“Home-grown conductors – Australia needs ‘em!” Christopher Lawrence tells us about the inaugural program, which is one of four new fellowships offered by Create NSW.

The groups are just two of the recipients of Create NSW’s Play the City initiative, which is helping artists put on COVID-Safe concerts in the centre of Sydney.

New initiatives from Ensemble Offspring, Pinchgut Opera and Strange Bedfellows are among the recipients.

Create NSW and the ABC have also announced support packages, while the City of Melbourne has announced the first of its successful grant recipients and Queensland's HOTA announces newly funded projects.

Naseema Sparks will Chair the Classical Music Board while Opera Australia CEO Rory Jeffes heads up the Opera, Musical Theatre & Chorus Board.

The overhauled process will see funding recommendations made by Artform Assessment Boards chosen by the Arts Minister, in a move that has sparked heated debate in the industry.

With the NSW government and opposition both voicing their support for the venue's reopening, we speak to Trafalger's Tim McFarlane about what happens next.

Relocation to the Sydney Town Hall means the orchestra will no longer need the $1 million grant, which embroiled the orchestra in a funding controversy earlier this year.

Kendall Feaver, whose debut work The Almighty Sometimes received international accolades and critical acclaim, has been awarded a $15,300 commission for a new play.

NAVA Executive Director Esther Anatolitis has called for the money, which was diverted to a ‘special project’ by the Arts Minister, to be returned to artists immediately.

Minister Don Harwin ignored independent advice, redirecting funds to a ‘special project’, according to an investigation by the ABC.

Emerging and established artists across a range of disciplines have been given the resources to pursue and develop their careers.