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Regional Arts Fund delivers 21 major new projects in NSW

$339,000 in funding for new works in diverse art forms across regional NSW in 2007

Full list of projects [below]

1 November 2006

Regional Arts NSW today announced a total of $339,000 in new arts funding from the Australian Government's Regional Arts Fund for 21 new projects to take place in regional, rural and remote NSW communities in 2007. The list includes an array of community based projects in almost every art form whose impacts will range from individual skill development to whole of town identity.

"The diversity and richness of arts practice in regional NSW represented by the list of successful applicants for this year's Regional Arts Fund is remarkable," said Meg Larkin, Chair of Regional Arts NSW.

"Included are some multi-artform community celebrations; documentary film-making; online youth writing workshops and digital story-telling as well as a number of new theatre works and partnerships, Indigenous and cross-cultural projects, public art works, environmental art, some major new music projects and circus arts."

"Each and every one of these projects will make a significant contribution to a community in regional, rural or remote New South Wales," Ms Larkin said.

"Support for the arts by the Regional Arts Fund is having a substantial cultural, social and economic impact in communities across Australia, and New South Wales is no exception," Ms Larkin said.

Some of the new Regional Arts Fund projects for NSW include:

$40,000 for a two year Artistic Directorate at Outback Theatre for Young People, delivering a workshop program over five months in Deniliquin, Finley and Barham and developing links with the Artistic Director in Hay, promoting sustainable development and culminating in a major new touring production for the region in 2008.

$12,870 for Metro Screen to make a documentary film about the people in diverse communities of regional NSW, including Indigenous, refugee and white Australians. Focused on the Clarence Valley, the project will involve workshops with young people by experienced video artists and the finished film will be distributed throughout the region and potentially as part of AFC's Big Screen initiative.

$12,000 for a collaboration between the Braidwood Theatre Troupe, the Braidwood Museum and the Braidwood Folk Music Club to research and create a performance piece based on the life and writings of 1860s bush-ranger, Charles Harpur. The project will closely involve the Braidwood community, including a public consultation, artist residency and community and school workshops.

$19,940 for the River Dreaming project in Bathurst, building cross cultural connections between artists, Indigenous people and the wider community and culminating in a twilight river lantern procession celebrating community culture and the environment through music, stilt walking, fire and story-telling that integrates the dreamtime and culture of the Wiradjuri people.

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 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.

More information about the Regional Arts Fund is available from the Grants section of this website.

A full list of funded projects follows.

Contact
Meg Larkin, Chair, Regional Arts NSW Mobile 0407 255 821
Rachael Vincent, Regional Arts NSW Tel 02 9270 2504 OR
Annette Eassie, Regional Arts NSW Tel 02 9270 2502

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Regional Arts Fund - New South Wales
List of Projects Funded 2007

New Initiatives

New England Writers' Centre - Youth Online: $4,770
Region: North West | Federal Electorate: New England
Online writing workshops for youth in isolated schools of the New England region followed by on-site workshops to develop performance skills. The project has been piloted on a small scale and will cover a variety of writing styles with visiting writers.

Arts OutWest Inc - In Site Out 2007: Education Program: $8,540
Region: Central West |Federal Electorate: Calare
In Site Out is a site-specific installation promoting local artists and engaging the community. This project is an education / outreach program offering workshops to engage students, young people and their families into the program.

Gearstick Theatre - Gearstick Theatre's Creative Producer: $5,250
Region: Eastern Riverina |Federal Electorate: Riverina
Employment of a Creative Producer to facilitate the upcoming artistic program and theatrical works of Gearstick Theatre.

The Braidwood Theatre Troupe - The Harpur Project: $12,000
Region: Southern Tablelands |Federal Electorate: Eden-Monaro
The Harpur Project is a collaboration between the Braidwood Theatre Troupe, the Braidwood Museum and the Braidwood Folk Music Club to research and create a performance piece based on the life and writings of Charles Harpur in Braidwood in the 1860s. The project will involve public consultation, artists-in-residence and community and school workshops.

CINEWEST - Media Literacy and Digital Filmmaking Workshop
in partnership with the AFC's Big Screen Yr 1: $15,000 Yr 2: $15,000
Regions: West Darling, Upper Hunter, North West, Mid North Coast | Federal Electorates: Parkes, Hunter, Gwydir and Lyne.
A Media Literacy Program and Digital Filmmaking Workshop in partnership with AFC's Big Screen initiative. The program will work with disadvantaged communities in eight remote and rural regions in NSW over two years. Participants will be involved in writing their own scripts as well as hands on experience in making a short video.

Metro Screen Ltd - Our Town: $12,870
Regions: Northern Rivers |Federal Electorate: Page
A cross-cultural, intergenerational documentary project exploring the lives of multicultural, indigenous, refugee and white Australians in regional NSW. The project will focus on the Clarence Valley and involve workshops by experienced video artists with young people. The resulting documentary will be distributed throughout the region and potentially as part of AFC's Big Screen Initiative.

Bellingen Wilderness Youth Theatre - Youth Theatre Project: $19,700
Region: Mid North Coast |Federal Electorate: Cowper
Development of a new youth theatre work that will reflect the environmental and cultural issues in the area. The project will include theatre skills workshops, script development and performance. Wilderness Theatre is an initiative that utilises the natural environment and theatre to inspire the creativity of young people.

Bombala Council - Community Mosaics $4,565
Region: South East |Federal Electorate: Eden-Monaro
To build and develop networks between community members, artist/craft-persons and local council through the creation of a public art work. Two local artists/craftspeople will conduct community workshops to create three mosaic panels reflecting the history and heritage of the area.

Wagga Space Program Inc - Wagga Space Program Presents: $13,500
Region: Eastern Riverina | Federal Electorate: Riverina
This series of four concerts and three workshops is an audience and skills development initiative which will increase opportunities for Riverina sound and media artists to present their work to international audiences through the biennial 'unsound' festival.

Outback Theatre for Young People - Artistic Directorate Initiative
'Ties that Bind' Yr 1: $20,000 Yr 2: $20,000
Region: South West | Federal Electorates: Farrer, Riverina
As part of a new model of sustainable operation, Outback Theatre will employ an Artistic Director for 5 months in each of the next 2 years to deliver a workshop program in Deniliquin, Finley and Barham. Youth issues in a 'small town' context will be explored and a small workshop production developed in 2007, followed by a touring major production in 2008. Links will be developed with the Artistic Director in Hay thus expanding youth theatre in the South West.

Kurrajong Waratah - FilmAble: $20,000
Region: Eastern Riverina | Federal Electorate: Federal Electorate: Riverina
A series of script writing workshops for people with disabilities in Wagga Wagga, West Wyalong, Leeton and Narrandera . People with a disability will be supported by artists experienced in film development and acting and the scripts produced in the workshops made into short films. The films produced will be toured to towns in the region.

On the Stone - River Dreaming Project: $19,940
Region: Central West | Federal Electorate: Calare
A series of workshops and mentoring program that focus on building cross cultural connections within the Bathurst community between artists, indigenous people and the wider community. The workshops will unite the community in a twilight river lantern procession celebrating community culture and the environment through music, stilt walking, fire and story telling that integrates the dreamtime and culture of the Wiradjuri people.

Write Around the Murray Story Festival Committee -
Write around the Murray: $19,322
Region: Albury/Wodonga | Federal Electorate: Farrer
The Write Around the Murray Story Festival is a four day festival incorporating a range of initiatives that will explore storytelling from the Albury region and using a number of innovative mediums. The project includes story telling, readings, writers' workshops and illustration seminars.

Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation - YEAH skills development
Yr 1: $21167.50 Yr 2: $21,167.50
Region: West Darling | Federal Electorate: Parkes
A skills development project for the young leaders and community members participating in and supporting the YEAH circus workshops. The project will engage three artists a year for two years to enhance technical performance and professional capabilities. The second year of the project will target indigenous artists.

Lachlan Arts Council - No Shame: $15,000
Region: Central West |Federal Electorate: Parkes
An intensive two week skills development and play building workshop with Bathurst theatre practitioner Sarah Parson. The workshops will culminate in a performance by the Condobolin Youth Theatre. The project aims to develop a long term partnership with the Bathurst Theatre Company.

South West Arts Inc - The Great South West Cultural Cluster: $4,100
Region: South West | Federal Electorate: Riverina
The Cultural Cluster will be a one day gathering / celebration / networking day designed to inspire, educate, promote and encourage cultural and arts innovation and activity amongst volunteers and stakeholders in the South West region of NSW.

Partnerships

Reconciliation Unity Network Inc - Black Artreach: Kempsey: $7,180
Region: Mid North Coast |Federal Electorate: Lyne
The encouragement and support of Aboriginal nations in the Kempsey area through programs that facilitate cultural networks with other Indigenous communities and raise the profile of their artistic potential.

Residencies | Mentorships

South East Arts Region (SEAR) - South East Correspondence: $17,096
Region: South East | Federal Electorate: Eden-Monaro
A three week writers-in-residency project across the South East involving a team of six writers, three from the region and three from outside. The project will be in partnership with the three regional library services of Bega Valley, Eurobodalla and Monaro in preparation for the Country Libraries conference to be held in Bega in 2007.

Orana Arts - Music Hub: $20,000
Regions: Orana, Central West, Upper Hunter, Mid North Coast, Eastern Riverina, North West, Far West, West Darling, South East | Federal Electorates: Parkes, New England, Calare, Eden-Monaro, Lyne, Hunter, Riverina, Hume, Gwydir.
An outreach mentoring network program for music teachers across regional NSW focusing on remote and very remote communities. Through initial workshops and then placement of graduating music students in these regions, the program aims to address the lack of professional expertise and provide support and sustainable skills development.

Coffs Harbour Museum -
Coastal Waterways: Aboriginal Elders Tell their Stories: $9,000
Region: Mid North Coast | Federal Electorate: Cowper
A digital storytelling and photographic project that aims to capture the stories of Aboriginal elders in the Coffs Harbour region. An artist-in-residence will engage Aboriginal elders to mentor Aboriginal young people in the use of storytelling to promote their culture and values. The stories and photographs produced will be part of an exhibition at the Coffs Harbour Museum.

Arts North West - Regional Public Art Program: $14,000
Region: North West |Federal Electorate: New England
A regional public art residency and mentorship program facilitated by internationally acclaimed artist Pamille Berg. The project will involve two major workshops with twelve local government areas followed by direct planning sessions in four or five communities regarding local policy and creation of public artworks.

The Regional Arts Fund is the Australian Government's regional arts program,
which gives artists and communities throughout regional, rural and remote Australia
better access to opportunities to practice and experience the arts.