- Scholarships and Financial Assistance
- Academic Support
- Portland House Foundation Scholarships
- Annual Yvonne Cohen Award
The Wilin Centre provides support to Indigenous students and artists in a variety of ways:
- advice and advocacy regarding student allowances such as Abstudy, ATAS (Aboriginal Tutorial Assistance Scheme);
- promotion and development of Indigenous scholarships and grants;
- recruitment tours;
- housing, relocation, accommodation;
- referrals to specialist indigenous organisations;
- academic and personal advocacy;
- WOMIN JE KA Program;
- community access to VCA facilities.
The Wilin Centre provides information and support to Indigenous VCA students regarding scholarships and financial assistance to assist students during their time at the VCA. Interested applicants are advised to contact Celeste Liddle, Indigenous Liaison Officer on
+61 3 9685 9335 in September of each year.
Staff in the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development can provide advice on appropriate and relevant courses available; contact with the appropriate people within each School; tutorial assistance; preparation for auditions; portfolio presentations; Indigenous scholarships and grants informal and formal counselling and applications to the various Schools of the VCA. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the Wilin Centre in early July/August to avoid missing the application deadlines (depending on the School, applications close between August and mid November).
Abstudy can provide individuals who are interested in becoming a student at the VCA, with travel and accommodation assistance to investigate courses.
For more information please contact the Wilin Centre at the VCA.
Download Portland House Undergraduate Application Form
Download Portland House Undergraduate Terms & Conditions
Download Portland House Postrgraduate Application Form
Download Portland House Postgraduate Terms & Conditions
Applications open!
Cemented in its fourth year, the annual Yvonne Cohen Award for Creative Indigenous Australian Youth, is a national award offering $5000 to aid in the creative future potential of a talented young Indigenous Australian artist 30 years of age or younger.
This award empowers Indigenous Australian youth in pursuit of their creative endeavours and is auspiced by the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts & Cultural Development, Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts, The University of Melbourne. The late Yvonne Cohen was a successful non-Indigenous artist who bequest a significant amount of money toward the establishment and fostering of the award over the next twenty-five years. Ms Cohen lived a large part of her life on Timara Island, North Queensland.
Each year the trustee of the Yvonne Cohen Award, Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin, bestows this significant financial encouragement to one individual, enabling them to continue and enhance their artistic work. Former winners are singer/songwriter Kerrianne Cox of Beagle Bay, visual artist Lisa Michl of Cairns and Mark Coles-Smith of Broome.
• A growth of artistic and/or creative ability
• Artistic and/or community leadership
• Evidence of positive achievements in the Arts
WHO MAY NOMINATE
Nominations will be accepted from organisations and individuals. This award is open to Indigenous Australian people 30 years or under. Applicants must be nominated by an organisation or individual, and cannot nominate themselves.
WHAT YOU SHOULD SUBMIT
Nominations should comprise:
• A CV of the nominee including birth date and contact details
• A letter from the nominator addressing one or more of the above selection criteria
• Two letters of support/recommendation (in addition to the nomination letter) from colleagues, peers and/or community members.
• One type of supporting material – photographs, slides, VHS cassette, CD, audiocassette, CD Rom, DVD.
Download the Yovnne Cohen Award Flyer
(includes selection criteria and terms and conditons)
Nominations close 8 August 2008 and should be sent to:
Yvonne Cohen Award
C/- The Wilin Centre
Victorian College of the Arts
234 St Kilda Rd Southbank Vic 3006
Further Enquiries:
Michelle Evans. Head of the Wilin Centre
Phone+ 61 3 9685 9345
Email: m.evans [at] vca.unimelb.edu.au
Media Enquiries/images:
Kate Munro, Communications
Email: k.munro [at] vca.unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 9685 9324