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Media Release

18 December 2008

Regional Arts Fund delivers 22 major new projects

   $326,000 in funding for new projects across regional NSW in 2009

 

Regional Arts New South Wales welcomes new arts funding from the Federal Government’s Regional Arts Fund, bringing into regional and remote communities in New South Wales a total of $326,215.

The money has been provided for 22 new projects to take place in regional, rural and remote NSW communities in 2009.

The list of successful applicants includes an array of projects in diverse art forms including circus, film and video as well as music, dance, visual arts and theatre. Communities right across the state – from Wilcannia in the far west, to Mullumbimby in the Northern Rivers, to Eurobodalla in the far south will benefit from this funding.

The CEO of Regional Arts NSW, Elizabeth Rogers commented that, “We welcome the renewal of the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, as it provides vital support for our regional and remote communities across NSW.”       

“This year’s projects were of a particularly high standard and includes nine groups who have accessed the Fund for the first time, two of which are from the remote towns of Walgett and Ivanhoe. Among the 22 projects funded in NSW are a number of projects for young people, four working with indigenous communities, two involving people with disabilities and three theatre projects.”

Examples of the projects funded include:                

• Outback Arts’ Connecting Marks and Country – a 24 week artist-in-residency program across 6 communities of the Far West region exploring local traditional indigenous art making practices and focussing on printmaking as the medium  for depicting patterns and ‘marks’ of the landscape.
• Bathurst Theatre Company’s YouthConnect through Drama – a three year drama program for youth in Bathurst and outlying Central West towns which will include the mentoring of youth emerging artists as workshop assistants and performers.
• Griffith Regional Theatre’s The Hermit Project – two video artists will collaborate with a playwright and director to conduct new media workshops and produce a site-specific performance of ‘The Hermit’ which explores the life of Valerio Ricetti who lived in caves outside Griffith during the 1930s and 1940s.
• Boolarng Nangamai’s Koori Trade Routes – over a three year period economic pathways for South Coast Aboriginal artists will be developed through hands on workshops, mentoring of emerging artists by established artists and participation in exhibitions, conferences and residencies using a model that maintains practice of culture and passes knowledge on to youth.

 

The full list of projects are below.

The Regional Arts Fund is an Australian Government initiative to support sustainable, community-based cultural development in regional, remote and isolated areas in Australia. The funding is targeted at activities that will have long term cultural, economic and social benefits, that develop partnerships and cultural networks and that provide skills development opportunities.

Regional Arts NSW is the peak body for regional arts activity in NSW, and manages the fund in New South Wales on behalf of the Australian Government.  Assistance is available across all art forms in a range of categories.

 

For further information contact Annette Eassie:
Tel 02 9270 2502  Email fundingmanager@regionalartsnsw.com.au
Website www.regionalartsnsw.com.au

 

 

 

 Regional Arts Fund – NSW
List of Projects Funded 2009

 

Bathurst Theatre Company - YouthConnect Through Drama                                         Yr 1 $26,620
Region: Central WestYr 2 $23,870
Yr 3 $20,700
Establishing a three year youth drama program in Bathurst and outreaching to Central West towns for 5 to 25 age group. Young people will engage in age-appropriate forms of drama, such as role playing and improvisation to deal with personal and social issues. The program also includes mentoring of young emerging artists as workshop assistants and performers.

Boolarng Nangamai Aboriginal Corporation - Koori Art Trade Routes                          Yr 1 $18,474
Region: Illawarra Shoalhaven                                                                                            Yr 2 $18,474
Yr 3 $18,474
Over a three year period this project will build economic pathways to benefit Aborginal artists, enhance their careers, maintain practice of culture and pass knowledge on to youth. It will include printmaking, bush dyes, weaving and toolmaking workshops for emerging South Coast Aboriginal Artists with established artists as well as participation in exhibitions, conferences and residencies.

Casino Beef Week Promotions Committee  - Casino on Parade                                             $8,080
Region: Northern Rivers

A new initiative and direction for Casino's annual celebration with community workshops in circus skills, drumming and fabric art and work showcased as part of the 2009 Casino Beef Week Festival and Parade.

Deep River Choir - Deep River Choir                                                                                      $3,075
Region: South East

Creation of massed community choir to sing as part of the River of Art Festival in Moruya, drawing on existing choirs and the general community in the region. Project includes workshop/rehearsals with arts professionals experienced in community choral events.

Dharriwaa Elders Group - Walgett Aboriginal Cultural Exhibitions Project                   Yr 1 $19,925
Region: Far West                                                                                                             Yr 2 $19,925

Collation and presentation of photographic and visual art material in two semi-permanent exhibitions  - one representing historical wooden forms of cultural art (currently in diverse museums) and one depicting places of cultural significance to the Dharriwaa group.

Dunedoo & District Development Group  - Dunedoo Park Sculpture Project                          $9,925
Region: Orana
Public art project with blacksmith/metal sculptor conducting eight workshops with Design and Technology students from Dunedoo to create a large work depicting native birds from the region and using recycled and farm machinery parts.  This project is one stage of a main street park improvement plan.

Gearstick Theatre - The Gearstick Garage                                                                            $19,997
Region: Eastern Riverina

Establishment of a development program for artists within the Riverina region, facilitating the creation and development of new work and creating partnerships with other organisations to generate a wide variety of projects.

Goulburn Regional Art Gallery -  Wandering the Wollondilly                                               $20,000
Region: Southern Tablelands

Regional sculpture/ installation exhibition along the Wollondilly River involving 10 local sculptors who will create site and theme specific works relating to Water.  The project also includes a public education program of 20 workshops for primary age children.

Outback Arts - Connecting Marks and Country                                                                   $17,406
Region: Far West

A 24 week artist-in-residency program with the artist spending four weeks in six designated regional towns and conducting workshops with local schools, community and emerging artists. Participants will be introduced to traditional and customary forms of artistic expression from indigenous nations in the area as a frame of reference to inspire and inform their work. The project will include an exhibition of the works created.

Outback Theatre for Young People -  The Ivanhoe Project                                            Yr 1 $13,000
Region: South WestYr 2 $15,000

Large-scale youth based theatre project in Ivanhoe using a variety of creative processes and
technologies. Film, physical and narrative theatre, photography and webcasts will be used to collect
content and project will culminate in a show with a live and webcast audience.

Riverina Community College -  Development of Elements                                                   $15,000
Region: Eastern Riverina

A team of emerging young local artists will develop a Hip Hop cultural network bringing young people from all backgrounds in and around Wagga Wagga together to foster mutual respect.

The Kate Kelly Project - The Kate Kelly Project (Stage II)                                                       $7,940
Region: Central West

This stage of the broader project covers community consultation, development of script and and creation of musical elements for inclusion in the community music theatre work that is the long term aim of the project. The work centres on Ned Kelly's sister Kate Kelly, who drowned in the Forbes lagoon in 1898, and re-interprets history from the perspectives of marginalised ethnic and social groups of the era.

 

Kurrajong Waratah / Wagga Wagga School of Arts -  LinkAble                                            $10,000
Region: Eastern Riverina

People with a disability and non disabled actors will work together to present a performance piece written collaborately by a local artistic director and service users from Kurrajong Waratah and the Leisure Company. People with disabilities from Narrandera, Leeton, West Wyalong and Wagga Wagga will attend script writing workshops and performance will also include School of Arts actors and high school students.

Metro Screen / West Darling Arts - Silver Sun Documentary Project                                    $10,000
Region: West Darling

Making of a documentary which explores the lives and work of artists in the 'silver city' Broken Hill.  The project includes local artists sharing their knowledge, skills development in film production and strengthening of local networks.

R.E.D.  (Realising Every Dream) / RealArtWorks - veryAbility                                               $10,000
Region: Northern Rivers

Workshops and creative development of performance and visual art works to be presented over 3 days in Lismore, with an emphasis on artists with disabilities.

 

 

Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre/Bathurst Regional Council - Catapult & Central West Training Hub   $25,282
Region: Central West

Development of long term performing arts residencies, mentorships and performance training opportunities in the region developing relationships that will provide access to some of the  best performing arts practitioners in Australia and abroad.

Goulburn Lieder Theatre Company - Windfall and Quandary                                               $13,600
Region: Southern Tablelands

Engagement of 7 professional artsworkers (directors, dramaturgs, designer and production manager) to develop and stage two locally written plays of local and regional significance.

Griffith Regional Theatre / Griffith City Council - The Hermit Project                                    $11,000
Region: Griffith Leeton

Two video artists will collaborate with a playwright and director to produce a piece of video work for the final site-specific performance of "The Hermit" Project which explores the life of Valerio Ricetti who lived in caves outside Griffith during the 1930s and 40s. The artists will also conduct new media workshops with local young people.

Moorambilla Voices  - Moorambilla Voices Regional Camp Mentor Program                      $20,000
Region: Far West

First year of a three year project with 150 children from the ten council areas around Coonamble attending two choral training camps per year in Baradine.  The Artistic Director will also work with targeted choral conductors from Trangie, White Cliffs, Coonamble, Walgett and Brewarrina.

South West Arts - Artback-Sculpture of the Long Paddock Community Initiative                 $15,000
Region: South West

As an extension of the commissioning of artists to develop five sculpture sites along the Cobb Highway Touring stock route from White Cliffs to Moama (Long Paddock Initiative), this project will provide community and school forums with the commissioned artists, mentoring of two local artists at the Hay and Deniliquin sites and professional development for local government staff on public art policy and practices.

Spaghetti Circus - Peer Exchange Program & Circus Road Show                                        $11,000
Region: Northern Rivers

Peer Exchange Program with Circus professionals to develop participants' specialised circus arts skills, new acts with performance outcomes and improve coaching and performance skills of staff.

West Darling Arts- Wilcannia Arts Centre Mentorship Program                                     Yr 1 $20,891
Region: West Darling                                                                                                                                         Yr 2 $19,891

Building on the 2006 to 2008 artist-in-residence program, this two-year mentorship program is aimed at developing specific artistic disciplines and the creation of a 'Wilcannia Style' that embodies the Paakantji Culture and Land.  The mentor will be the highly regarded and most successful artist-in-residence at the Centre, Badger Bates and artforms will cover wood sculpture, carving, lino prints and ceramics.