Starting Ground Workshop for Aboriginal Musicians

APRA AMCOS, in partnership with Create New South Wales and Arts North West, will once again bring its successful Starting Ground workshop to the region, with the two-day program taking place 1-2 August at the Youthie. Aboriginal musicians at any stage in their career looking to further develop creative and business skills are invited to attend. Sessions run 9am-5pm each day.

A dynamic mix of top artists and industry leaders will cover key areas: songwriting, music production, artist management, touring and live performance, marketing and promotion and more.

Coming to Tamworth are singer-songwriter Leah Flanagan, local blues artist and 2018 Tamworth Regional Council Volunteer of the Year Buddy Knox, hip-hop artist and record label founder Fred Leone, producer/engineer Anna Laverty, and Greg Carey of Grow Yourself Up, artist manager for The Rubens and Urthboy. APRA AMCOS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander National Representative Michael Hutchings will facilitate the sessions.

Established in 2015 with support from the New South Wales Government, the Starting Ground project was created to help Aboriginal musicians build their skills, promote their work, develop career pathways and access mainstream music markets.

This marks the third year in a row that Starting Ground has come to Tamworth, with previous workshops also taking place in Eden, Byron Bay, Dubbo and Redfern, and artists mentored include local musician Athol Munro, Loren-Jade Ryan, Dylan Goolagong, Sean Kinchela, Tom Avery, Tamwah Williams and up-and-coming country artist Maddi Lyn.

“Starting Ground gives First Nations artists a unique opportunity to work with some of this country’s finest songwriters and music industry leaders. The intensive two-day workshop gives artists a chance to not only gain valuable professional advice and skills but also the confidence to push their music into the future,” said Michael Hutchings.   

Registration via Eventbrite
Questions about participating? Please contact
Michael Hutchings, APRA AMCOS, mhutchings@apra.com.au (0447 447 646) or
Danielle Tuwai, APRA AMCOS, dtuwai@apra.com.au

All things new at Arts North West

May 2018 has been a busy one for Arts North West. Following a comprehensive review of its governance structure, Arts North West elected a new skills-based Board at its AGM held on 11 May. The new Board of Management consists of nine members with the 2017 Chair Anna Watt (Glen Innes) re-elected to the position of chair, Sandy McNaughton (Inverell) as Vice-Chair, Sue Price (Moree) as Treasurer and Chris Newbigin (Inverell) as Secretary/Public Officer.  Previous board members Hayley Ward (Armidale) and Vivien Clyne (Moree) will continue in 2018 and new to the Board are Peter Ross (Tamworth), Len Waters (Tamworth) and Sally Blackwood (Quirindi).   We are delighted to have a diverse set of skills on the Board, from financial to legal as well as arts management in music, visual arts and theatre.  The new Board structure also includes a second tier, the Strategic Advisory Council, which comprises a delegate from each of our contributing Local Government Authorities as well as four community arts organisation representatives.  Arts North West is looking forward to working together to drive creativity in our communities.

And there have been more changes.   After more than ten years above the Glen Innes Tourist Information Centre you can now find Arts North West at 16 East Avenue, in the beautiful Glen Innes King George Parklands. The new move will give Arts North West a more noticeable presence in the Glen Innes community and a more accessible location for staff and visitors.   Our contact details remain the same.

Finally we would also like to welcome a new member of staff – Christine Davis as our new Admin Assistant.

Christine brings with her a wealth of experience in not for profit organisations and administration tasks, previously working for New England North West Landcare and Queensland Murray-Darling Committee.

Cultural Tourism Workshop for the Aboriginal Community

Dhiiyaan Aboriginal Centre
Balo Street, Moree
5 June @ 10am - 3pm

Do you need help converting your idea into an action? This is an entry level workshop for Aboriginal entrepreneurs who are considering entering the cultural tourism industry.

Lorrayne Riggs, Arts North West Aboriginal Arts Officer, will take you through the basic steps on how to make the most out of your cultural tourism idea.

If you have a specific idea in mind we recommend you contact Lorrayne on 0467 668 977 to have a chat before the workshop to discuss your idea.

Arts North West is changing its Governance Structure

Arts North West is changing its Governance Structure to a skill based board.  Expressions of Interest are currently sought from arts and cultural organisations who would like to be part of the Strategic Advisory Council, which reports to the Board of Management of Arts North West.   There are up to four vacancies for independent cultural organisations in the New England North West.

The Strategic Advisory Council comprises eleven (11) representatives from contributing LGAs and up to four (4) independent cultural organisations providing strategic input and feedback into programming and direction.

Conditions:

Strategic Advisory Council positions are all voluntary and each appointment is for an initial two-year term. The Strategic Advisory Council will meet in August to provide input into the following year program and in November to provide feedback and comment on the proposed program for the following year. Advisory Council delegates are also welcome to observe Board meetings.

Role of the Strategic Advisory Council

• Council delegates will provide input into programming and strategic direction.

• The Strategic Advisory Council will receive regular updates from the Executive Director and may receive requests for feedback or input on policy development and potential projects.

• Strategic Advisory Council delegates will also act as champions and advocates for Arts North West in their own region.

Key selection criteria:

• Representative of a key independent community cultural organisation in the New England North West.

• Ability to apply strategic thought to key issues

• Prepared to question, challenge and critique, and be an active contributor

• Interest in the arts and or the role that the arts can play in regional communities

• Effective interpersonal and communication skills

If you are passionate about regional arts and would like your community organisation to have a voice in arts and cultural development in our region, then please consider putting in an application by 1 APRIL 2018.

Download EOI here

CASP Projects Ready to Roll Out in 2018

Arts North West extends a massive congratulation to the 2017 Country Art Support Program recipients from the New England North West region.  As you can see from the list below, this year’s recipients are excitingly diverse in both medium and subject and we look forward to seeing these projects roll out throughout the year. 

CASP is an annual small grants program administered by Regional Arts NSW (RANSW) on behalf of Create NSW with the main objectives of supporting a creative and vibrant NSW arts and cultural sector, engagement with diverse audiences and communities and the building of a resilient NSW arts and cultural sector and cultural activities. 

Enliven: the beginning of a street art explosion Armidale Regional Council

Council is working hard to revitalise its CBD and central mall. A concrete building owned by council is a perfect blank canvas to showcase street art. Council will employ a street artist in summer to create a vibrant mural that will eventually become part of a street art walking tour.
 
Marsupials and Birds Sculpture Techniques Barraba Potters and Craft Guild Inc.

Maggie Brockie, well known potter/sculpture, will tutor a 3 day workshop in Barraba early in 2018 focusing on 'Marsupials and Birds - Sculpture Techniques' to enhance the skills of regular potters and introduce new potters to sculpting in clay. The workshop will include support for new potters and hand building techniques
                                                                                
Arts Gunnedah Visual Arts Workshops Arts Gunnedah Inc

To hold visual art workshops, encouraging local artists of all ages, from Gunnedah & surrounding areas. These workshops will assist beginners & experienced artists from all backgrounds, in Printmaking, Oil, Acrylic Painting, and Life Drawing. This program run by professional artists, and will be held at the Creative Arts Centre, Gunnedah.
 
Walcha Sculpture Symposium Walcha Tourism C/- Walcha Council

4 Artist Demonstration Workshops are a component of a wider sculpture symposium to be held in Walcha in April 2018. Our professional artists will engage with the community, promote and demonstrate their work, collaborate and network as part of a sculpture event for, Walcha's Open Air Gallery.
 
Cool Choir Christine Davis

Cool Choir is a series of four community choir workshops to be held in Deepwater February/ March 2018. The choir will be facilitated by professional choir conductor Cathy Welsford, who will also conduct four separate training sessions to upskill a local person to take over as choir leader after the workshops
 
An Orchestral Celebration Armidale Youth Orchestra

The Armidale Youth Orchestra turns 50 in 2018 - and it is celebrating by commissioning a work by local composer Paul Marshall to be performed at a special celebratory concert in Armidale in August 2018 by current members and alumni of the orchestra.

For more information please contact the individual organisation.

Continuing to Connect Creative Communities in the New Year

Arts North West will embark on another busy and creative year in 2018 with a suite of projects and programs ready to be rolled out in the New England North West.

Country Art Escapes, a Regional Arts Trail managed by Arts North West will see a refresh early this year with a complete rebrand including a new website. The rebrand will happen in time for two open days that are scheduled for Tenterfield, Glen Innes, Armidale and Uralla later in the year.

Arts North West’s highly successful professional development workshops will start rolling out across the region in March. Glen Innes, Armidale, Tamworth and surrounding communities will have the opportunity to learn helpful tips for arts projects, event planning and useful hints for how to write arts grant.

Arts North West will be working with the Ben Lomond community starting in March to deliver a series of creative workshops. This project aims to provide a catalyst for community members to meet on a regular basis and engage in the therapeutic benefits of art-making. This project was made possible through funding received by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal.

Pocket Productions, established last year as an Arts North West initiative to deliver high quality productions to smaller communities and villages, will welcome the Bloodwood Quartet who will play their way throughout the network during April. The Arts North West ON TOUR Network will be hosting a suite of performers and performances in 2018, the first being the Australian Tour of The London Klezmer Quartet in February and March.

Rivers to Ridges and the Stories In Between project will enter into its second year after a highly successful first year. The project will continue to gather and document the stories of Elders, artists and the Aboriginal history of the New England North West in multimedia format. After 3 years, The Making Old Markings New project will finish in May with an exhibition at Armidale Cultural Centre and Keeping Place, the works are the result of Aboriginal artists connecting with traditional markings from the New England North West region. 2018 will see the launch of a new project with Yaama Ganu in Moree. Our Plains -  Our Hills - Our Home will showcase the excellence of Aboriginal arts created by the Kamilaroi people. Arts North West is also looking forward to working with the UNE Oorala Aboriginal Centre in 2018.

The Stuff of Tales project will also enter its second year in 2018. The project is a strategic partnership to develop and promote access in, and engagement to, small museums in the New England North West and will focus on creative writing for High School students and volunteers at the museums in 2018.

London Klezmer Quartet Australian Tour Heading Our Way in 2018

The Arts North West ON TOUR Network will be kicking off 2018 in style as they welcome London Klezmer Quartet to tour the New England North West region.

The London Klezmer Quartet is a dynamic group of performers whose deep understanding of klezmer, the celebratory and soulful music of Eastern European Jews, is reflected in exuberant, passionate and accomplished performances that captivate audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Dance, sing, laugh and cry as the London Klezmer Quartet takes you on a musical odyssey from Eastern Europe to Australia via the Balkans, Thailand, Turkey, the US and London. The group plays old and new traditional music on fiddle, clarinet, accordion and double bass, and presents songs of love, life, food and drink. "The real deal, to these ears." (Doug Spencer, ABC Rn). “Dynamic and authentic” (Time Out, London).

Venues and dates:

Bendemeer Hall
Wed 21 Feb

Tamworth Capitol Theatre
Thu 22 Feb

The Playhouse Hotel Barraba
Fri 23 Feb

Gunnedah Conservatorium Gunnedah        
Sat 24 Feb

Crossing Theatre Narrabri    
Sun 25 Feb

Royal Theatre Quirindi         
Wed 28 Feb

Chapel Theatre, Glen Innes
Thu 1 Mar

Sir Henry Parkes School of Arts Tenterfield
Fri 2 Mar

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION