Arts North West To Make Arts Trail Live in September

Arts North West is thrilled to announce their latest project, Arts Trail Live which will be rolling out across four creative venues in the New England North West over the 17th and 18th of September 2022.

Ceramic Break Sculpture Park Warialda, Yaama Ganu Gallery Moree, Wee Waa Community Arts and Cultural Centre, and the Fuller Gallery/Barraba Potters and Craft Guild will host four local artist facilitators as they deliver a free community workshop.

Arts North West are currently calling for EOIs from local artist facilitators in all genres to facilitate these one-day creative workshop, with $1500 allocated for each facilitator.

"I am so happy to have an opportunity to not only support our regional artists, but bring these unique workshops to gems in our towns and encourage people to travel and visit these really thriving creative spaces," Arts North West Projects Officer Michèle Jedlicka said.

Selected artists will be emerging-professional and must have a primary focus in the arts sector. This includes, but is not limited to visual arts and photography, film, literature, music, songwriting, textiles, ceramics, theatre, dance, First Nations Arts, puppetry, musical theatre, community arts, or experimental arts.

“Artists can preference to work at any of the venues, and some suit specific genres, which could be appealing. Applicants must reside within our New England North West footprint to be eligible, but we do encourage artists to venture out to a community they may have not yet explored," Michèle said.

The project has been made possible by funding from the RAF Cultural Tourism Accelerator program and Arts Trail Live has been designed to encourage arts tourism across the New England North West region, allowing people a chance to take part in a creative activity in one weekend.

Visit the Arts North West website (www.artsnw.com.au) for more information and to fill out the EOI form before COB 1 August 2022. Applicants will also need to email three examples of their work produced in the last three years to projects@artsnw.com.au.

For more information, please contact ANW Projects Officer Michèle Jedlicka on projects@artsnw.com.au

Country Arts Support Program Investment into New England North West

Six organisations from across the New England North West region will be starting off the second half of the year on a high after successfully securing a Country Art Support Program grant (CASP).

CASP is an annual small grants program administered by the Regional Arts Development Organisations, providing grants of up to $3,000 to support a creative and vibrant regional NSW arts scene.

“CASP is a significant investment directly into the New England North West region and announcing six successful CASP applications has been a great start to my new role at Arts North West.” Said Arts North West Executive Director, Lauren Mackley. “We received numerous applications to the fund this year, which is a fantastic indication that the New England North West arts and cultural landscape is bouncing back after a difficult couple of years.” Ms Mackley continued.

The successful applications are as follows:

Moree Cultural Art Foundation Ltd ($3,000)

BAMM will partner with TAFE Moree to deliver capacity building workshops for local artists. Selected Indigenous TAFE artists and Moree-based artsworkers will collaborate to train each other in arts practices, learn teaching skills, and create weaving kits. Artists will then lead a series of classes for the public at BAMM.

Black Gully Printmakers ($1,980)

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.

High Country Theatre and New England Bach Festival ($3,000)

This project plans to commission two local composers, Matthew Minter and Benjamin Thorn to compose new works to be performed in next year’s New England Bach Festival. The composers will also present a seminar at NECOM for high school students later this year introducing their new works and compositional processes.

Glen Innes Pottery Club Inc ($3,000)

4-day workshop over two weekends in August 2022 at our club rooms at Glen Innes TAFE with artist/ceramicist Max Powell. Focusing on making a series of different plaster moulds using 3 different techniques, developing skills in the commercial, experimental and creative use of plaster moulds.

Arts Gunnedah ($3,000)

Three advanced level printmaking workshops to be conducted by three leading printmakers, two from New England North West and one from Sydney at the studio, Bicentennial Creative Arts Centre, Gunnedah between October 2022 and June 2023.

Walcha Handmade Community Co-Operative Ltd ($3,000)

Workshops to learn new skills in photography or art by highlighting and showcasing their favourite image of Walcha.

For more information on each of these project, please contact the organisation directly.

A NEW ERA FOR ARTS NORTH WEST

Arts North West welcomes a new Executive Director to the team. Lauren Mackley, a New England North West local has taken over the helm at Arts North West . Arts North West is the Regional Arts Development Organisation for the region, servicing eleven LGAs with the main focus of developing and programming arts and cultural opportunities and offering advocacy and advice to foster and build creative capacity in regional communities.  

Lauren joins the Arts North West team with local knowledge and leadership skills having previously worked as the Cultural Precinct Team Leader, and Arts and Cultural Officer at Gunnedah Shire Council.

“Lauren is looking forward to working with our contributing councils to continue to build creative and cultural opportunities and offerings across our region” said Anna Watt, Chair of the Arts North West Board.

“Lauren has an extensive understanding of arts and culture in the regions, along with good insight to the governance and operations of Arts North West, having been a member of the Arts North West Board for several years” Ms Watt continued.

Growing up in Manilla, Lauren has worked and lived throughout the New England North West region. Lauren has a Degree in Contemporary Arts and Education and is currently enrolled in a Graduate Certificate of Urban and Regional Planning at UNE.

Lauren has been nominated for the NSW Premier’s Youth Awards for her dedication to the arts and is the recipient of the Leo Kelly Local Government Arts Awards for her innovative consultation with First Nations communities. Many of her projects and collaborations have won national and regional recognition for their contribution to the arts sector, tourism and economic benefits to regional communities.

“I am excited to be the successful incumbent for this prestigious position and I am enthusiastic and inspired to be instrumental in supporting and fostering the creative future of our region.

“Cultural tourism is high on the agenda for State, Federal and many local governments in Regional NSW; as an opportunity to diversify economies, increase livability and create communities of social connectedness.“ Ms Mackley said.

“This is the opportune time to showcase our regional identity, celebrate our creative communities, invest in the development and delivery of cultural and creative capital and infrastructure throughout the Arts North West service area” continued Ms Mackley.

Lauren will be working between the Glen Innes office and Gunnedah and can be contacted via rado@artsnw.com.au or via 0493 316 463.

Regional Arts Fund (RAF) Project Grants are Open

Applications for Regional Arts Fund (RAF) Project Grants are officially open from 9am on July 4, 2022.

The Project Grants will fund high-quality arts projects benefitting regional or remote artists, arts workers, audiences and communities. The focus of the project could include any area of creative practice, multiple art forms or cross-disciplinary practice.

There have been some changes to this program, so please take time to read the guidelines here.

APPLYING VIA SMARTYGRANTS

When the grant round is open, a link below will take you to the Regional Arts Australia online application system. If you have not used SmartyGrants before you will need to set up an account. This account and password can be used to go back to your application at any time and will be the same for any other grants you might apply for in the future using the Smartygrants system. Your application will be available to you until you click SUBMIT, or the closing date is reached.

Apply for up to $30,000

Regional Arts Fund (RAF) Project Grants will close on Monday, 15 August 2022 at 5:00pm.

ELIGIBILITY

For detailed information regarding eligiblity, please see Eligibility-RAF

ENQUIRIES

If you have any enquiries about the RAF contact the Manager, Grants & Projects at Regional Arts NSW Tel 02 9270 2502 Email funding@regionalartsnsw.com.au.

Successful applicants can download the RAF Logos HERE