Welcome to the Regional Arts NSW e-Bulletin for 9 April, 2002.

Please note: listings are not repeated in the e-Bulletin. There may be opportunities, grants and/or prizes still available from previous editions. Check out the archive on our website at www.regionalartsnsw.com.au (link from e-Bulletin banner on the front page).

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Regional Arts NSW News

PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE
While we await further action following the Ministerial meeting on 27 March to address the public liability insurance crisis, Regional Arts NSW is facing some hard decisions. We have now received two quotes for cover for Regional Arts NSW, the eleven Regional Arts Boards and our 115 affiliate groups. The first quote is for $180,000 and the second, a more recent offer, is for $144,000 - both of which exceed last year's premium of $15,900 by almost unbelievable amounts. The first quote came out of the survey forms submitted by RABs, affiliate and associate groups and involves a range of premiums from $600 up to $7,500 per group, depending on activities carried out. The second quote is a flat $1,200 per group regardless of how many or how few activities are conducted each year. The second quote is somewhat cheaper, but it will inevitably force the closure of many smaller organisations who cannot afford this very high premium.

RANSW is also in discussion with the NSW Meals on Wheels Association, exploring the possibility of arranging cover under their pooled insurance program. Meals on Wheels is currently negotiating with its insurers on behalf of the Regional Arts NSW network.

The connection with Meals on Wheels was made by Michele Elliot who attended the Volunteering NSW forum on Friday 5 April. A report on the outcomes and recommendations of the forum, as well a further updates on Regional Arts NSW and the public liability insurance crisis will be made available on our website shortly. Go to www.regionalartsnsw.com.au.

GROUNDSWELL CONFERENCE EARLY BIRD REGISTRATIONS OPEN NOW
A sensational line-up of keynote speakers for has been confirmed for Groundswell, including national speakers Donald Horne, Robyn Archer, Terry Cutler, Fay Nelson, Lyndon Terracini (+ more!) and international speakers Helen Gould (UK), Carol Geddes (Canada) and Pamille Berg.
In addition to 14 plenary sessions, Groundswell is offering a total of 36 parallel options for delegates over three days. Choose from discussion forums, showcases, workshops, art clinics and cultural tours as well as some fantastic social events including Club Swell, with local music, comedy and live entertainment; open air performances and an artists' market.
Join your fellow volunteers, professionals, artists and administrators at the largest ever gathering of regional arts practitioners, supporters and advocates in Australia. Early bird registrations, ranging in cost from $295 for volunteers to $410 for government employees and representatives, close on 31 July 2002. Don't miss out!
If you haven't already received your brochure, contact us now and we'll send you one Tel 02 9247 8577 Email groundswell@regionalartsnsw.com.au.

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Opportunities

INTERNATIONAL AGENT FOR LOCAL SHORT FILMS
Flickerfest International Short Film Festival will expand into distribution of Australian short films into national and international marketplaces. The director annually attends the leading Worldwide Short Film Festival and market at Clermont Ferrand in France to promote the sale of Australian Films, as well as other international festivals and markets for sales opportunities throughout the year. Australian filmmakers who are interested in Flickerfest assessing their film with the potential of acting as their sales agent should send a tape of their work with a synopsis and production details to PO Box 7416, Bondi Beach, NSW 2026. For more information Tel 02 9365 6877 Email flickerfest@bigpond.com.

COOL BANANAS SHORT FILM FESTIVAL CALL FOR ENTRIES
The Coffs Arts Film Committee is currently seeking entries for the Cool Bananas Short Film Festival which will include a short film competition, and welcomes works in any genre. Films should run for less than ten minutes, be shot on video and include the image of a banana to be eligible. There will be two award categories, Youth (18 years and under) and Open, with prizes for the best films. Competition dates 26-27 July. For more information contact Robbie James, Coffs Arts Film Committee
Tel 6656 4829
Deadline 14 June

GRAFTON PUBLIC ART SCULPTURE
Grafton City Council is calling for expressions of interest from sculptors interested in creating a public work of art to be located in front of the new $2 million Grafton Community Centre. Up to $22,000 is available for the project. For an information package contact the Grafton Regional Gallery
Tel 02 6642 3177 Fax 02 6643 2663 Email mail@graftongallery.nsw.gov.au.
Deadline 13 May
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Competitions, Awards, Prizes + Scholarships

HENRY LAWSON SOCIETY LITERARY AWARDS
Including the $1,000 Leonard Teale Memorial Poetry Award and the $1,000 Theresa Lane Award for a short story. Entries are now open. Contact The Henry Lawson Society of NSW, PO Box 235, Gulgong NSW 2852 Tel 02 6374 2049
Closing 12 April

VOGEL LITERARY AWARD 2002
The richest literary award in Australia at $20,000 for a work of fiction, biography or Australian fiction. Entrants must be born after 31 May 1967. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope for entry form to The Australian/Vogel Awards, P.O. Box 8500, St Leonards, NSW 1590.

REGIONAL MUSIC AWARD
The Australian Music Centre Awards are specifically aimed at contemporary classical and new music scene. This year, a new award will be added to the existing six categories: Most Distinguished Contribution to the Advancement of Australian Music in a Regional Area - which aims to honour organisations or individuals that have traditionally lacked the resources to operate on the same scale as their metropolitan colleagues. Organisers see the new award as a chance to recognise musicians and administrators working with tiny budgets and huge commitment, who often miss out on the limelight. The award open to for activities that took place during 2001.
For more information Tel 02 9247 4677 Toll-free 1800 351 834 Email awards@amcoz.com.au
Website www.amcoz.com.au/cent-award.htm.
Closing 22 April / 20 May

WINK AWARDS
Wired Innovative Naughty Kids (WINK) - A competition aimed at encouraging electronic art and messin' with new technology launched by femme electro duo B(if)tek in 2001. WINK is happening again this year, under the auspices of Melbourne's Next Wave festival. Award categories include:
* The Subvert The Dominant Paradigm award
* Best unsigned electronic music act
* Best bit of electronic art by a gal
* Best home-made modification (software or hardware)
* Best electronic music clip (under $5000 cost).
For more information go to www.biftek.com. Also check the Next Wave site, www.nextwave.org.au for updated festival information. Winners will be announced at the WINK Awards night on 25 May.
Closing April 26

SLIPPERY WHEN WET
Competition for short stories with a road theme. Up to 2,000 words. Prizes $500, $200 and $50. For entry form send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Slippery When Wet, 101 Parer Street, Burwood, Vic 3125.
Closing 30 April

AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF AUTHORIS LITERARY MENTORSHIP
Applications for the Australian Society of Authors' 2002 Literary Mentorship program are now open. Applicants must be either unpublished in book form, or have up to, but no more than, two books published in a literary genre. Selected applicants will work closely with an experience author for up to eight months. Contact Tel 02 9318 0877 Website www.asauthors.org.
Closing 8 April

ARTRUSH POETRY COMPETITION
Entries are now invited from poets for the inaugural ArtsRush Poetry Competition. Total length (group of poems or single poem) submitted must be 200 lines or fewer. The competition offers a prize of $1,000. Poet and author Chris Mansell will judge the competition, with winners to be announced at the Shoalhaven Poetry Festival on 4 May. For more information and entry form go to www.artsrush.com.au.
Closing 20 April

STREETWIZE COMICS
Streetwize comics explore issues that affect young people including health, the law, education, employment, housing and safety. The Program and Streetwize are running a competition to create a new Streetwize character to appear in their new projects. To get an idea of the Streetwize comic style, visit www.streetwize.com.au. for more information about the competition, visit www.theprogram.net.au.
Clsoing 30 April

COVER BY YOUNG ARTIST FOR TAKE IT AS READ CREATIVE WRITING ANTHOLOGY
Take it as Red, a collection of creative writing by young people from the Riverina reflecting on the theme of 'red' will be published by FourW Press in July 2002. They seek a cover image for the book from a young artist between the ages of 11 and 18 that, like the writing insides, relates to the theme of red in any manner imaginable. The image may be a drawing, a painting, a collage, a photograph, mixed media design, etc. The image must be original and previously unpublished. The cover dimensions are (h)12cm x (w) 15cm. Send entries to Take it as Red image, Booranga Writers' Centre, Locked Bag 588, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga NSW 2678.
Closing 5 May

LISMORE CITY ART PRIZE FOR LIVING REGIONAL TREASURE
$3,000 Acquisitive, winner takes all + $1,000 the Northern Rivers Echo People's Choice.
Pre-selection process is open to any artist working in any medium whose artwork pays tribute to a person living locally who has contributed to the community either by excellence in their area of expertise or by their contribution within the community. Locally' being defined as Clarence, Richmond and Tweed River Valleys. Artists are encouraged to be innovative in choice of media. For entry forms contact the Lismore Arts Gallery Tel 02 6622 2209 P.O. Box 23A, Lismore 2480.
Closing 10 May

ARCHIBALD, WYNNE, SULMAN & DOBELL PRIZES
* The Archibald: Portrait paintings from life preferably of a person of art, letters, science or politics. Value $35,000.
* Sir John Sulman Prize: Subject/genre painting and/or murals/mural project. Value $10,000.
Wynne Prize: Landscape painting of Australian scenery in oils or watercolours or figure sculpture. Value $15,000.
* Dobell Prize for drawing or draftmanship: $10,000. Acquisitive.
Entries and entry forms in all art prizes must be delivered to the Art Gallery of NSW between 20-24 May. For more information and an entry form, contact The Art Gallery of NSW Tel 02 9225 1744 Website www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au
Closing 24 May

SHOALHAVEN CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE 2002 PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
Arts Shoalhaven and Shoalhaven Photo Club. Winning entries on display in July at Nowra School of Arts and then Shoalhaven City Council. Website: www.arts.shoalhaven.net.au Tel 02 4429 3460.
Closing 31 May

2002 DAVID PAUL LANDA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FOR PIANISTS
Australia's most prestigious travelling Scholarship for pianists: $25,000 and a return overseas airfare is awarded to the successful applicant. The memorial Scholarship is funded by the NSW Ministry for the Arts and administered by Musica Viva Australia. Applicants must be Australian citizens or residents and under the age of 26 years on Jan 1, 2002. Auditions are held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide between 23 - 29 July 2002. National adjudicator will be Michael Kieran Harvey. Final to be held in Sydney at a date yet to be confirmed ( around October / November 2002 ) For a brochure and application form, please contact Margaret Lloyd Tel 02 8394 6666 Fax: 02 9698 3878 Email mlloyd@mva.org.au Website www.musicaviva.com.au
Closing 31 May 31

2002 HELEN LEMPRIERE TRAVELLING ART SCHOLARSHIP
Valued at $40,000, intended to enable an emerging artist to undertake further art studies overseas for one to two years. Open to artists in the first five years of professional practice, living in NSW. For more information contact the Visual Arts and Crafts Program Manager at the NSW Ministry for the Arts
Tel 02 9228 5533.
Closing 14 June

FREEDMAN FOUNDATION TRAVELLING SCHOLARSHIP FOR EMERGING ARTISTS
Open to emerging artists aged 30 or under practising in the areas of sculpture, painting or photography. application forms for 2002 round are available from the National Association for the Visual Arts
Tel 02 9368 1900 or go to www.visualarts.net.au (go to 'Quick Links' and 'Grants Download').
Closing 24 June

NATIONAL YOUTH MEDIA AWARDS
The National Youth Media Awards aim to recognise the role the media plays in shaping public opinion about young people. The awards are open to all Australian journalists - regardless of age - as long as their story is a positive, informative and engaging one about young people and/or the issues with which they're faced. Entries for this year's awards must have appeared in the media between 24 March 2001 and 28 June 2002.
Categories include:
* The Popular Choice Award, allowing all Australians to nominate news stories, features, interviews, online, radio and TV stories they think best demonstrate the positive achievements of young people
* Young Indigenous Journalist of the Year
* A new online category for best feature or interview.
Full details and entry forms are available from www.thesource.gov.au/nyma Tel 1800 034 960.
Closing 28 June

TOOWOOMBA BIENNIAL ACQUISITIVE ART AWARD
$15,000 in prizes for painting, works on paper, photography, ceramics and small sculpture.
For information contact the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery Tel 07 4688 6652 or Email artgallery@toowoomba.qld.gov.au.
Closes 28 June

2002 WINDMILL TRUST SCHOLARSHIP
Designed to help artist resume their professional career. The Scholarship is for an Australian citizen living in NSW more than 70km from the Sydney GPO, working in painting, printmaking, drawing or sculpture, who has a record of achievement in the visual arts, but who has had to interrupt that practice. The next round is held in July. Contact the National Association for the Visual Arts
Tel 02 9368 1900 or go to www.visualarts.net.au.
Closing 5 July

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Grants

THE SIDNEY MYER FOUNDATION
Funds for innovative community development projects. Applications considered at meetings of the Board in August and December and should be submitted at least seven weeks prior to meetings. for further information contact the Sidney Myer Foundation Tel 03 9207 3040 Fax 03 9207 3070
Email clane@myerfoundation.org.au Website www.myerfoundation.orga.au.

NSW DEPT OF ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS MAJOR GRANTS PROGRAM
Established to assist the NSW government in achieving its social justice commitments to the Aboriginal people of NSW, this program offers grants of up to $45,000 for individuals and organisations that wish to implement innovative programs that
* Aim to address the socio-economic disadvantage of Aboriginal people
* Reflect the social justice priorities of the Government and the Department (ie., early intervention, coordination, access, equity, participation and/or rights and responsibilities).
* Give Aboriginal people the capacity to take advantage of economic, social and cultural opportunities Projects must have the potential to delivery long term benefits. In this round, grants will be available for programs that focus on:
* Language, culture and heritage
* Prevention of sexual assault and family violence.
Other meritorious applications may be considered. Preference will be given to projects that are submitted by Aboriginal individuals and organisations and/or to projects which:
* Have a state-wide or regional focus
* Are sustainable
* Involve partnerships with other community, corporate and/or government agencies.
Applications must be submitted in the appropriate format with all necessary documentation. Forms and further information available from the Department of Aboriginal Affairs Tel 02 9290 8700.
Closing 26 April

HAROLD MITCHELL FOUNDATION
Sponsoring vital projects or activities in the arts and health. Contact the Harold Mitchell Foundation Tel 03 9672 3001 or go to www.haroldmitchellfoundation.com.au.

START YOU UP
Grants of up to $5,000 are available from the Australia Council's Theatre Board to Start You Up! If you are 26 or under we would like to see you create a small work for performance and give you the chance to show it off. For details contact Gemma Pepper Tel 9215 9301 Toll free 1800 226 912
Email g.pepper@ozco.gov.au Website www.ozco.gov.au/theatre/start.html.
Closing 10 May

2XCITE U
Also on offer from the Theatre Board - grants for young artists from Non-English speaking backgrounds. For details contact Michelle Kotevski Tel 02 9215 9030 Toll-free 1800 226 912
Email m.kotevski@ozco.gov.au Website www.ozco.gov.au/theatre/2xcite.html.
Closing 10 May

NSW FTO INDUSTRY AND AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
The FTO provides funding in support of projects and initiatives that develop and encourage an innovative and sustainable environment for film, television and new media practice to occur in NSW. Initiatives and projects supported under this program fall into two broad categories:
* Industry development - professional development activities such as seminars, conferences, workshops, publications, awards, mentorship and attachment programs and skills development opportunities for established and emerging practitioners via technical facilities, training programs and research.
* Audience development - activities such as festivals, screenings, exhibitions, seminars, forums and touring programs that increase public appreciation, recognition and knowledge of film, television and new media.
The guidelines and application process for this program have been revised. Applicants must read the guidelines and use the correct form. Contact Sharon Baker Tel 02 9264 6400 Email bakers@fto.nsw.gov.au Website www.fto.nsw.gov.au.
Closing 27 May

LAND, ART PEOPLE - REGIONAL INDIGENOUS AND NON-INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES COLLABORATION PROGRAM
This is the second round of a joint initiative between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts board and the Community Cultural Development Board of the Australia Council for the Arts. Land, Art, People is about artistic collaborations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in regional Australia. This program supports professional artists to collaborate with communities towards a public outcome with the aim of strengthening existing links, developing new ones and maintaining ongoing communication. For more information contact Sue Kucharova Tel 02 9215 9028 Email s.kucharova@ozco.gov.au or Rick Shapter Tel 02 9215 9172 Email r.shapter@ozco.gov.au Toll-free 1800 226 912 Website www.ozco.gov.au.
Closing 6 June

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA COMMUNITY HERITAGE GRANTS
Community organisations, such as libraries and historical societies, museums, ethnic and indigenous groups, are eligible to apply for grants of up to $8,000 from the National Library to fund the preservation of significant documentary heritage collections. Offered in partnership with the Dept of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and the National Archives of Australia, applications implementing recommendations from a preservation assessment or which allow qualified professionals to undertake such assessments are given priority. Organisations ineligible to apply include: libraries, archives or museums of state or federal government departments; private collections; institutions which already receive substantial government funds to preserve their collections and organisations whose core business is preservation. Application forms and guidelines are available from the website www.nla.gov.au/chg.
Closing 28 June

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Opportunities

ABC AND MACQUARIE DICTIONARY AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE MAP
Do you wear cossies, swimmers or togs? ABC Online and Macquarie Dictionary have created the Australian Word Map website at abc.net.au/wordmap to document Australia's many weird and wonderful regionalisms in words, phrases or expressions used in particular parts of Australia. The site gives you the opportunity to add your own regionalisms to the database. Visit the sit to find out what a 'snot block' is or what you do with a 'treddly'. contributions may make it to the Revised 3rd Edition of the Macquarie Dictionary.
The site also offers two talented people the opportunity to have their creative writing published. Two competitions - one for kids and one for adults - invite writers country-wide to unearth a regionalism and then use it in a piece of creative writing (100 words or less). Winning works will be published in the Dictionary and on the website. For details go to www.abc.net.au/wordmap or contact Carolyn MacDonald Tel 03 9626 1606 or 0418 273 141 Email macdonald.carolyn@abc.net.au.

NEW MEDIA ARTS CURATORIAL INTERNSHIP 2002
An Australia Council New Media Arts Board Initiative to provide an emerging curator with an understanding of the curatorial process in a new media and/or interdisciplinary context, including exhibition development, set-up, management and maintenance. An emerging curator currently working or interested in the field of new media and/or interdisciplinary arts will undertake a program of professional development at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne, Victoria. The Internship will be for a period of 8 weeks from October 2002.
For more information contact staff of the Board Tel 02 9215 9116 Toll-free 1800 226 912
Email c.taylor@ozco.gov.au Website www.ozco.gov.au/newmedia.arts.
Closing 22 April

RUN_WAY
A New Media Arts Board, Young and Emerging Professional Development Initiative.
RUN_WAY is a program designed to extend and enliven young and emerging artists'/artsworkers' experience and understanding of interdisciplinary/new media arts practice. It is also to provide opportunities to travel, learn and develop new skills and/or understanding of interdisciplinary/new media practice. The initiative is specifically for young and emerging artists/artsworkers 30 years of age and under. You can determine and implement a unique professional development scenario, suitable to your own individual needs. RUN_WAY is a flexible program and applicants are encouraged to think of projects that will be beneficial to their practice, no matter how out of the ordinary they may seem.
For more information contact Reed Everingham Tel 02 9215 9132 Toll-free 1800 226 912
Email c.taylor@ozco.gov.au Website www.ozco.gov.au/newmediaarts/runway_2002.html.
Closing 1 May

DIRECTING OPPORTUNITY
The Dorrigo Dramatic Club stages three productions per year. In August the Club plans to present a new Australian play by a local writer, entitled Manifesto of Plart, and is currently looking for someone to fill the role of director. Dorrigo Dramatic Club Vice President describes the play as a 'satire that moves fluidly between the real and imagined worlds of Ulong artist Beryl Brown. As each character's role in creating events depicted in this retrospective exhibition of Beryl's major paintings concludes, that character freezes into the painting while preserving the truthfulness of character and situation.'
For more information contact Pierre Cochrane Tel 02 6657 8044 Email pierre@smartchat.net.au.

THE AUSTRALIAN CHOREOGRAPHIC CENTRE RESIDENCY FOR EMERGING ARTISTS
This is an emerging artists' residency in Canberra that may be full-time for four to six weeks, or on a part-time, shared-resource basis for up to three months. It offers emerging new media practitioner(s) the facilities to work within a collaborative or hybridised process and i\is committed to artists engaged in new interdisciplinary performance practice. The structure for the residency is flexible and the Board is open to innovative proposals for the use of the Centre's resources.
Valued at $25,000 and administered by The Australian Choreographic Centre, the artist does not receive a stipend direct from the Australia Council. The $25,000 covers artists' fees, travel, accommodation, equipment hire and other project expenses. Emerging (first five years of professional practice) practising professional artists, or groups of artists, in all artforms are eligible to apply. This may mean that the applicant already has a substantial artform practice in another area, but not within the area that the residency would facilitate. For more information contact Tel 02 6247 3103 Email director@thechoreographiccentre.org.au
Closing 1 May

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Conferences + Events

FLICKS IN THE STICKS - BELLINGEN
Find out about how to reintroduce film and cinema to your town. Come to the fourth Flicks in the Sticks workshop at the Bellingen Valley Cinema, Bellingen.
For more information contact Brendan Smith, Regional Cinema Office, NSW FTO Tel 02 9264 6400 Toll-free 1300 556 386 Email smithb@fto.nsw.gov.au.
27 April

THE BUSINESS OF BUSINESS
The Indigenous Business & Economic Development Conference of 2002. Alice Springs NT at the Aurora Red Centre Resort organised by Indigenous Conference Service.
Email icskoori@mackay.net.au
19-21 June

SEMINAR AND WORKSHOP ON THE CARE AND CONSERVATION OF BARK PAINTINGS
Organised by the Conservation of Cultural Materials Program at the University of Canberra. The aim is to increase awareness of the special needs of Australian Aboriginal bark paintings in museums/ galleries and private collections. All people interested in the care and preservation of bark paintings are invited to participate.
For further details and the registration form contact Beata Tworek-Matuszkiewicz, Snr Lecturer, Conservation of Cultural Materials Program, Division of Science & Design, University of Canberra
Tel 02 6201 2632 Fax 02 6201 5419 Emai tworek@scides.canberra.edu.au.
11 June (Seminar)
12-13 June (Conservation workshop)
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THANKS
This e-Bulletin is produced with the assistance of the Regional Arts Fund, a Commonwealth Government initiative supporting the arts in regional and remote Australia.
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Regional Arts NSW

Regional Arts NSW is the peak body for the arts and community cultural development in regional and rural New South Wales www.regionalartsnsw.com.au.