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Media Release

Arts Northern Rivers appoints Indigenous Arts Development Officer

29 January 2008

THE Regional Arts Board for the Northern Rivers, Arts Northern Rivers has announced the appointment of Frances Belle Parker to the newly created position of Indigenous Arts Development Officer (IADO). The aim of the new role is to support the many Indigenous artists in the Northern Rivers region, to develop and promote their work and to create a strong visible network of Indigenous artists through marketing, sales and business development initiatives.

Arts Northern Rivers CEO, Lois Randall, said, "We are delighted that Frances will be joining the Arts Northern Rivers team in this exciting and important role." She explained that the creation of the role was in response "to the visual arts and crafts as an important form of cultural expression for Indigenous communities in the Northern Rivers, with a large number of emerging and established Indigenous artists engaged in this sector through the visual arts and crafts including painting, sculpture and textile arts."

It is envisaged that the IADO through extensive consultation throughout the region will put established Indigenous artists in a better position to share and develop culture in the community through workshops and public programs, and to take on the role of mentors and role models for young and emerging artists.

Frances Belle Parker comes to the role with a strong background in the visual arts. In 2000, prior to formally studying art, Frances won the prestigious Blake Prize for Religious Art. Not only was Frances the youngest winner of this prize, she was the first Indigenous winner in the prize's 55 year history. After completing a degree at UNSW, Frances moved back to Maclean to be back on her homeland and to be closer to her family. Late last year she was awarded the Regional Arts NSW Foundation sponsored Youth Encouragement Award at the Country Energy Art Prize for Landscape Painting. She went on to take out the College of Fine Arts (COFA) Professional Development Award at the Parliament of NSW Indigenous Art Prize. Most recently she was the winner of the ABC North Coast's inaugural ArtsNest Award, which was established to recognise and encourage artists in the Northern Rivers region.

Frances said she was "excited about the many opportunities and possibilities that will be created through this position. With so much Indigenous talent in this region there's an extraordinary opportunity to create a highly visible network of artists and to open up new audiences and marketplaces for these artists on a local, national and hopefully international level."

The IADO will also work with the CEO of Arts Northern Rivers and the Indigenous Artists Advisory Group to establish an Indigenous Arts Centre based in Lismore. Additional funding will be sought to support the employment of an Indigenous Arts Business Officer to manage the Arts Centre.

The IADO position has been funded by the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and NSW Department of State and Regional Development.

Photo: Frances Belle Parker with her award-winning work
at the announcement of the Country Energy Art Prize in
Dubbo, October 2007. Photo courtesy Country Energy.

Enquiries
Peter Wood, Information and Communications Manager
Arts Northern Rivers
Tel 02 6628 8120 Mob 0411 383737
Email peter@artsnorthernrivers.com.au