News

Cash Injection for regional arts 9/12/09

by Megan Roberts

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, the Hon Peter Garrett recently announced $713,800 of funding for arts and cultural activity in regional, rural and very remote/isolated Western Australia thanks to the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund.

$46,680 of funding will go towards assisting regionally based artists to be mentored in their chosen art form area of interest by the professional artist or artists of their choice through the Mentorship program.

Mentorships were awarded to emerging artists Elaine Tribbick (Pilbara) who will develop her skills in creative writing and illustrating and a group of budding, young sound engineers from Manjmup (South West) and one to a mid-career photographer, David Hyde (Goldfields-Esperance).

A further $67,120 of funding, through the Projects and Residencies program, will go towards assisting regional communities in the creation of an artwork or artworks, in partnership with professional artists or cultural advisers, which will develop skills in the local community and have the ability to transform the way a community identifies itself.

Juluwarlu Group Aboriginal Corporation (Pilbara), Shire of Mullewa (Mid West), Wila Gutharra Community Aboriginal Corporation (Mid West) and Theatre Kimberley (Kimberley) will begin projects in their community in the first half of 2010.

$300,000 of funding will go towards two regionally-based arts organisations to develop programs and positions that have long-term impact and build community capacity through the Strategic Regional Partnerships program.

Ngaanyatjarra Media Aboriginal Corporation (Goldfields-Esperance) and Kimberley Language Resource Centre (Kimberley) will each receive $50,000 a year over three years to work with their local community to develop sustainable skills transfer.

Another $300,000 will go to two Western Australian arts and cultural agencies to deliver programs in partnership with regional communities as well as extend networks and strengthen relationships and arts development in the regions through the Arts Agencies program.

Disability in the Arts, Disadvantage in the Arts (DADAA) and the Western Australian Music Industry Association (WAM) will each receive $50,000 a year over three years to deliver statewide projects and programs.

Country Arts WA’s Chief Executive Officer Jessica Machin said that this is a significant injection of funds into the regional arts sector in Western Australia and the benefits of this funding will reach far and wide.

“We’re delighted to be working with our Arts Agency and Strategic Regional Partnership organisations; Ngaanyatjarra Media Aboriginal Corporation,Kimberley Language Resource Centre, Disability in the Arts, Disadvantage in the Arts and Western Australian Music Industry Association.

“These organisations will deliver important arts projects and programs in regional and remote Western Australia communities cross the state over the next three years.” she said.

“We’re also pleased to be funding emerging artists for the first time ever through the Mentorship program due to a recent restructure of the fund to enable greater support for young and emerging artists in regional WA.

“There’s also an exciting range of projects being funded by the Projects and Residencies program including a multi-arts project working with Indigenous people in the Mid West, a theatre project working with young people in the Kimberley and a series of community arts projects in the Pilbara.”

More information about Country Arts WA and the Regional Arts Fund at the Country Art WA website www.countryartswa.asn.au