Two Melbourne-born artists are among the eight to be recognised for their long-standing contribution to the arts at the Australia Council Awards.
Classical musician Brett Dean is the recipient of the Don Banks Music Award. Dean joined the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as a violinist in 1984 and is juggling residencies all over the world, including with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Winning the Australia Council Award is "an extremely moving sense of acknowledgement," says Dean, who spends the majority of his time in Germany when he isn't travelling for work. 
Looking back on her 30-year career, Melbourne choreographer Lucy Guerin used her Australia Council Dance Award as "an important moment to reflect on all those people who have influenced and inspired me."
Among her many achievements, Guerin can name choreographing for Mikhail Baryshnikov and establishing her own dance company Lucy Guerin Inc as highlights.
Along with three other choreographers, Guerin has just presented a work for the Lyon Opera Ballet at Theatre de la Ville in Paris, and is currently restaging another of her works in Malmo, Sweden. "It's truly a great thrill and honour to be recognised in this way," she said in a statement.
The full list of 2016 Australia Council Awards recipients are David Malouf AO, winning an award for lifetime achievement in literature; Victorian musician Brett Dean; indigenous artist Richard Bell; Western Australia's Kelli McCluskey ; choreographer Lucy Guerin; artistic director of award-winning Queensland circus troupe Circa Yaron Lifschitz; and community arts award recipients Lily Shearer and Nathan Stoneham .
The awards are not based on any project but are a recognition of each winner's contribution to their field of arts. Winners take home between $10,000 and $25,000 each.