Loudon Sainthill (1918–1969) was an Australian artist and stage and costume designer. Loudon was born in Hobart, Tasmania, and spent his early school years in Melbourne. Sainthill was greatly influenced by the theatre after seeing performances of Colonel W. de Basil’s Monte Carlo Russian Ballet in the late 1930s.

He was drawn to the colour and settings used on the stage, which was reflected in his first exhibition of paintings in Melbourne in 1939. That same year he travelled with the ballet company to London where Rex de Charembac Nan Kivell, director of the Redfern Gallery, successfully exhibited his paintings. Sainthill was mainly self-educated; his art studies at the Art School of the Melbourne Technical College lasted for a relatively short time.

Aim

Established through a bequest by his partner Harry Tatlock Miller (1913-1989), the Loudon Sainthill Memorial Scholarship Trust enables young Australian designers to study abroad. An exhibition of Loudon Sainthill’s paintings in London in 1973 helped to raise money for the scholarship.

The Scholarship is designed to support the international travel of a young Australian designer in hopes they are able to further their expertise in design. The amount awarded for the scholarship will be $7,500.

How to apply

Applications close on Friday 5 February 2021 at 5pm.

Applicants must:

- Be an Australian citizen currently based in Australia.

- Provide a copy of your up-to-date curriculum vitae that clearly shows every professional production you have worked on; include: year; the medium (eg. stage, film, TV); your contribution (designer, production designer, art director, set dresser, etc); area of work (set, costumes, props, dressing),the producer (theatre company, production house/producer); director of production.

An application form must be completed in full by each applicant. Each application must be accompanied by:

- an up-to-date comprehensive CV;

- a detailed proposal of your planned use of the Scholarship;

- an indication of when you would take up the Scholarship;

- while not required, should the applicant have a website, they are encouraged to provide the URL as part of their application.

Please email development@nida.edu.au if you have any question.

Download budget template

Complete application online

Selection

Once the application period is closed, the Selection Panel will meet in NSW to consider applications, taking into consideration the opinion of referees where appropriate. Finalists applicants will be asked to attend an interview in person or a digital interview, such as on zoom, if necessary.

The Committee may recommend the Scholarship not be awarded if, in their opinion, applications do not reach a standard worthy of the Scholarship. The Committee’s decision is final.

Payment date

The successful applicant will receive the Scholarship funds prior to the finalised date of departure. The funds must be used for travel and study beyond Australia within eighteen months of the award of the Scholarship, by October 2022 The successful applicant must seek in writing the Committee’s approval for any changes in the proposed use of the scholarship.

COVID impact on trip limitations

The committee will consider the recipient’s request to delay their travel overseas and extend the date of the travel if COVID travel restrictions in Australia apply. The revised travel plans and extension will need to be approved by the Panel Chair.