Call for Federal arts funds to be restored to regional Australians |
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Call for Federal arts funds to be restored to regional Australians One thousand of the country’s artists, arts workers and arts volunteers have just left Alice Springs after being part of the largest Regional Arts Australia conference in history – art at the heart. The conference was opened by the Federal Minister for the Arts, Peter Garrett, who joined delegates for a moving arrival ceremony on the banks of the Todd River, hosted by local residents and members of the Central Arrernte community who played a pivotal role throughout the conference. “Not only was this our biggest national conference ever, it was also the biggest conference ever held in Alice Springs,” says the President of Regional Arts Australia, Suzie Haslehurst. “One of the strongest calls from the conference was for the Regional Arts Fund to be reinstated following cuts in the last Federal budget.” “We will be taking this call to the Federal Government in the form of a conference communiqué.” “The conference brought delegates from around the nation and the world for three days of exceptional performance and discussion about the role the arts play in building and sustaining towns in regional and remote Australia. “These conferences have moved beyond the nuts and bolts of how to run an event - delegates now are far more interested in the role that the arts can play in promoting healthier communities and helping towns cope with economic and environmental changes.” “There was also strong acknowledgment that artists and arts workers needed to be smarter about how they explained their work to decision-makers, avoiding jargon and using simply-told examples to tell their stories,” Ms Haslehurst said. Art at the heart was held in partnership between Regional Arts Australia and the Northern Territory Government, with the assistance of the Alice Springs Town Council. The 7th Regional Arts Australia conference will be held in Launceston in August 2010. Further information: Vivienne Skinner 0411 206 224 Regional Arts Australia promotes the development of the arts for the one-in-three Australians that live in regional, rural and remote parts of the country. It gives country Australians access to outstanding cultural experiences that are home grown or tour from other towns and cities. In this way Regional Arts Australia gives a voice to artists and puts culture at the heart of community life across country Australia.
Call for Federal arts funds to be restored to regional Australians One thousand of the country’s artists, arts workers and arts volunteers have just left Alice Springs after being part of the largest Regional Arts Australia conference in history – art at the heart. The conference was opened by the Federal Minister for the Arts, Peter Garrett, who joined delegates for a moving arrival ceremony on the banks of the Todd River, hosted by local residents and members of the Central Arrernte community who played a pivotal role throughout the conference. “Not only was this our biggest national conference ever, it was also the biggest conference ever held in Alice Springs,” says the President of Regional Arts Australia, Suzie Haslehurst. “One of the strongest calls from the conference was for the Regional Arts Fund to be reinstated following cuts in the last Federal budget.” “We will be taking this call to the Federal Government in the form of a conference communiqué.” “The conference brought delegates from around the nation and the world for three days of exceptional performance and discussion about the role the arts play in building and sustaining towns in regional and remote Australia. “These conferences have moved beyond the nuts and bolts of how to run an event - delegates now are far more interested in the role that the arts can play in promoting healthier communities and helping towns cope with economic and environmental changes.” “There was also strong acknowledgment that artists and arts workers needed to be smarter about how they explained their work to decision-makers, avoiding jargon and using simply-told examples to tell their stories,” Ms Haslehurst said. Art at the heart was held in partnership between Regional Arts Australia and the Northern Territory Government, with the assistance of the Alice Springs Town Council. The 7th Regional Arts Australia conference will be held in Launceston in August 2010. Further information: Vivienne Skinner 0411 206 224 Regional Arts Australia promotes the development of the arts for the one-in-three Australians that live in regional, rural and remote parts of the country. It gives country Australians access to outstanding cultural experiences that are home grown or tour from other towns and cities. In this way Regional Arts Australia gives a voice to artists and puts culture at the heart of community life across country Australia.
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