NATIONAL + INTERNATIONAL CURRENTS

MAKERITA URALE is an independent Pacific producer based in New Zealand. Born in the village of Fagamalo on the island of Savai'ii in Samoa, Makerita went into theatre production with a background in radio journalism, publicity and marketing. After spending time overseas, she returned to NZ and set up the South Pacific Art Trust, providing Pacific arts training as well as freelancing in marketing and publicising Pacific Island productions, while at the same time working on various projects in theatre. Makerita has written plays, a children's book, produced numerous music videos and directed a documentary film on Samoan tatau (Tattoo), and produced numerous landmark Pacific events in NZ. [topic]

DR ROBYN ARCHER, AO. Singer, writer and director of international recognition, Robyn Archer has been Artistic Director of the National Festival of Australian Theatre and the Adelaide Festival. Former Chair of the Australia Council's Community Cultural Development Board, she is an Officer of the Order of Australia (for services to arts at the international level) and recently appointed by the French Government as Chevalier du l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Her creation of Ten Days on the Island, a new celebration for Tasmania, has been guaranteed a second run for 2003. Robyn is currently the Artistic Director of the Melbourne International Festival. [topic]

DONALD HORNE, AO has written more than twenty books including works of social critique (The Lucky Country), cultural critique (The Public Culture), political critique (Looking For Leadership: Australia in the Howard Years), history, memoirs and satire. The Lucky Country was voted one of three most influential Australian books of the twentieth century by the Sydney Morning Herald. Donald Horne is an emeritus professor from the University of New South Wales and served as chancellor of the University of Canberra from 1992-1995. He is former Chair of the Australia Council and the Ideas for Australia Program. Editor of The Bulletin, The Observer and contributing Editor to Newsweek International, Mr Horne has written for journals both nationally and internationally. He is an Officer of the Order of Australia and has been chosen by the National Trust as a 'Living National Treasure'. [topic] [paper].

FAY NELSON is an internationally recognised authority on Australian Aboriginal culture and a leader in the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and cultural policy. Former Director of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Arts Board of the Australia Council for the Arts, Ms Nelson came out of retirement this year to take up a position as Regional Indigenous Cultural Officer for Arts Mid North Coast in New South Wales. [topic] [paper]

JENNIFER BOTT presides over the organisation officially charged with enriching the life of the nation by supporting and promoting the arts, The Australia Council for the Arts. Jennifer is a significant contributor to a number of cultural bodies. She is a member of the Foreign Minister's Australia International Cultural Council, the Commission for International Cultural Promotion, and the Australian National Commission for UNESCO. Before coming to the Australia Council in 1999, Jennifer was General Manager of Musica Viva Australia. Previous to this she was CEO of AFS International Programs, and she has also held senior management positions at The Australian Opera and the Arts Council of Australia. [topic].

PAMILLE BERG joined Mitchell/Giurgola & Thorp Architects in Australia as an Associate in 1982, and became a Partner in 1988. Major projects include the inception and coordination of the $13 million Parliament House Art Program, the Public Art Program for the new Maui Arts and Cultural Center (Hawaii) and the Art Program for the SAFTI Military Institute in Singapore. Ms Berg has lectured internationally on public art and architecture at venues including the Guggenheim Museum in New York and the Centre for Architecture in Copenhagen, and was Chair of the Visual Arts/Craft Board of the Australia Council 1991-1994. [topic] [paper]

DORIS PILKINGTON GARIMARA first made the Indigenous writing spotlight when she won the prestigious David Unaipon Award for Caprice - A Stockman's Daughter in 1990. In 1996 she released Follow The Rabbit-proof fence - a novel of extraordinary courage based on her mother's escape from repressive life at the Moore River Native Settlement which was made into an internationally acclaimed film. Born on Balfour Downs Station, Doris was forcibly removed from her family at the age of three and also taken to Moore River. Her writings are about the journeys she and others of the Stolen Generations make in reconnecting with their families, communities and lands and reclaiming their language, culture and identity. The final part of her trilogy, Under the Wintamarra Tree, is available at Groundswell. [topic] [paper]

NELL SCHOFIELD (Conference MC) is a freelance arts reporter and presenter who featured on ABC TV's weekly arts program, Review for five years. Currently she writes and presents The Director's Cut each week on Showtime TV as well as reporting for ABC's Radio National on Arts Today and Breakfast. Her articles appear in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Magazine and Vogue Australia and she is about to publish her first book. Nell was the Director of the inaugural Mercedes Australian Fashion Week Festival and Associate Producer on two recent documentaries for Channel 4. She is also widely recognised as a successful actor and scriptwriter.

CROSS CURRENTS

JANET COHEN is Cultural Planner and 4th City of the Arts Program Manager for Hastings Council, NSW and sits on the CCD Committee of the NSW Ministry for the Arts. Working in the community cultural development field since 1992 as Community Arts Program Manager for ArtsWA and Cultural Planning Officer for Community Arts Network WA, Janet is also a trained art therapist. [paper]

CATHY CRAIGIE was appointed Director of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board of the Australia Council for the Arts in December 2000. A member of the Arts Advisory Council of the NSW Ministry for the Arts and Chair of its Indigenous Arts Reference Group from 1998-2000, she has held a variety of key positions in Aboriginal arts, health and housing organisations. An accomplished writer, dramaturg and playwright, Ms Craigie's plays include The Other Side and Murri Love.

BILL HAURITZ is the Festival Director of the Woodford Folk Festival held in Queensland each year. He started the Festival in 1987. The Woodford Folk Festival has grown from an attendance of 900 in its first year to 84,000 in 1999. Bill is also the Executive Director of the Queensland Folk Federation.

DR ONKO KINGMA is a Director of CapitalAg and a Visiting Fellow with the Centre for Research and Learning in Regional Australia at the University of Tasmania. He has been involved with the Australia Council in integrating cultural and rural policy for effective rural development and was Chair of the Kailash Dance Company, 1993-98. [paper]

'ALOPI LATUKEFU is CEO of Goolarri Media Enterprises and sits on the Joint Management Team of the Outback Digital Network (ODN), the advisory council of the Australian Communications Industry Forum, and committees and boards dealing with regional and national issues. He works with local communities, carriers, regional organisations and governments to develop a sustainable model for information and communications infrastructure throughout the North-West of Australia. 'Alopi continues the ongoing development of Goolarri Media Enterprises as a sustainable enterprise and hub for media, communications and the arts, focussing on Indigenous and remote communities in NW Australia.

DAVID McMICKEN & TIM NEWTH are Co-Artistic Directors of Tracks Inc. Tracks Inc is the Northern Territory's premier dance and performance company known for its innovative, large scale, regionally unique outdoor performances that bring together participants from diverse cultures and disciplines. [paper]

MAGGIE MAGUIRE is an Event Strategist with an extensive career in events management including the Melbourne Moomba Festival, aspects of the Sydney Olympic Torch Relay, and Victoria's Centenary of Federation celebration, 'Our Nation on Parade'. She has worked with practically every regional and metropolitan festival across Victoria and consults on issues including corporate sponsorship, cultural inclusion and community consultation.

SCOTT RANKIN is the Artistic Director of BIG hART, an arts-based company working in rural, regional and isolated areas, combining the gifts of marginalised people and the skills of professional arts mentors. BIG hART aims to contribute experimental cross-form art made with people experiencing multiple levels of disadvantage to national arts and social policy forums and to achieve behavioural change, increased options and engagement in the community for people who experience multiple layers of disadvantage.

DR MAUREEN ROGERS is a Research Fellow with the Centre for Sustainable Regional Communities, La Trobe University and is involved in the development of a community-based audit process.

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