Jennifer Davidson Creative Endowment

Credit: Hannah Todd

Supported by Andrew and Neil Davidson

Now
Incursion

An annual, year-long placement program for a Tasmanian artist
Next opportunity available in early 2025

Impact

Established to create pathways for emerging Tasmanian creatives at Terrapin
Three artists have participated in the program since 2022

A person stands in a workshop, this workshop has black and white tiles, they stand over a table wearing a face mask. — Peter Mathew

two people rugged up in a workshop, one is teaching the other and demonstrating an action — Peter Mathew

Founded by Andrew and Neil Davidson, the Jennifer Davidson Creative Endowment supports an emerging creative to join the Terrapin team for 12 months, gaining hands-on experience and training.

Designed to benefit both Terrapin and the artist, the Endowment is a long-term project for building capacity in the Tasmanian performing arts sector.

Since 2022, three artists have worked with us through the Endowment: makers Greta Jean and Mads Hillam, and director Sarah Hamilton. They’ve all continued to work for Terrapin since, boosting our skills pool and the experience available in the Tasmanian industry.

We’ll be planning for our next placement in early 2025 - stay tuned.

The Endowment is named for Jennifer Davidson, Terrapin’s founding artistic director. A designer and puppet-maker, Jennifer created many of the company’s early puppets and established the company’s flagship Tasmanian schools touring program.

For me, [puppet-making] is really this meeting of storytelling with sculpture, and I still get the same reaction watching puppets moving now as I did watching them move for the first time.

– Mads Hillam