Watch out London: Labyrinth is coming to town
If you were one of the savvy audience members who caught Labyrinth during Horizon 2023, congratulations – your creative radar took you to the beginning of what is about to become a worldwide sensation.
Born in Nambour at the studio of LJProjects and choreographed by Chloe Keating, this dance-theatre work transforms libraries and bookshops into performance spaces, blending movement and storytelling in ways that surprise and delight.
It’s also a story of what happens when talent, hard work and creative vision receive the right mix of backing and support.
Regional Arts Development Fund
Labryinth is one of seven successful projects to receive funding during the September 2025 Regional Arts Development Fund grant round.
Council is investing more than $54k to back projects that will not only enrich our region’s cultural heartbeat but also give local artists the tools and opportunities to thrive professionally
Sunshine Coast Council Strong Community Portfolio Councillor David Law said arts funding supported the ideation, development and progression of local art.
“Nurturing local talent and providing support to independent artists at pivotal moments enables the creation of bold, thought-provoking experiences for communities locally and beyond,” Cr Law said.
“As we strengthen our creative ecology and help cultivate our creative regional identity as a place where artists live and create extraordinary work, we take another step toward achieving our vision to have a ‘Sunshine Coast alive with arts, culture and creativity’.”
From Nambour to London
First commissioned by Sunshine Coast Council for Horizon Festival 2023, Labyrinth drew audience acclaim and went on to receive a Regional Arts Development Fund grant in 2024 for further refinements.
In 2025, it wowed crowds at Adelaide Fringe and attracted interest from UK producers.
Now, Labyrinth is about to take its next exciting step as LJ Projects secures a second Regional Arts Development Fund grant for mentorship.
Melissa Lanham said she would use the funding to work with an international touring strategist to position Labyrinth for a UK season.
“This mentorship gives us the tools and pathways to take Labyrinth to international audiences, while continuing to remount it locally,” Lanham said.
Award winning sculptor’s continued journey
Award winning visual artist Megan Robinson was also successful in the September 2025 grants round and will spend six months developing Confinement, an immersive installation exploring the social forces that shape women’s lives.
Megan, recently crowned ‘Sculptor of the year’ in local art prize ‘Sculpture on the Edge’, said funding would allow her to continue the exploration of her complex handmade wire sculptures.
“During this next development stage, I’ll work with lighting and sound collaborators and experiment with scale, shadow and domestic soundscapes to create a sensory experience that invites reflection and conversation,” Ms Robinson said.
“I’m looking to expand my installation technically and conceptually, to deepen audience engagement with themes of womanhood and care.
“My work is very personal and is a way for me to get to know and understand myself better.
“This work is about my experiences regarding the female condition and what it means to be a woman, mother and wife today, drawing on my past experiences as well as woman’s story historically.
“I am also very environmentally conscious, so I use mainly free, reclaimed, recycled materials.
“There’s enough stuff in the world and I don’t want to create at the expense of the environment, so I avoid buying new art supplies as best I can, instead using what others discard.”
Follow their progress
Updates will be shared via ArtsCoast and Sunshine Coast Council channels as these projects evolve.
September 2025 Regional Arts Development Fund grant projects
Council will invest $54,268 across seven projects in the September 2025 Regional Arts Development Fund grant round:
1. Megan Elizabeth Robinson, further research and development of Confinement (working title), Visual Arts, $7,988 funded.
2. Nicole Voevodin-Cash, MURmer, Interdisciplinary, $15,000 funded.
3. Mieke van den Berg, Synapse: Immersive Light Sculpture, Visual Arts, $15,000 funded.
4. Lynda Page-Bickley, Mentorship with Michael Leeworthy, Cultural Development (Artists working with communities), $5,000 funded.
5. Melissa Lanham, Labyrinth, Dance, $2,280 funded.
6. Karen [REN] Jeske, Ceramic Mentorship Residency, Interdisciplinary, $4,000 funded.
7. Petalia Humphreys, Digital Literacy Development with Helena Papageorgiou, Digital Arts, $5,000 funded.
Want to apply?
RADF grants are available in two categories:
Arts projects
Major Projects (up to $15,000): two rounds per year – applications close March and September.
Small Grants (up to $3,000): rolling fund until fully expended.
Artist development
Mentorship (up to $5,000): two rounds per year – applications close March and September.
Professional Development (up to $1,500): rolling fund until fully expended.
To read more about the grants program and sign up for updates, visit Sunshine Coast Council’s website.
RADF is a partnership between the Queensland Government, through Arts Queensland and Sunshine Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
