News

Fay Nelson appointed Regional Indigenous Cultural Officer by Mid North Coast

18 December 2001

The Mid North Coast Regional Arts Board is delighted to announce the appointment of Fay Nelson as its inaugural Regional Indigenous Cultural Officer (RICO).

A former Director of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board of the Australia Council, Fay is an internationally recognised authority on Aboriginal culture and Aboriginal art. She has extensive, high level skills and experience in the development and delivery Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural policy and programs, including Indigenous cultural events, curriculum education and cross-cultural communications programs.

The need for the RICO position was identified in a number of planning processes undertaken by the Mid North Coast Regional Arts Board. The Mid North Coast has the highest regional Indigenous population in NSW and the RICO position is seen as one of the number one priorities by Indigenous communities across the region.

The aim of the position is to further a self-determined approach to Indigenous arts and cultural development on the Mid North Coast. Fay will be working on the development of Indigenous arts and cultural infrastructure and project activity, with a particular emphasis on economic returns to Indigenous communities as an outcome.

Fay is the third Regional Indigenous Cultural Officer in the Regional Arts NSW network. She joins Gail Naden, RICO for the Far West region, based at Coonamble, and Charlie Trindall, the state Regional Indigenous Cultural Officer, who is employed by Regional Arts NSW and based in Armidale.

The position is funded by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, the Many Rivers Regional Council of ATSIC and the NSW Ministry for the Arts.

For more information, contact Richard Holloway, Regional Arts Development Officer, Mid North Coast, Tel 02 6659 3360.