Bluey gets to play as federal arts funding unleashed

Melbourne will enjoy a big theatrical adaptation of hit children's TV show Bluey, thanks to a $1.9 million federal government grant announced on Monday.

The cartoon blue heeler joins 48 productions to share in a $20m cash splash to restart the devastated arts sector - Victoria's slice of the $60m federal RISE funding announced last week.

A scene from hit children's TV show Bluey.

Other grant winners include Melbourne Theatre Company, which will get almost $1.2m to stage three new Australian works, the city's big new RISING arts festival which gets almost $1.5m for four large-scale projects at next year's inaugural event, and the Michael Cassel Group which will use its $970,000 to restart Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and present other major international musicals yet to be revealed.

Malthouse Theatre gets $550,000 for a new year-round "flexible performance hub", Melbourne Fringe will use its $275,000 for next year's festival, and Grande Experiences – creator of The Lume digital art gallery which opens with an immersive Van Gogh show next year – gets $705,000.

Federal arts minister Paul Fletcher said the grants were an important step in securing the long-term sustainability of cultural and creative organisations in Victoria.

The 48 projects would "support the creation" of more than 13,000 jobs, he said.

"It also brings enjoyment and recreation to audiences – which has never been more important than right now," he said.

Bluey’s Big Play is presented by BBC Studios and Andrew Kay in association with QPAC's Out Of The Box and Windmill Theatre Co. It had been due to arrive at the Arts Centre this month as part of an Australian tour, which was postponed three times due to the pandemic.

"It's a huge relief," Kay said. "Without this funding the tour just could not proceed."

The team had been just one week into production in March before everything shut down. The cast began rehearsals last week in Adelaide and flew to Melbourne and then Canberra to continue rehearsals to try to avoid another lockdown.

Kay said the funding would help create a second cast, crew and set necessary for a COVID-safe tour, which he hopes to take to every major city and regional centre in Australia in coming years.

MTC co-chief executive Virginia Lovett said the funding announcement, along with the loosening of restrictions as Victoria continues to suppress the pandemic, makes it "feel like we've turned the corner".

"This is a significant investment and will have an enormous impact," she said of the announcement. "We can move forward with our 2021 season planning with confidence. It's a real game-changer – I'm thrilled."

The money will pay for the writing, production and performance of three new Australian works employing more than 200 people, almost two-thirds of whom will be new roles.

"We feel more than ever our role is to invest in new Australian works, and invest in the future," she said. "Our artists have made huge sacrifices over the last nine months, it's been a seismic trauma for the company."

Details of the shows will be announced next year and the first should be staged mid-2021. The company is due to announce some of its 2021 season next month, but it still waiting for clarity on when it will be allowed to fit a big enough audience into a theatre to make productions viable.

RISING co-artistic director Gideon Obarzanek said the funding would allow the creation of "major new projects employing over thousand artists, creatives and industry professionals".

Fringe creative director and chief executive Simon Abrahams said their slice of the funding will support their 2021 festival.

"It will be about getting back in venues in a safe way, and supporting artists to make work after what has been an extraordinarily challenging year," he said.