Amy Hetherington to perform at Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Government grant funding is helping one Territorian’s fringe dreams come true – alongside helping other artists realise their projects.

Amy Hetherington. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

A dozen artists have benefited from hundreds of thousands in funding thanks to the Territory government’s grant funding towards arts projects.

The recipients spanned from the Top End to the Red Centre, and included comedians, theatre makers, musicians, and more.

Among the recipients was Amy Hetherington, who received funding to take her comedy show ‘Juggle’ to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Ms Hetherington said she’d renamed her show ‘an Aussie guide to keeping a toddler alive’ to better align with her northern hemisphere audiences, in what has always been a “bucket list” experience for her since she started comedy.

“It always felt a little bit too big or a little bit too far away,” she said on making it to Edinburgh Fringe.

“But this year, I decided it was time to have a go … I’m stoked for the opportunity and whatever kind of happens there, happens there.”

Ms Hetherington said she will depart for Scotland in August, with her first show happening on August 17.

“I think I’m going to have a really great run of shows with some lovely audiences, which is bit of a privilege for somebody from Darwin,” she said.

In the Red Centre, Katie Harder secured funding to develop an alternative folk EP with nine other artists at the ‘sound pit’ – the only female owned music studio in Alice Springs.

Other recipients included musicians the Ripple Effect Band, James Peter Mangohig and Andrew Grimes.

Betty Sweetlove, Sean Pardy, Ashleigh Musk, Sandra Thibodeaux and Gretel Bull all received funding for performing arts projects, while Mikaila Rodgers got funding for a project called Showcasing glaze: an investigation into ceramic possibilities.

Arts, culture, and heritage minister Chansey Paech said the funding offered “vital support” for Territory artists and workers in the arts industry.

“These exciting projects, not only foster professional development, they enrich and strengthen the Territory’s arts and culture sector,” he said.

Originally published as Amy Hetherington to perform at Edinburgh Fringe Festival