Informit is delighted to reveal the successful recipients of this year’s 2024 First Peoples’ Lens Cultural Fund, which is dedicated to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander projects in research and innovation, that prioritise digital knowledge dissemination.
Laki Sideris, Informit’s Head of Product, remarked on the high calibre of applicants this year, stating, “We received an influx of outstanding applications; the quality and diversity of applications was impressive. It is great to see so many innovative, worthwhile and impactful projects led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander scholars and communities.”
With the guidance of our First Peoples’ Lens Steering Committee, Informit has selected three projects to support including a new journal of Australian Indigenous Literature, a database of Indigenous-led academic resources, and the development of a publication celebrating independent Indigenous screen culture:
- Dr Eugenia Flynn, RMIT University – Establishment of a New Journal of Australian Indigenous Literature ($10,000)
Dr Flynn’s project aims to create a new journal that will focus on publishing works by First Peoples writers and scholars. The journal will include:
– Scholarly peer-reviewed articles about Australian Indigenous literature, text, and creative writing.
– Writing by First Peoples such as essays, poetry, fiction, memoir, life writing, reviews, criticism, and interviews.
- Dr Summer May Finlay, University of Wollongong – Development of a Curated Database of Indigenous-Led Academic Resources ($14,000)
Dr Finlay and team will develop a strengths-based, centralised, Indigenous-curated database. It will involve the creation of a set process and protocols to support and govern the selection and management of Indigenous-led resources, ensuring the database is robust, comprehensive, and widely accessible.
- Dr Jenny Fraser, cyberTribe – Development of a Publication Celebrating Independent Indigenous Screen Culture ($6,000)
Dr Fraser’s project will produce a publication that acknowledges Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and other Indigenous practitioners as innovators and critics within the broader context of Australian and International Screen Culture. This publication will feature a wide scope of screen practitioners, ranging from established voices to emerging talents.
Informit looks forward to collaborating with the recipients to support delivery of these remarkable projects. Watch this space for more updates on these initiatives throughout the year.
