Senator the Hon. George Brandis S.C.

Minister for the Arts and Sport

The Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator George Brandis, and the Federal Member for Solomon, David Tollner MP, today announced that communities across the Northern Territory will benefit from funding of $100 000 provided to local arts projects through the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund.

“This funding will support a wide range of initiatives, from an Indigenous Art Fair in Darwin to youth dance workshops in Yuendumu,” Senator Brandis said.

“They illustrate the far-reaching benefits of the fund in supporting creativity and cultural innovation in regional and remote communities.”

Funding provided to Northern Territory organisations includes:

• $10 880 for the Mt Theo Yuendumu Substance Misuse Aboriginal Corporation to provide Hip Hop dance workshops for young Indigenous people
• $9420 for the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation to stage the Annual Indigenous Art Fair in Darwin, coinciding with NATSIAA week and the opening of the Darwin Festival
• $8960 for the Northern Territory Writers Centre in Darwin to professionally workshop a play written by Mary Anne Butler, leading to the author’s completion of the final draft
• $3660 for the Northern Territory Association of Relatives and Friends of the Mentally Ill to stage the ‘Faces to Recovery’ visual arts project for people with mental illness
• $3000 to purchase paints for artists at Papunya who will work with younger members of the community, transmitting traditional culture through the medium of painting.

“Organisations and individuals developing projects that will lead to longer term cultural and social benefits are encouraged to apply, especially those that create partnerships or provide skills development.”

“David Tollner has been a strong advocate for the arts community in the Northern Territory and I’m pleased to be with him in Darwin today for this announcement,” Senator Brandis said.

Mr Tollner said he was proud of the Australian Government’s recognition of the arts in the Northern Territory.

“The arts is a major contributor to the local economy and our cultural life. I’m thrilled these Territory organisations will benefit from this Australian Government initiative,” he said.

Arts NT manages the Regional Arts Fund in the Northern Territory on behalf of the Australian Government. More information is available by phone 02 8999 8981 or by visiting the website www.arts.nt.gov.au

A full list of funded projects is attached.

Media contact: Travis Bell 0448 950 248 (Minister Brandis’ office)

Peter Osborne 0401 119 789 (Mr Tollner’s office)

Wednesday 1 st August 2007

81/07

Regional Arts Fund, Northern Territory—March 2007

Darwin Visual Arts Association Inc, $8000

Italian Residency—Mentorship

This activity involves a three month residency-mentorship at Rigalto Studios, Italy, in May 2008. Monique Auricchio will study the printmaking process of collography from Italian–Australian artist Antonio Muratore. This residency will bring new creativity into her resulting body of work to be exhibited in Italy and Australia.

Northern Territory Writers Centre Inc, $8960

Heaven on a Stick—Script Development

‘Heaven on a Stick’ is a play written by Mary Anne Butler. This activity will access the skills of peers, actors, a director and dramaturge, to professionally workshop the play, and allow Mary Anne to complete the final draft.

Northern Territory Writers Centre Inc, $12 000

Indigenous Writers at Wordstorm 2008

Wordstorm 2008, the Northern Territory writers’ festival, will bring 10 Northern Territory and six interstate Indigenous writers to participate on panels relating to Indigenous literature and its themes. The writers will also participate in events according to their particular genres, current topics of interest and various cross cultural/post colonial themes.

Darwin Chorale Inc, $3090

Workshop with Dynes Austin

Darwin Chorale has requested Austin Dynes to run a workshop in Darwin to provide skills to improve the singing ability of the members. The workshop is designed to give people more confidence in themselves and in their delivery of choral music.

NT ARAFMI Inc, $3660

Faces to Recovery—Visual Arts Project

The aim of this program is to provide 12 workshops in which participants with mental illness will create masks reflecting their emotions. Individual pieces will be assembled into sculptures to be used as installations in a final exhibition titled ‘Faces to Recovery’. The project will provide the opportunity for participants to create a visual representation that they can use to communicate their message to others.

Barkly Regional Arts Inc, $10 000

Picture This—Digital Storytelling Project

‘Picture This’ is a digital storytelling initiative of the Alekarenge women who wish to collect and record the stories of key people, past events, cultural stories and other subject matter in their community for the benefit of the community and to share with a wider audience locally, nationally and internationally.

Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation, $9420

Annual Indigenous Art Fair

The first Indigenous Art Fair in Darwin will be held in August 2007. This will coincide with the NATSIAA week and the opening of the Darwin Festival. Only community based art centres are invited to exhibit at the fair. It is envisaged that up to 30 arts centres will be able to exhibit and sell artworks.

Mt Theo Yuendumu Substance Misuse Aboriginal Corporation, $10 880

Mt Theo/InCite Hip Hop Program—Stage 2

The Mt Theo Yuendumu Substance Misuse Program targets young people aged 17–30 and aims to discourage them from engaging in high-risk behaviours such as substance misuse. The founding aims of the program are to engage young people in exploring issues central to their lives; and concerns, values and aspirations for the future to assist young people in reconnecting with family, country and culture. The program aims to develop songs that communicate to other young people about healthy lifestyle choices as well as involve them in Hip Hop activities.

Tangentyere Council Inc, $5000

M4 us OAO Music Program

The music program will provide workshops for young adult men from the Hidden Valley town camp in association with the Hidden Valley Community Centre, Yarrenyty Arltere Centre, Music NT, Housing Associations and Tangentyere Council including Tangentyere Youth Services. The workshops will provide musical instruments for the participants to use and a portable PA system.

Barkly Regional Arts Inc, $5000

‘RedbRushin’—Visual Arts Project

The ‘RedbRushin' project is a joint venture between Warrego Primary School, the women of the Mugalawurru community, the Mangkarta community, McLaren Creek Primary School and Nyinkka Nyunyu. The project will include a series of workshops where the Mungalawurru and Mungkarta women will learn new skills in arts marketing, art equipment maintenance, and printing practices such as Batik and tie-dying. The public outcome will be their first exhibition at a public gallery in Nyinkka Nyunyu.

Papunya Tjupi Art Centre Aboriginal Association, $3000

Painting with Youngfellas

The purpose of this activity is to provide funds for the purchase and delivery of art materials to artists at Papunya community. These artists will paint with the younger members of their families in order to teach them both painting skills and to transmit traditional culture through the medium of painting.

Mimi Arts and Crafts Inc, $7340

‘nother Way, Culture—Art and Craft Workshops

Mimi Arts and Crafts will coordinate arts and crafts workshops for the Jilkminggan women over 20 weeks. It aims to further develop the skills already attained to produce high-quality Indigenous contemporary creative products including jewellery, lino cut prints, silk scarves and sarongs.

Waltja Tjutangku Palyapayi, $13 650

Women Artist Bush Camp—‘Pass It On’

‘Pass It On’—Women Artist Bush Camp will enable senior Indigenous women to plan and deliver a workshop that engages young women in the practices of traditional storytelling and art.