Image by Michelle Chong aka Mei Yan Photography.
The Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarships offer talented young artists (aged 21-35 at the closing date) the chance to explore, study and develop their artistic gifts through travelling either interstate and/or overseas.
In 2024, the scholarships will provide financial support for the disciplines of acting, instrumental music, painting and poetry to help talented Australian artists achieve their dreams. In 2025, the scholarships will provide financial support for the disciplines of architecture, ballet, prose, sculpture and singing.
Scholarships are each worth $50,000, payable in quarterly instalments over two years.
John Chisholm Marten (1908 – 1966) was born in Kent, England and moved to Australia at a young age, residing in Sydney for his adult life. John Marten was a theatrical artist and well known for his appreciation and support of the arts community.
John was actively involved in many different art forms. He was trained in Spanish dancing and served in the merchant navy during the war. John also co-authored The Bali Ballet Murders with Cornelius Conyn, which was published in Australia, London and translated into Dutch and published in the Netherlands. (This novel can be found at the Mitchell Library A823/C768/IAI)
A strong advocate for the artistic capabilities of young Australians, John understood the costs involved in study and training programs and established The Marten Bequest through a charitable trust.
The scholarships are administered by the Creative Australia on behalf of Perpetual as trustee.
Who can apply
Individual artists who are:
Australian citizens
aged 21 – 35 at the closing date.
These are terms established by The Marten Bequest and there are no exceptions to this requirement.
All applicants should familiarise themselves with the terms and conditions of The Marten Bequest.
If you are an Australian citizen but will have difficulty providing a copy of a birth certificate, passport or citizenship certificate, please contact Artists Services.
Who can’t apply
You can’t apply for a scholarship if:
you have an overdue grant report
you owe money to Creative Australia
you were previously awarded a grant through The Marten Bequest.
What you can apply for
In 2024, we will support scholarships for the following disciplines:
Acting
Instrumental music
Painting
Poetry.
Scholarship funds can be used to assist with study programs, professional training courses and mentor programs in Australia and overseas. You may also participate in online opportunities. However, the majority of the scholarship funds should support travel to access those opportunities.
Scholarships are paid in quarterly instalments over two years. Your application should include a program of activities that take place between June 2024 and June 2025.