Six New England North West Creative Projects Funded for 2020

Six organisations from across the New England North West region will be starting off the new year on a high after successfully securing a Country Art Support Program grant (CASP). CASP is a Create NSW initiative that supports locally initiated projects by not-for-profits, local government authorities and collectives in regional NSW. The small grants fund supports a creative, vibrant and resilient NSW arts and cultural sector that engages with diverse audiences and communities.

“I congratulate the successful applicants and really look forward to seeing these projects roll out in 2020. The diversity of the successful projects will make a valuable contribution to the arts and cultural landscape and will no doubt bolster community spirit after a tough 2019 in the New England North West” said Arts North West Executive Director, Caroline Downer.

The successful applications are as follows:

Deepwater Progress Association Inc: Woodfired Raku Kiln Workshop ($2,000)

A 2-day workshop on history of Raku and glaze making for woodfired Raku pottery and how to use steel rubbish bin kilns to fire the participants work.

Quirindi Preschool Kindergarten Incorporated: Biochrome – Children, Nature, Art and Science Collaboration ($2,450)

Artist Dr Renata Buziak will conduct a 3-day workshop. Educators, children and families will explore one of the earliest historical photographic processes: the cyanotype. Using botanical specimens, found objects and sunlight, participants will create unique photograms on cotton with flat natural vegetation within the preschool/children’s homes to use in their own composition.

New England Regional Art Museum: Winter Blooming Festival ($3,000)

Winter Blooming is a festival that celebrates Indigenous, multicultural and LGBTIQ arts, culture and communities. The festival is an inclusive event that supports diversity and it open to all occurrence.

New England Writers’ Centre: Leaf, Stone, Beetle: Storytelling through metaphor and visual narrative ($3,000)

Presented by multi-award winning author Ursula Dubosarsky and acclaimed publisher Margrete Lamond of Dirt Lane Press, this imaginative, innovative project, centred around Ursula's book Leaf, Stone, Beetle(published by Dirt Lane Press)is a follow-up to our successful Stories Connect program(2019), and will involve a community workshop, public talk, and school presentations.

Arts Gunnedah Inc: Workshops to be held by Professional Artists during the year of the 50th Annual Art Exhibition Celebration in 2020 ($3,000)

To run visual art workshops, encouraging local artists of all ages from Gunnedah and the surrounding district. These workshops will assist beginners, and experienced artists in all mediums to learn new skills, and come together to facilitate learning and encourage community involvement.

Moree Cultural Art Foundation Ltd: The Painted River Project ($3,000)

Two professional artists will lead an "en plein air" workshop at the Gwydir Wetlands in Moree in collaboration with University of Western Sydney, local Moree artists and the Local Lands Services in April 2020. Artworks by artists will be exhibited as part of the BAMM Art Fair 2020.

Glen Innes Pottery Club: “Precious Flora” ($2,450)

In January 2020, Glen Innes Pottery Club propose to host ceramic artist Dr Cathy Franzi for a workshop called "Precious Flora"- participants will visit World Heritage National Parks, gather inspiration from the precious environment, learn new ceramic techniques and exhibit work at the local Agricultural Show.

CASP is administered by Regional Arts NSW on behalf of Arts NSW.

Aboriginal Women’s Business in the New England North West

Arts North West is delighted to announce that it has successfully secured funding through the Australia Council for Arts, to deliver a new project as part of its Aboriginal Cultural Support Program. Yinaar is a creative exploration of Aboriginal women’s business in the New England North West.

“2 Rivers are extremely honoured to be able to deliver on the aspirations of the Aboriginal women from the region through delivery of the Arts North West Yinaar project. This is a project very close to our hearts, developed by Aboriginal women, for Aboriginal women.” Said Lorrayne Riggs, 2 Rivers Managing Director.

The project will be delivered in three stages over two years. Stage one is focused on furthering informed community consultation, which will see the project team, including lead Elder Aunty Yvonne Kent, consult with Aboriginal women from the 12 Local Government Areas within the Arts North West boundary. Stage two of the project is focused on documenting research into traditional Aboriginal women’s business and capturing stories of women’s practices.

“We will be able to research and retrace traditional practices and document oral histories that strengthens identity and celebrates key element that make us unique such as women’s practices, gali, food, medicine, kinship responsibilities and healing.” Ms Riggs continued.

The second stage of the project will be focused on providing skill development to build capacity for Aboriginal artists in our region. Artists will develop a body of work that responds to the documented research and stories conducted in stage one.

Yinaar will culminate in an exhibition curated by Aboriginal curator, Lyniece Keogh, at two regional galleries in the New England North West, where the artists will share their experiences with the community through their works and artist talks, alongside recorded stories.

“We are so pleased that through this funding we will be able to continue the important work of our Aboriginal Cultural Support Program which is vital to providing professional development opportunities for Aboriginal artists and organisations in our region” said Caroline Downer, Executive Director of Arts North West.

“The Yinaar project is particularly special, as it is the first time that we are delivering a project solely focused on women, from management, to artists, through to exhibition curation; it is a real celebration of Aboriginal women within our region.”

This project is supported by Aboriginal Regional Arts Alliance, Dhiiyaan Centre Moree, Outback Arts and Tamworth Local Aboriginal Lands Council. The Project Steering Committee is led by Aunty Yvonne Kent.

For more information, please visit the Arts North West website or contact 2 Rivers via pene@2rivers.com.au.

Criss-crossing the New England North West this Quarter

We have certainly been criss-crossing the New England North West this quarter - from artist residencies in Wallabadah to family arts festivals in Glen Innes. While some of our focus has naturally been on Tamworth (and artstate) we have been very conscious of making sure that our whole region has been represented. Read up on our projects - Art Connections and Art Word Place which were part of the artstate program. Arts North West continues to provide advice and support to artists and arts organisations across the region. We are also fortunate to be part of a key network of regional arts development organisations, who meet three times a year for high level strategic discussions and networking sessions with metropolitan arts organisations and funding bodies. Our Board meeting was held in August in Tamworth, and we look forward to our November meeting in Narrabri.

Art Connections - A Creative Journey Through the New England North West

Nestled in the mountains of the New England and scattered throughout the plains of the North West are numerous hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Creatives busily working away on their kitchen tables, in the garden shed, a shop in the main street, converted shipping containers or a purpose-built studio, drawing inspiration from the landscapes and environments that surround them in the beautiful New England North West to make and produce unique and diverse works.

Our latest project, Art Connections, has been developed to capture the creative venues of the New England North West, from the larger-scale venues such as commercial galleries and volunteer-run museums to the quirky artists run initiatives and studios off the beaten track, compiling a comprehensive database disguised as the North West Arts Trail Directory and Open Weekend.

Art Connections is more than one event – it is, in fact, a series of over 50 destinations across almost 100,000km2. It will bring visitors into the smaller villages and towns of the New England North West, to explore and experience regional NSW. This project connects communities and highlights the significant contribution made by artists and cultural workers to the region’s economy and community identity.

These trails will reveal what we locals have known all along, there is something special and unique about our region and the self-drive Open Weekend on the weekend of the 31 October to 4 November provides the perfect opportunity to meander through the picturesque changing landscapes of the New England North West, the environment in which creativity and inspiration is drawn from.

Arts North West covers an enormous part of the New England North West. From bustling regional centres, to rural towns and remote villages, the vast differences between these communities include the obvious; size and location but there is an overarching similarity between them all, individuals and collectives building community identity through the power of creativity.

Online and hard copy directories will be launch on the 14th of October. Visit www.artsnwconnect.com.au for further information.