Regional Arts Fund support for the Northern Territory

The Federal Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, today announced the latest round of funding under the Regional Arts Fund with more than $134,000 allocated to 21 projects.

'The Australian Government, through the Regional Arts Fund, continues to provide communities with quality arts experiences and unique opportunities for cultural development,' Senator Kemp said.

'Three quarters of the projects are for activities beyond Darwin, which will help many communities in the Northern Territory to undertake local arts projects and initiatives.'

Initiatives supported include:

• Desert Song-a free family sunset concert of traditional gospel, country and popular songs-including local and visiting performers-is a celebration of culturally diverse Central Australia with workshops, bush foods, youth concert and street theatre.

• Fresh Air, Fresh Water-this project will work with local artists to create a range of art works, sculptures, banners and kites demonstrating the unique aspects of our their community under the theme 'Fresh Air, Fresh Water'.

• Yeperenye Dreaming Project-this project will commission new works by Arrernte artists, depicting various aspects of the Yeperenye dreaming.

The Regional Arts Fund aims to support the arts in regional and remote Australia. Arts NT manages the fund in the Northern Territory on behalf of the Australian Government.

Submissions for the next round of funding close on 15 October 2003.

More information about the Regional Arts Fund is available from Arts NT on 1800 678 237.

MELBOURNE

16 July 2003

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Media contact:

Richard Wise: Minister's Office 02 6277 7350 or 0438 204 554

 

 

REGIONAL ARTS FUND - NORTHERN TERRITORY

 

27th CWA Tennant Creek Art Award $5,000

Country Women's Association - Tennant Creek

This exhibition of visual art by local and interstate artists aims to promote and encourage local artists and promote excellence in art.

Adelaide River Community Arts $4,500

Hills, Jan

This project aims to bring an element of the Darwin Fringe Festival to residents of Adelaide River, Bachelor, Coomalie and Daly River areas. It will increase the school children's appreciation of artistic activities and provide an opportunity for interaction with various art forms through music workshops and music performances.

ANKAAA Book-Northern Territory writing component $10,175

Association of Northern Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists (ANKAAA)

The aim of this project is to publish and distribute a high quality educational and promotional resource publication showcasing the diversity of each of the ANKAAA Art Centres and the regional differences in indigenous arts and culture. The publication has four components, photography, writing, publishing and marketing which will raise the profile of indigenous arts regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Arrernte Oral History Multimedia Exhibition $5,000

Ngarte Mikwekenhe

To create a multimedia exhibition centred on Arrernte oral histories of the people's involvement in the development of the pastoral industry in the NT. The project will involve the Arrernte community members, engaging the community in a project that explores the identity of Territorians and recognising their place in Australia's history.

ASME National Conference-indigenous performance concert $6,000

Australian Society for Music Education, NT Chapter

A showcase of remote community youth bands who have been participants of the NT Indigenous Music Program-which takes music teachers to remote communities throughout the NT. The aim of the indigenous performance night is to highlight the musical/art achievements of remote locality indigenous youth within the NT, to a national and international audience.

Crimson Threads $5,000

Culpitt, Michelle

An exhibition of contemporary visual art demonstrating how visual arts can play an integral role in the exploration of issues surrounding the writing and rewriting of history. A program of speakers and commissioned writings will also be published in a catalogue.

 

Desert Song $10,000

Alice Springs Festival Inc.

This free family sunset concert of traditional gospel, country and popular songs-including local and visiting performers-is a celebration of culturally diverse Central Australia with workshops, bush foods, youth concert and street theatre.

eXploding the eXtinction myth $4,144

Campton, Penny

This exhibition will bring together Aboriginal artists from Tasmania, Darwin and Elcho island to explore issues of identity, inheritance and the effects of colonisation. The project presents many opportunities for collaboration and exchange of information and skills between the artists and curators, as well as opportunities for further community involvement through workshops in Darwin.

Fresh Air, Fresh Water $5,000

Katherine Town Council

In conjunction with the Flying Fox Art and Cultural Festival, this project will work with local artists to create a range of art works, sculptures, banners and kites demonstrating the unique aspects of our their community under the theme 'Fresh Air, Fresh Water'. The project provides an opportunity for groups and individuals to work together to create a community sculpture, with different cultural backgrounds interacting and working together. The projects also allow for individuals and groups to gain new skills and for the community to gain a sense of pride in their works of art and the place they live.

Fusion City CD $6,000

Lafaele, Josephine

A selected group of young people singing and performing the songs of Fusion City, a Concert Theatre work in progress, will be recorded. The themes of these songs illustrate view points of young people on specific issues and sees these young people portray themselves as role models to others who are experiencing, or have experienced these issues at some point in their lives. This project aims to create community awareness of the issues and appeal for community support for aide and assistance on substance abuse.

Garma Festival of Traditional Culture 2003 $7,500

Yothu Yindi Foundation Aboriginal Corporation

This project involves daily stages of a major ceremony and production of sand sculpture by the clan ceremony leaders during the Garma Festival of Traditional Culture 2003. It will demonstrate the Yolngu knowledge system and how it is intrinsically linked with arts, song and dance.

Honouring Words - Alice Springs $2,400

IAD Press

To host a range of literary events such as a book launch, school visits, writing workshops and literary readings, utilising international and local indigenous writers. These events will support the development and growth of indigenous writers at the local level and provide the general Alice Springs Community with access to award winning and acclaimed iIndigenous writers.

 

Jalajirrpa Band $5,000

Jalajirrpa Band

The aim of the tour is to raise the band's profile with a national audience, establish new industry contacts, pursue distribution options, develop the band professionally and promote the NT's contemporary music scene.

Kakadu Arts Festival-Jabiru Wind Festival $8,500

Kakadu Arts Festival including Jabiru Wind Festival

This project aims to rebuild a sense of community working together in the town as it goes through changes. The Wind Festival is a major cultural event where residents are able to develop skills that can be utilised in other community events such as music nights, end-of-year children's concerts and family cabaret nights. This project is the premier entertainment event of the festival and provides local residents with valuable performance and artistic experience.

Mentoring Program for NT Writers $4,000

Northern Territory Writers' Centre Inc.

To deliver a mentorship program to assist the skills development of 9-10 young and emerging writers in the NT. This workshop component will benefit approximately 80 young and emerging writers.

Seven Sisters Dreaming $6,380

Lewis, Tom

Combining abstract visual representations of Dreamtime journeys with modern socio-political history of the dispersal and movement of families across the region. The project incorporates digital video, overhead projection, ambient sound and oral history recordings to create a live, multi-layered painting in stage.

Slow Tucker, Long Yarn $10,000

Katherine Regional Arts Inc. (Arts Katherine)

This project promotes community harmony and healthy living by providing the opportunity to share meals, tell stories and further develop skills in arts and cultural events during a series of workshops. These workshops include theatre, circus, storytelling and video, with the theme of 'what makes a healthy community?'

Territory Backroads $5,000

Brandy, Peter

This project will present contemporary original music from an indigenous point of view. An emerging artist, the songwriter uses the experiences of indigenous Australians and their connection with their culture and land. The project will be a tour by the artists and his keyboard accompanist from Alice Springs to Darwin.

Video art installation at the Araluen Centre $4,150

Hardman, Joy

This project involves the presentation of video installation art at the Araluen Centre, Alice Springs. The work presents images and ideas about the life of pioneer women in Central Australia, a conceptually engaging and visually exciting work that can be understood by all attending.

Walking With Spirits $10,000

Wugularr Community Government Council

'Walking with Spirits' is a community event celebrating the art and culture of the Beswick (Wugularr) community. The project involves a mix of traditional and contemporary dance, song, story-telling and music at an open day and sunset performance.

Yeperenye Dreaming Project $10,500

Murphy, Dan

This project will commission new works by Arrernte artists, depicting various aspects of the Yeperenye dreaming to be reproduced and placed on permanent display within the Grand Circle Yeperenye sculpture. The finished project will be a place of pride for the local people, a symbol of Central Australian culture and a potential tourist attraction.