Marten Bequest

{{use dmy dates|date=May 2022}} {{use Australian English|date=May 2022}} The '''Marten Bequest''' is an Australian charitable trust, from which scholarships are awarded by the Australia Council for the Arts on behalf of the trustee, Perpetual Limited. The scholarships are known as the '''Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarship''' or just '''Marten Bequest Scholarship'''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Marten Bequest ScholarshipS |url=https://australiacouncil.gov.au/investment-and-development/the-marten-bequest-scholarships/ |access-date=14 July 2023 |website=Australia Council}}</ref> The trust was formed from the estate of '''John Chisholm Marten''' (1908–1966).

==John Marten== John Chisholm Marten (1908–1966),{{efn|UK General Register Office records his name thus at birth, July–September quarter, 2008, Dartford district.}} who used Jon Marten as his stage and pen name, was born in the county of Kent, England, migrating to Australia at a young age and living in Sydney for most of his adult life. He trained in Spanish dancing in Spain, before returning to Britain to serve in the merchant navy during World War II. He took up dancing again with Californian dancer Doris Nile,<ref>{{Cite journal | title=Spanish dance|journal =Pix | publisher=Associated Newspapers Limited | volume= 25 |issue= 8 | date= 19 August 1950 | url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-468508692/view?sectionId=nla.obj-482710810&partId=nla.obj-468605370#page/n19/mode/1up| issn=0032-0390 |id=nla.obj-389050162| via= Trove}}</ref> and appeared in a royal gala performance at the Tivoli Theatre, Sydney, in 1954.<ref>{{cite web | title=Royal Gala Performance, 6 February 1954 | website=AusStage | url=https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/102992 | access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref> when Queen Elizabeth II visited Australia.<ref>{{Citation | title=Royal Gala Performance (6 February 1954 - 6 February 1954) [Event Description] | publication-date=1954 | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/228806152 | access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref> His career was as a performing artist.<ref name=cr/>

Marten co-wrote ''The Bali Ballet Murders'' with Cornelius Conyn,<ref>{{Citation | author1=Conyn, Cornelius | author2=Marten, Jon | title=The Bali ballet murder | publication-date=1961 | publisher=Harrap | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/34647527 | access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref> which was published in Australia, London and also translated into Dutch and published in the Netherlands. He was also known for his philanthropy and support of the arts.<ref name=cr>{{cite web | title=Emerging Australian artists in line for increased $50,000 Marten Bequest scholarships in 2017 | date=13 March 2017 | url=https://australiacouncil.gov.au/investment-and-development/the-marten-bequest-scholarships/ | access-date=9 May 2022}}</ref>

Marten established the trust in order to help young creative artists in several disciplines to pay for their training and study programs.<ref name=cr/>

==History== The first scholarships were awarded in 1975, when three scholarships were awarded, for ballet, singing and instrumental music.<ref name=winners>{{cite web | title=Recipients of our co-investment opportunities | website=Australia Council for the Arts | date=18 October 2021 | url=https://australiacouncil.gov.au/about-us/partnerships-and-co-investing-with-us/recipients-of-our-co-investment-opportunities/ | access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref>

In 2013, the scholarships were worth {{AUD|20,000}} each, awarded in nine categories, bring the total prize pool to {{AUD|220,000}}.<ref name=ga2013>{{cite web | last=Noble | first=Kelly | title=$220k worth of scholarships to be announced on Facebook | website=Glam Adelaide | date=20 February 2013 | url=https://glamadelaide.com.au/220k-worth-of-scholarships-to-be-announced-on-facebook/ | access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref> In 2017, there were 12 scholarships across six categories on offer, worth a total of A$600,000.<ref name=mn2017>{{cite web | last=Lochrie | first=Conor | title=Applications open for The Marten Bequest scholarships | website=The Music Network | date=13 March 2017 | url=https://themusicnetwork.com/applications-open-for-the-marten-bequest-scholarships/ | access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref> Perpetual Limited has been the trustee since 2014.<ref name=mn2017/>

==Scholarships== Administered by the Australia Council, the trust operates as a scholarship fund for various types of creators in the arts, including acting, architecture, ballet, instrumental music, painting, poetry, prose, sculpture and singing. Open to Australian citizens aged between 21 and 35 (or 17–35 for ballet), {{as of|2022| lc=yes}} the scholarships are worth {{AUD|50,000}}, and are paid over two years in instalments.<ref name=cr/><ref name=aar2022>{{cite web | title=Prized scholarships to help young artists develop creative talents | website=Australian Arts Review | date=25 May 2022 | url=https://artsreview.com.au/prized-scholarships-to-help-young-artists-develop-creative-talents/ | access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref>

The number of recipients has varied each year.<ref name=winners/> In 2022 there were seven winners.<ref>{{cite web | title=Architect receives $50k travelling prize | website=Architecture Australia | date=31 May 2022 | url=https://architectureau.com/articles/architectural-recipient-named-for-marten-bequest-travelling-scholarship/ | access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Vucic awarded $50k Marten Bequest scholarship | website=Books+Publishing | date=30 May 2022 | url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2022/05/30/214871/vucic-awarded-50k-marten-bequest-scholarship/ | access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref>

==Selected winners== Many notable Australian creatives have won Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarships, including:

*Helen Lochhead (1982), architect *Wendy Sharpe (1986), painter *Tim Winton (1987), writer<ref name=winners/> *Bronwyn Oliver (1989), sculptor *Susan Lyons (1992), actress<ref name=winners/> *Robert Clinch (1993), painter<ref name=winners/> *Delia Falconer (1997), writer<ref name=winners/> *Suneeta Peres da Costa (2002), writer<ref name=winners/> *Rachael Coopes (2004), actress<ref name=winners/><ref name=atyp>{{cite web|title=Australian Theatre for Young People: Rachael Coopes|url=https://www.atyp.com.au/about/alumni/rachael-coopes-0|website=Australian Theatre for Young People|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810115351/https://www.atyp.com.au/about/alumni/rachael-coopes-0| archive-date=10 August 2014}}</ref> *Anthony White (2007), painter<ref name=winners/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://anthonywhite.art/AWARD-The-Marten-Bequest-Travelling-Scholarship|title=Award - The Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarship|website=Anthony White}}</ref> *Eryn Jean Norvill (2015), actress<ref name=winners/><ref>{{cite web | last=Jefferson | first=Dee | title=Portrait of an artist: The making, unravelling and reinvention of Eryn Jean Norvill| website=ABC News| publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=7 May 2022 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-07/eryn-jean-norvill-picture-of-dorian-gray-stc/101030946 | access-date=9 May 2022}}</ref> * Abdul Abdullah (2021), painter<ref name=winners/> *Dženana Vucic (2022), writer

A full list of past winners can be found on the Creative Australia website.<ref name=winners/> ==Footnotes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Marten Bequest}}

Category:1975 establishments in Australia