Indigenous Arts (BIA) initiative.

The Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT) will receive $660,000 over four years, with the next APT to be presented by the Queensland Art Gallery in 2009.

VACS funding will also help Queensland to expand its profile in international arts markets in North America, Europe and Asia.

The joint VACS initiative with the Australian Government was a proven success, effectively consolidating resources to benefit Queensland's arts industry and providing a national framework and profile for visual arts funding.

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We welcome feedback and contributions to Arts Update. Please contact the editor, Colleen Turner on (07) 3225 8841 or email artsupdate@arts.qld.gov.au