Silo project in St Arnaud

Applications for the second round of the State Government’s Creative Activations Fund will prioritise projects in the Wimmera-mallee.

Applications will open in August, with first-round money allocated to more large-scale art in regional Victoria.

One of five projects the government has picked for funding involves St Arnaud, earmarked to become the next centre for silo art.

Artist Kyle Torney will paint a mural, reflecting the gold-mining history of St Arnaud – the town where six generations of his family has lived.

Fellow artist Jim Dvate will transform another silo, in Picola in northern Victoria, taking inspiration from wildlife of nearby Barmah National Park.

Artists will also create five open-air murals in Wedderburn, depicting the birdlife of the surrounding conservation area.

The fund is inspired by the success of Yarriambiack Shire’s Silo Art Trail, which has attracted thousands of visitors to the region.

The government has also provided money for a former Bendigo telephone exchange and neighbouring creekbank project, featuring neon artworks, street art and digital experiences and another project in Melbourne.

Regional Development Minister Jaclyn Symes said the projects helped ‘imagine a brighter future and more reasons to explore our regions’.

“They’ll provide a critical boost to economies and communities, kickstarting our visitor economy when it is safe to do so,” she said.