PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Arts North West provides professional development workshops as well as individual advice to arts workers, creatives, councils, businesses and arts and cultural organisations in our region. We can:

• Review funding applications

• Suggest funding sources and opportunities

• Auspice grants

• Provide tips on project management, planning, budgets, partners

• Assist with logistics planning – insurance, branding, business plans

• Advise on promotion and marketing

• Art handling and installation

For more information contact Executive Director Lauren Mackley.

Visual Storytelling + Personal Brand Workshop

Unlock your potential and stand out in today's competitive job market with the Visual Storytelling and Personal Brand workshop.

This 3 hour workshop equips participants with:

📌Essential digital media skills to enhance any workplace

📌Awareness of digital footprint and strategies to craft their personal brand to enhance future employment opportunities

📌Practical experience making strategic video content for social media

Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate for their resume.

Please Bring:

💼Your preferred digital media device - phone, tablet or laptop

💼Water bottle

💼Pen and paper

Cost: $0 - this opportunity has been fully subsidised by the Workforce Australia Local Jobs Program and Arts North West.

🌳Tenterfield - 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Monday, 29 April 2024 @ Tenterfield Public Library, 135 Manners Street Tenterfield, NSW 2372 - BOOK HERE

🌳Armidale - 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Thursday, 9 May 2024 @ UNE SRI NOVA Centre, 122 Faulkner Street Armidale, NSW 2350 - BOOK HERE

🌳Tamworth - 12:30 PM - 3:30 PM Thursday, 30 May 2024 @ Tamworth Community Centre, 3A Darling Street Tamworth, NSW 2340 - BOOK HERE

🌳 Inverell - 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Thursday, 20 June 2024 @ Inverell Community College Northern Inland Inc. 23 Lawrence Street #3 Inverell, NSW 2360 - BOOK HERE

or contact: Sewa Emojong, sewa@nenwfacilitator.com.au, 0423 556 377

SALON 2024

Calling all NSW and ACT artists and producers - EOIs for the @artsontour 2024 Salon are now open! 

Part arts market and part networking event, Salon is AOT’s key annual industry event that builds relationships between artists, producers, and presenters. This year, Salon will be hosted at the beautiful new Pavilion Arts Centre in Sutherland (@thepavilionarts) on Wednesday, 10th July. 

Artists can submit an EOI to deliver a short pitch about their work, aimed at creating opportunities for regional touring and partnerships. This year, you can also apply to present a short excerpt of your work as part of your submission.  

Arts on Tour will have travel bursaries to assist regional artists who are selected to pitch.  

Selected presenters will also speak and, of course, Salon includes networking opportunities and post-event drinks where attendees can meet to discuss their work and programming. 

Have something you’d like to pitch? Head over to the Arts on Tour website to submit your EOI: www.artsontour.com.au/initiatives/salon/ 

Submissions close 5pm Tuesday, 30th April. 

FREE Event - Accessible Curation

Join in person or online for Accessible Arts upcoming Access Ideas and Insights panel and delve into innovative curatorial practices that are shaping new and exciting standards of artistic excellence through commitment to accessibility, diversity and inclusion.

Gain valuable insights from prominent curators and artists on the proactive design and integration of creative access into new exhibitions, public programs and festivals, and learn about cultivating new and diverse audiences.

Learn from Luke Létourneau (Curatorial and Collections Team Lead at Casula Powerhouse) Rilka Oakley (Artistic Programs Leader at Blue Mountains Cultural Centre) and Madeleine Stewart (comedian and producer of Crips and Creeps). This event will be MC'd by Amy Claire Mills (Arts Development Manager at Accessible Arts).

This is a hybrid event, facilitating access both in person and online. This event will be Auslan interpreted, captioned and is wheelchair accessible.

Accessible Curation

📆 Tues 14 May

🕰️ 3pm - 4pm: Panel Discussion (in-person and online)

🕰️ 4pm - 4.30pm: Afternoon Tea and Networking (in-person)

FREE - Registrations essential.

🎟️ Head to https://events.humanitix.com/access-ideas-and-insights-accessible-curation

FREE Screen Industry Masterclass at AFTRS

Accessible Arts are presenting a Screen Access and Inclusion Masterclass for Industry at AFTRS on Thursday 20 June. This valuable industry training will also be livestreamed.

This disability-led Masterclass has been designed to upskill industry in better understanding and responding to access requirements through providing practical knowledge and building disability confidence. Learn about the social model of disability (including guidance on appropriate language and etiquette), creating an inclusive workplace and where and how to access advice.

This wheelchair accessible training will be captioned and Auslan interpreted.

Screen Access & Inclusion Masterclass for Industry 

Thurs 20 June
1:30pm - 3pm (AFTRS + Online)

FREE - registrations essential

Book Now

Online Training - Accessible Marketing

This recently updated workshop from Accessible Arts has been developed to address the needs of artists and marketing specialists so they can improve the accessibility and inclusiveness of their digital communications. Learn about:

• Making the user experience more accessible for website visitors

• Accessibility features in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube

• How to include captions in videos

• How to include alt text and descriptions for images

• Best practice approaches to language, text and emojis

• Useful apps for making content more accessible

• Disability definitions

Mon 6 May

10am - 11.15am (Online)

Book Now

10% discount when booking for 3 - 5 people
Captioning and Auslan interpretation are available upon request.

NAVA Talks AI and ICIP

1-2pm AEST online, Monday 13 May 2024

Co-facilitated by NAVA and Shevaun Wright, artist and solicitor at Terri Janke and Company, this session delves into the intersection of AI and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP). We’ll explore how AI art projects engage with traditional knowledge and ICIP, the potential for exploitation of ICIP by AI, and good practice protocols for appropriate AI use that respects ICIP rights.

Register

FREE Professional Development

Due to high demand, Accessible Arts are presenting another Advance Your Career session dedicated to upskilling artists and arts workers with disability or who are d/Deaf on generating Access Riders.

 In this online workshop, Michelle Teear will provide a practical overview of what an Access Rider is, how to write one, what to ask for and the kind of language to use. Learn about:

• The models of disability

• The rights of people with disability or who are d/Deaf

• Self advocacy

• Reasonable adjustments

• How to negotiate and have reasonable adjustments met

• Examples of reasonable adjustments, example scenario

Captioning and Auslan interpretation is available upon request. Places are limited.

Wed 29 May

1pm - 2:30pm (Online)

Book Now

NAVA Talks AI and Copyright

1-2pm AEST online, Wednesday 22 May 2024

Katherine Giles from Arts Law joins NAVA to shed light on the current application of copyright law to AI. This includes clearing copyright in AI-generated material, determining copyright ownership of AI-produced material, and navigating legal grey areas. The session aims to provide participants with insights into artists’ engagement with AI technology and suggests good practices for protecting creators’ rights.

Register

NAVA Talks AI in Arts Practice

1-2pm AEST online, Wednesday 29 May 2024

Artist Kailum Graves will discuss his approach to incorporating AI in creative expression, exploring its potential to inform artistic expression while addressing questions of authorship, authenticity, and ethical implications. From generative AI to collaborative endeavours, the conversation will highlight opportunities for innovation while considering the ethical, societal, and existential implications, particuarly focusing on the homogenising impact on creativity.

Register

The Junior Academy CMAA (Country Music Association of Australia)

The Junior Academy is scheduled to run from 14 – 20 July 2024. Applications are NOW OPEN.

JUNIOR STUDENT COURSE

The Academy places emphasis on nurturing different creative styles within the broad definition of country music today. This course runs for seven days culminating in a graduation concert in front of a live audience. Students will receive intense tuition in every aspect of country music including performance, songwriting, musicianship, working in a group and harmony singing.

There are opportunities to co-write in one-on-one sessions with professional songwriters, co-write with fellow students, network with professional artists and get a first class foundation course in country music, as well as creating an extended friendship network that is unique in the music industry.

Topics for Junior Students include:

• Performance

• Songwriting

• Musicianship

• Career building

• Working in a group environment

• Stagecraft

• Concert preparation

• Harmony singing

• Music tech

Head to https://academycountrymusic.com.au/junior-course/ to find out more.

WEBINAR: Care Based Practice By Creative Plus Business

What is Care Based Practice? And why is it important?

In this timely webinar, artist and expert Charley Allanah from House of Sand discusses the fundamentals of Care Based Practice, and how 'Care Based’ differs from and intersect with ideas like Trauma Informed Practice, Cultural Safety, Diversity, Equity, Access & Inclusion (DEAI). Charley will also discuss the concept with Ben Steel, the founder and company director of Screen Well, a peak body dedicated to promoting and improving mental health outcomes for the Australian screen industry.

The pair will also work through whether or not Care Based Practice the right model for you, and share some practical techniques for a somewhat care based model for creatives, teams, clients and audiences. More information here.

24 April @ 12:30pm.

Business Connect – Free business support for Creative Industries

Did you know Service NSW Business Connect offers free, independent, tailored business advice for NSW businesses (including sole traders with an ABN)? Business Connect advisors, including specialist creative experts can provide you up to 8 hours of free, tailored business advice in one-on-one sessions more.

Current Creative opportunities

The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards

The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards seek to capture the imaginations of school students across Australia, inspiring them to express their thoughts and feelings through the medium of poetry in their pursuit of literary excellence. The standard of entries year after year is consistently high, yet the winning poems never cease to impress the judges. From reading the entries of both the primary and secondary students, one can get an idea of the current events and issues that have had a great impact on young Australians over the decades. 

The awards are held every year between the 1 March and the 30 June with the winners announced on the first Friday in September. Each year over 6,000 entries are received from students all over Australia.

For more information on the competition and how to enter CLICK HERE.

Poets are encouraged to take inspiration from wherever they may find it, however if they are looking for some direction, they are invited to use this year’s optional theme to inspire their entries.

“Listen, I have an Idea” has been selected as the 2024 theme.

As always, it is an optional theme. Students are encouraged to write about topics and experiences that spark their poetic genius (in whatever form they choose.)

The Writer's Space Fellowship 2024

Applications are now open for The Writer's Space Fellowship 2024. NSW-based writers with disability and/or who are D/deaf are warmly invited to apply for one of twelve Writer’s Space Fellowships.

The twelve residencies are split between a one-week in-person residency or a four-week online fellowship, with selected recipients able to nominate their preference.

All residencies include:

• Two one-hour sessions (one-on-one) with a Varuna writing consultant

• Two online Q&A sessions, one with a publisher and one with an established with writer with disability

• Access to Varuna ‘on-demand' courses to go deeper with your writing process

• Residency fellowships take place 18 - 25 November 2024 and include:

  • A one-week residency at Varuna including all meals.

  • Uninterrupted time to write in your own private studio, and the companionship of your fellow writers.

Online fellowships run 18 November - 15 December 2024 and include:

• Facilitated professional networking opportunities, including the opportunity to share work, talk about process, and receive feedback from your peers.

• Access to an online platform for sharing work.

Applications close Tuesday 30 April 2024.

Find out more and apply here.

Expressions of Interest - Inclusion of Aboriginal Artwork into Corporate Branding

The Tamworth Regional Council is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the creation of an Aboriginal Artistic Element to be included in Council's branding.

Considering the key principles of inclusivity and respect alongside this feedback, an action was included in the strategy to recognise the significant role that Aboriginal people have played and continue to play in our community by including an Aboriginal artistic element (“Artistic Element”) in Council’s branding.

Council is seeking an Aboriginal artist, who has a connection with the Kamilaroi/Gomeroi Nation to create the Artistic Element as described above.

It is Council’s desire that this element will reflect and represent the Kamilaroi/Gomeroi people, providing a strong connection to the Kamilaroi/Gomeroi Nation on which Council operates. The theme of the work should convey gathering, community and/or collaboration.

The Artistic Element may be either in digital or a hard copy form that is capable of being converted into a digital format. Council can assist in the digitisation of the Artistic Element.

Respondents are not required to create and submit the final Artistic Element, but to provide an outline of what you envisage you will create.

Please see the full document for the full details (PDF 157.7KB).

Please submit your EOI addressing all the criteria via post or email.

Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery

Gunnedah Shire Council is seeking expressions of interest for future exhibitions in the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery. Our goal is to bring engaging and exciting artists and artwork across multiple forms and genres to inspire our community and champion visual arts in regional NSW. Solo exhibition? Group? Know an artist who deserves the exposure? Complete an EOI today! Questions and completed forms can be submitted to council@infogunnedah.com.au

Screen NSW - Charlie’s Working Space, LA!

Screen NSW, in partnership with Australians in Film (AiF), offers NSW screen practitioners the opportunity to secure access to a dedicated co-working space at Charlie's in Los Angeles. The one free creative workspace is available for NSW based screen practitioners visiting LA to conduct business, collaborate, and network.

Successful applicants to Charlie’s will receive access to:

• One desk and a writers' room with whiteboards and screens

• Wi-Fi

• An equipped kitchen

• AiF staff.

Charlie’s is located in the Writer’s Building at The Lot Studios in West Hollywood.

Screen Australia – Industry Partnerships

This program aims to create opportunities through new, original and inclusive approaches to the industry that will expand networks and grow the Australian industry. Screen Australia will consider funding a portion of a total activity budget up to a cap of $30,000 per activity/activities conducted by an organization over the financial year. 

Screen Australia – International Marketing Support: Festivals and Awards

This program aims to support the promotion of Australian content and talent at the key international festivals and awards events, enabling the enhancement of international marketing strategies in conjunction with other partners. Screen Australia will contribute to the promotional budget for eligible events generally up to $20,000 for feature films and television series and $10,000 for short films. The level of funding will be determined by a film’s individual international marketing strategy as evidenced by a comprehensive plan and budget, produced by either the sales agent or producer. Festival screenings must be the title’s world or international premiere.

Screen Australia – Distribution Support: P&A Plus

This program aims to enhance the distribution and marketing of quality Australian films across traditional and alternative release platforms. Funding can be sought to support the traditional theatrical ANZ release of completed feature films that have an established local distributor attached, or for alternative release campaigns in certain circumstances

Screen Australia – First Nations Program: Sector Development (Internships)

This program aims to assist the career development of talented screen content makers who can demonstrate a strong commitment to a career in the film industry. Internships assist practitioners whose careers would benefit from an attachment to a person, production or organisation. This program is designed to assist the career development of talented filmmakers who can demonstrate a strong commitment to a career in the film industry. This is not an entry-level scheme. An internship may take many forms and involve features, documentaries, animation, interactive digital media, TV drama or comedy series

Current ARTS Employment & Voluteering Opportunities