The development of professional skills across the spectrum of new media practice is the main focus of grants recently awarded by the Australia Council’s (OzCo) New Media Arts Board (NMAB). Under the grants more than $876,000 was distributed in the categories of Presentation and Promotion, Skills and Arts Development, Fellowships, Young and Emerging Artists Initiatives, Key Organisations, and National Residencies. The Council notes that through 'exciting' artist residencies, such as the Choreographic Centre in Canberra and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Listening Room residency, the NMAB is playing a major role in the establishment and further development of new media arts practice. Chair of the NMAB, Michael Snelling, has commented that the high quality and breadth of work proposed in the latest funding round 'translates into a growing acceptance of interdisciplinary practice with more and more artists experimenting with hybrid new media arts.' These collaborations, he notes, are generally across artforms or with professionals from fields such as science and engineering. Snelling has also commented that the NMAB is excited by the number of new artists being drawn out by its 'Run-Way' – Young and Emerging Artists Initiative, which approved 15 proposals from emerging artists for self-directed professional development programs; many involving participation at international festivals, conferences or symposia. Further information on the NMAB is online at; www.ozco.gov.au/newmediaarts/index.htm. A full list of all recipients, fellowships, residencies and emerging artists is available at; www.ozco.gov.au/newmediaarts/assessment.html