The Southern Highlands' arts industry has been given a boost ahead of a major international exhibition thanks to funding through the federal government’s arts and culture fund, Catalyst.

Federal Member for Hume, Angus Taylor, has welcomed a $180,090 grant to support the touring of Indigenous works being curated from the Southern Highlands for inclusion in the “Living Water” exhibition, part of a new Indigenous Art exhibition opening this year at the renowned Oceanographic Museum in Monaco.

Mr Taylor said locally-based curators were helping manage and curate this iconic showcase of Australian artists to a broad international audience.

“The Oceanographic Museum in Monaco is one of the leading maritime museums in Europe and a major destination for international tourists,” Mr Taylor said.

“The Government is pleased to be able to support some of the costs associated with the international touring of new Australian works in the “Living Water’ exhibition, an exhibition that will position Australian art and culture at the forefront of contemporary art.”

Senior curator, Dr Erica Izett, says the funding is a big boost to the project.

Dr Izett said the exhibition focused on the relationship between Aboriginal and Western ways of making art.

“In Aboriginal knowledge systems, both land and sea are country, and people are closely related to all that is in them. Further, their art and cosmology seek to account for the total human experience of being in the world,” Dr Izett said.

“The Living Waters exhibition aims to create a dialogue between Indigenous and Western knowledge production, their transcultural histories and ideas and thereby challenge existing understandings of Indigenous art.”

Minister for the Arts, Senator Mitch Fifield, said successful Catalyst projects would enhance the experience of and access to arts and culture across Australia.

He said more than 80 per cent of the projects supported in this latest round of funding had been awarded to small and medium arts organisations, with half of the activity occurring in regional and remote communities.

The Australian Government provides up to $12 million each financial year for Catalyst.

More information about eligibility and how to apply is available at www.arts.gov.au/catalyst or the Catalyst team can be contacted by email at catalyst@arts.gov.au or by phone on 1800 590 577.