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.
A list of previous recipients is available here.
For more information, visit creative.gov.au
