These explored movement and dance with students making a movement piece and learning how to create an amazing performance together.
Thursday 18 December 2014
Dance workshops with Linda Luke
These explored movement and dance with students making a movement piece and learning how to create an amazing performance together.
2014 in review
Let's look back on 2014!
The year began with a project that would become one of the most popular stories on our blog: the Leeton photography competition. This initiative was one designed to encourage participation in the arts, which was a theme through many of our projects in 2014.
February saw the opening of our Reimagining exhibition in Wagga Wagga, as well as a massive Ken Done painting in Leeton Library.
The Automata exhibition opened in Leeton at The Roxy Gallery, which drew together three friends to explore the subconscious in various media and drew record crowds, particularly through the support of Parkview Primary students -- some of who were visiting a gallery for the first time.
March put Narrandera in focus with the John O'Brien Festival celebrating a previously unpublished work by the poet, as well as contributions from local poets in the region. The Festival also featured a CAD Factory performance that was enabled by the Country Arts Support Program.
Western Riverina Arts also hosted a workshop in Narrandera with Robyn Ayres from Arts Law. Griffith-based artists Melanie Baulch and Kristy Brown were the first to exhibit in our windows this year, while Mark Saddler joined the growing gallery at the Leeton Visitor Information Centre.
In April Western Riverina-based artist Vic McEwan was the recipient of the inaugural NSW Fellowship for Regional Artists, valued at $30,000. It was a beaut result for a hard-working local artist.
The winner of our Leeton photography competition was Rocco Pirrottina, who also got well-earned recognition from Digital Photography magazine this year as well as first place in the 2014 Epson International Panoramic Awards.
Another winner in Leeton was painter Peter Kopilow, who won the Western Riverina Arts' sponsored open category in the 2014 Penny Paniz Arts Memorial Competition. The winning painting of Yanco would be seen in Griffith and Leeton as part of the Western Riverina Arts Trail.
In May selections from Griffith-based photographer Marissa Lico's 'Familiar Strangers' series were displayed in our windows. while Ivanka Jakopec exhibited in Griffith. That month also saw Linda Kopilow open her first show at The Roxy Gallery and Melanie Baulch run workshops.
June saw Griffith take the spotlight with a focus on First Friday Live and the opening of Hape Kiddle's Bidgee Studio, the latter becoming the most popular story on our blog this year. Spoiler alert! Bidgee Studio would host FFL's premiere outdoor concert in December. Back to June, Sarah McEwan brought new work to Griffith -- which will soon be seen in Sydney.
During July Author Jesse Blackadder visited Narrandera to discuss creative writing. Singer Fanny Lumsden played a night in Grong Grong with her band the Thrillseekers and singer Ruby Boots. Lumsden shared insights into songwriting and promotion at a WRA sponsored workshop before the show.
During August The CAD Factory announced their regional partnerships and the Leeton Town Band sought unusual musical instruments. The annual conversation about creativity in the Riverina, Dream Big, returned to Narrandera to host our third conference. And, an innovative CASP project taught Kandinsky to kids at East Griffith Preschool.
In September The CAD Factory joined the Strong family and George Main from the National Museum to undertake a 'walk of healing and hope'. Leeton-based artist Ann Rayment opened an exhibition in Griffith, as part of the Western Riverina art trail. One of her paintings would travel on to Sydney, as part of Regional Arts NSW's fundraising for Artlands 2016.
October saw the formation of the Riverina Men's Choir in Leeton, another project supported through CASP.
Carmela Kozlowski brought a new collection of artworks to our windows, while we brought Uh Oh Tony to Leeton. Riverina Local Land Services supported our Eco Deco project for local school kids to work with environmental materials to create art.
November seems like only yesterday, when we held a workshop on crowd-funding with Suzanne Nguyen -- who exhibited in Griffith earlier in the year. We also announced our big project for 2015: For Prosperity's Sake.
So, now it's December already. We've just helped run a series of dance workshops in schools.
That's it for 2014 at Western Riverina Arts. For more reflection, see our CEO Derek Motion's blog and that of our Communications Officer, Jason Richardson.
And tell us about your plans for 2015.
That's it for 2014 at Western Riverina Arts. For more reflection, see our CEO Derek Motion's blog and that of our Communications Officer, Jason Richardson.
And tell us about your plans for 2015.
Friday 28 November 2014
Dream Big 2014: DIY Public Relations
Western Riverina Arts' communication officer Jason Richardson shared his experiences in public relations at Dream Big in 2014. Watch the video to hear his presentation and read more below.
Communications is a broad subject, today will focus mostly on public relations and a bit on marketing.
I have around 20 years experience in writing about the arts. My first articles were published in BMA Magazine in 1994, including reviews and interviews with my friends' bands.
One thing I like about my work promoting the arts in the Western Riverina is that it's a lot like the work I did for BMA. I speak with people about their enthusiasms and I think a key part of doing this is by conveying this enthusiasm.
PR is often disparaged, people think it's manipulative. I'm going to argue it's important for artists as much as anyone promoting their work or event.
Obviously it's a great tool for marketing but good PR changes perceptions. For artists, writers and anyone in a creative pursuit this is valuable.
The feedback I get from helping people see their story in the media is that they get a great response from family, friends and colleagues as a result.
This is great because it makes your creative pursuits more valuable. You're no longer nurturing a dream, you're living it. Recognition in the media is recognition that your investment in something you enjoy is valuable.
And as media organisations cut budgets for journalism, PR becomes a key part of producing news content.
It's estimated there are as many people working in public relations as journalists. Many media outlets run PR material as content.
A study in 2010 found around half of the content in newspapers was driven by PR, from 42% in Sydney Morning Herald to 70% in The Daily Telegraph.
In my view public relations is the skill of making media want to tell your story. There are many ways to do this and today I'll offer a few ideas on how to create a compelling narrative.
Storytelling is fundamental to this pursuit.
There's an apocryphal story that the popular author Stephen King knows what will excite audiences, what will make their hearts beat, because he keeps the heart of a child in a jar in the top drawer of his writing desk.
If this wasn't just a story, I'd guess that many journalists would keep a turd in the top drawer of their desk because anytime they're presented with a story idea one of the first questions they'd ask themselves is "do I give a shit?"
In fact, earlier this year I heard an editor who handles content for a few of Australia's leading youth media websites talk about rating stories on a "give-a-shit-o-meter".
There's no simple answer to give your story this element, which is also known as sticky-ness. Sorry, I realise that's not a great image at this point.
One method that's been good for me when I want to figure out what the key element of a story should be is to talk about it with a friend or write down dots points. Simple but both of these techniques change your relationship to facts as you start to arrange them to form a narrative.
Science shows that vocalising and writing activates different parts of the brain, so you're actually creating new connections in your brain.
Another is a form of market research, ask a friend or colleague what they think is distinctive in your work. You might be surprised at the perspectives.
Most people are resistant to categorisation but being able to quickly articulate your brand is key to communicating your work. When I was promoting local musicians it was essential to have three or four words that described their material.
And, or course, a simple shortcut to convey this character is comparison but I will say more about influences in a minute.
First, some encouragement.
You mightn't realise it but being a regional artist offers you a major advantage when promoting your work. Local media love stories about local people. They really do give a shit.
And, when you've had a story about your work, you can be pleasantly surprised by who else cares too.
When the media show an interest in your work, it legitmises it.
The challenge is to give them your information to journalists and editors in a way that they can see a story in it.
A media release is a good way to present information to the media and has become standard practice for good reason. It takes the format of a news story, presenting facts in an objective format and gives you some control over how these are presented.
A media release should convey five types of facts, which all start with the letter W: who, what, where, when and why.
If you've read a news story then you'd be familiar with the inverted pyramid model, which presents the key facts that support the story in the opening sentences. This would include the who, what, where and when. For example, Jason Richardson will lead a workshop at the library on Saturday.
You can see these facts, while important, are only a small part of a story.
It's the why aspect that follows is what I think provides the opportunity to share your shit.
Outlining previous successes will make your art seem important. If critics have said nice things or other artists have talked about you as inspiration, then that can be good material.
It's critical that you make it interesting because it's the chance to motivate people, but it's also a great spot to educate an audience about your work.
Discussing influences is a good subject because it provides context for your art. It doesn't need to feel like airing dirty laundry, it's about informing the audience. Share your inspiration. It can inspire others but it can also interest them in learning how you've responded.
I think it's a shame more artists don't acknowledge their influences and inspirations. There's an idea that one can "steal like an artist" but it baffles me that in almost every academic pursuit one is expected to reference the ideas and work that has informed a project, except in art.
Every superhero has an origin story that explains their superpowers and pursuit. It's no different if you want to create a compelling narrative.
Another feature of stories is a setback that offers and unexpected opportunity to enrich the hero. I'd argue that acknowledging your own narrative can benefit from sharing these lessons.
There are other angles and it can be surprising what gains traction.
One instructive experience for me was talking with an ABC Radio National producer last year about Western Riverina Arts' Reimagining the Murrumbidgee exhibition. We'd collected a group of innovative artists to create works responding to the River, which I thought would be of interest because of the uniqueness of the concept. The producer suggested it would be more interesting to her audience as a topic for talkback radio if we asked for people to share their experiences at rivers.
I was surprised because it looked for how to make the subject accessible rather than focusing on the material.
This lesson was one I applied recently when helping Leeton-based writer Melanie Ifield to reach an audience in Canberra. Mel has a book set in our national capital and I suggested we open a piece on her work by saying how misunderstood the city is because of the politicians with which it is most associated. It helped to make her story relevant to the audience.
Another lesson I learned through promoting Mel's books was timing. She'd published three books in 2013 and I thought this was newsworthy in itself. However the local newspaper sat on the story for more than a month and I realised it lacked a use-by date. The books weren't being launched, so there was no urgency for the editor to publish it.
Usually the time between sending a story to a local paper and being published varies between one to three weeks, so ensure you allow time.
And, if you can, include a good photograph as an image makes your story stand out on the page. They like a shot with the subject looking at the camera, and this makes sense as it engages a viewer.
If you can't write, don't be afraid to call and speak to a journalist directly but it helps to have your key points written down in front of you to help ensure you stay on topic.
Communications is a broad subject, today will focus mostly on public relations and a bit on marketing.
I have around 20 years experience in writing about the arts. My first articles were published in BMA Magazine in 1994, including reviews and interviews with my friends' bands.
One thing I like about my work promoting the arts in the Western Riverina is that it's a lot like the work I did for BMA. I speak with people about their enthusiasms and I think a key part of doing this is by conveying this enthusiasm.
PR is often disparaged, people think it's manipulative. I'm going to argue it's important for artists as much as anyone promoting their work or event.
Obviously it's a great tool for marketing but good PR changes perceptions. For artists, writers and anyone in a creative pursuit this is valuable.
The feedback I get from helping people see their story in the media is that they get a great response from family, friends and colleagues as a result.
This is great because it makes your creative pursuits more valuable. You're no longer nurturing a dream, you're living it. Recognition in the media is recognition that your investment in something you enjoy is valuable.
And as media organisations cut budgets for journalism, PR becomes a key part of producing news content.
It's estimated there are as many people working in public relations as journalists. Many media outlets run PR material as content.
A study in 2010 found around half of the content in newspapers was driven by PR, from 42% in Sydney Morning Herald to 70% in The Daily Telegraph.
In my view public relations is the skill of making media want to tell your story. There are many ways to do this and today I'll offer a few ideas on how to create a compelling narrative.
Storytelling is fundamental to this pursuit.
If this wasn't just a story, I'd guess that many journalists would keep a turd in the top drawer of their desk because anytime they're presented with a story idea one of the first questions they'd ask themselves is "do I give a shit?"
In fact, earlier this year I heard an editor who handles content for a few of Australia's leading youth media websites talk about rating stories on a "give-a-shit-o-meter".
There's no simple answer to give your story this element, which is also known as sticky-ness. Sorry, I realise that's not a great image at this point.
One method that's been good for me when I want to figure out what the key element of a story should be is to talk about it with a friend or write down dots points. Simple but both of these techniques change your relationship to facts as you start to arrange them to form a narrative.
Science shows that vocalising and writing activates different parts of the brain, so you're actually creating new connections in your brain.
Another is a form of market research, ask a friend or colleague what they think is distinctive in your work. You might be surprised at the perspectives.
Most people are resistant to categorisation but being able to quickly articulate your brand is key to communicating your work. When I was promoting local musicians it was essential to have three or four words that described their material.
And, or course, a simple shortcut to convey this character is comparison but I will say more about influences in a minute.
First, some encouragement.
You mightn't realise it but being a regional artist offers you a major advantage when promoting your work. Local media love stories about local people. They really do give a shit.
And, when you've had a story about your work, you can be pleasantly surprised by who else cares too.
When the media show an interest in your work, it legitmises it.
The challenge is to give them your information to journalists and editors in a way that they can see a story in it.
A media release is a good way to present information to the media and has become standard practice for good reason. It takes the format of a news story, presenting facts in an objective format and gives you some control over how these are presented.
A media release should convey five types of facts, which all start with the letter W: who, what, where, when and why.
If you've read a news story then you'd be familiar with the inverted pyramid model, which presents the key facts that support the story in the opening sentences. This would include the who, what, where and when. For example, Jason Richardson will lead a workshop at the library on Saturday.
You can see these facts, while important, are only a small part of a story.
It's the why aspect that follows is what I think provides the opportunity to share your shit.
Outlining previous successes will make your art seem important. If critics have said nice things or other artists have talked about you as inspiration, then that can be good material.
It's critical that you make it interesting because it's the chance to motivate people, but it's also a great spot to educate an audience about your work.
Discussing influences is a good subject because it provides context for your art. It doesn't need to feel like airing dirty laundry, it's about informing the audience. Share your inspiration. It can inspire others but it can also interest them in learning how you've responded.
I think it's a shame more artists don't acknowledge their influences and inspirations. There's an idea that one can "steal like an artist" but it baffles me that in almost every academic pursuit one is expected to reference the ideas and work that has informed a project, except in art.
Every superhero has an origin story that explains their superpowers and pursuit. It's no different if you want to create a compelling narrative.
Another feature of stories is a setback that offers and unexpected opportunity to enrich the hero. I'd argue that acknowledging your own narrative can benefit from sharing these lessons.
There are other angles and it can be surprising what gains traction.
One instructive experience for me was talking with an ABC Radio National producer last year about Western Riverina Arts' Reimagining the Murrumbidgee exhibition. We'd collected a group of innovative artists to create works responding to the River, which I thought would be of interest because of the uniqueness of the concept. The producer suggested it would be more interesting to her audience as a topic for talkback radio if we asked for people to share their experiences at rivers.
I was surprised because it looked for how to make the subject accessible rather than focusing on the material.
This lesson was one I applied recently when helping Leeton-based writer Melanie Ifield to reach an audience in Canberra. Mel has a book set in our national capital and I suggested we open a piece on her work by saying how misunderstood the city is because of the politicians with which it is most associated. It helped to make her story relevant to the audience.
Another lesson I learned through promoting Mel's books was timing. She'd published three books in 2013 and I thought this was newsworthy in itself. However the local newspaper sat on the story for more than a month and I realised it lacked a use-by date. The books weren't being launched, so there was no urgency for the editor to publish it.
Usually the time between sending a story to a local paper and being published varies between one to three weeks, so ensure you allow time.
And, if you can, include a good photograph as an image makes your story stand out on the page. They like a shot with the subject looking at the camera, and this makes sense as it engages a viewer.
If you can't write, don't be afraid to call and speak to a journalist directly but it helps to have your key points written down in front of you to help ensure you stay on topic.
Thursday 20 November 2014
Everything is Pozible
Now Western Riverina Arts want to help you to realise your own dream project.
"Pozible is an Australian website which has a great reputation for supporting a wide variety of endeavours," said Derek Motion, Regional Arts Development Officer at Western Riverina Arts.
Crowdfunding is an online phenomenon where you attract lots of little donations from a big group of people. "This month Pozible have seen pledges to the tune of a record $2429 per hour, which shows there is a community who want to help make dreams into realities."
Pozible ambassador Suzanne Nguyen will lead an introductory workshop at The Brett Naseby Gallery on Thursday that will discuss how to seek crowdfunding for your own art and community-based projects.
Ms Nguyen is no stranger to Griffith, having run an exhibition at the Griffith Regional Art Gallery earlier this year. Joining her will be Neil Bull, who raised over $50,000 to fund a local project to protect an endangered Australasian bird, see www.pozible.com/project/186259
The Western Riverina Arts crowdfunding workshop will start at 6pm on Thursday, 27 November 2014. Light refreshments will be provided on the evening, please register your interest at www.eventbrite.com.au/e/crowdfunding-workshop-griffith-tickets-7404873175
Monday 27 October 2014
Self-publishing history in Leeton
For Prosperity's Sake is a pilot project that will see Western Riverina Arts (WRA) partner with Leeton community groups, including the Returned Soldiers League, Country Women's Association and Rotary, to deliver a self-publishing project for seniors and also inter-generational schools-based art workshops.
The overall aim is to produce a collaborative oral history archive. The archive will be available online as audio and visual slides, transcribed as individual self-published booklets given to each participant and as a compiled book.
Ms Cooper has run self-publishing workshops in Leeton during 2014, as well as art and craft activities for children and seniors. The final outcome of For Prosperity's Sake will be launched at a public exhibition and screening in May 2015.
"We'd like to hear from you if you're over 60 years old and interested in sharing your story," said Derek Motion, WRA Regional Arts Development Officer.
"To begin the project Louise Cooper will liaise with Sue Gavel from Leeton Rotary, and also meet with representatives from other participating organisations to generate a list of willing participants.
Louise has a keen interest in local history and over the past two months has been a part of the planning process for this project.
"We're looking to working with Louise to finalise a document compiled of the self-published booklets. This compilation will then be published via a print-on-demand platform, and a limited print run ordered," Mr Motion said.
Friday 24 October 2014
Eco Deco shows kids' raw talent
This weekend is the Leeton exhibition for the Eco Deco project delivered by Western Riverina Arts through funding from Riverina Local Land Services.
Artworks by children from Parkview and Murrami public schools will be on display in the The Roxy Gallery from 11am to 2pm.
Artists Melanie Baulch and Hape Kiddle were employed to run art workshops with schools in Griffith and Leeton using locally sourced resources from natural settings.
"The Griffith exhibition at Brett Naseby Gallery was popular, with many kids bringing their parents in to share their unique works," said Derek Motion, Regional Arts Development Officer with Western Riverina Arts.
"It was fascinating to see the individual artworks, as each was an expression of the vision and skills of that child. The results were varied, from domestic items to the fantastic, as well as things you might see in the natural world."
The materials were collected in a non-destructive and were used to inspire the children as well as introduce common items in their local landscapes. "We gave them a leaping-off point, starting with a story that they had landed on an island and had to make items. It put everyone on the same page," explained artist Hape Kiddle of the workshop held at Parkview on Tuesday this week.
The results were varied, as the workshop let the children decide what they would make from the materials. "It was open-ended and wasn't prescriptive. To help get them started we talked about how people approach creative work, how some people draw or talk or feel as a way of generating ideas. How some prefer working in groups or on their own," said artist Melanie Baulch.
"There were a lot of options, it could've been crippling for the kids creatively. I think the outcome was empowering as a result, they were very proud of their work. There is no right or wrong, rating or judging, and I think that's empowering for children."
"I found it really interesting to see the different approaches taken by the kids. We had only a few parameters, so it was a very creative exercise. Sometimes open projects can throw kids but they were into it," said Mr Kiddle. "It was surprising where the ideas went."
"The process was very playful rather than being outcome-oriented. I was surprised at how much they produced. Much of it may turn up as Christmas presents, I'd guess."
Melanie Baulch said the workshop went well. "The kids couldn't wait to get started and, at the end, the children were very respectful and helped clean up."
"We’re grateful to Riverina Local Land Services for supporting this project," said Mr Motion. "It's great to be able to challenge the way people think about the environment through art. Last year our Reimagining exhibition brought varying perspectives on the Murrumbidgee from artists.
"This year we aimed to continue that conversation and were able to generate even more individual expressions from artists through these workshops."
Eco Deco artworks by Parkview and Murrami public school students will be on display in The Roxy Gallery in Leeton from 11am to 2pm on Saturday 24 October.
Artworks by children from Parkview and Murrami public schools will be on display in the The Roxy Gallery from 11am to 2pm.
"The Griffith exhibition at Brett Naseby Gallery was popular, with many kids bringing their parents in to share their unique works," said Derek Motion, Regional Arts Development Officer with Western Riverina Arts.
"It was fascinating to see the individual artworks, as each was an expression of the vision and skills of that child. The results were varied, from domestic items to the fantastic, as well as things you might see in the natural world."
The materials were collected in a non-destructive and were used to inspire the children as well as introduce common items in their local landscapes. "We gave them a leaping-off point, starting with a story that they had landed on an island and had to make items. It put everyone on the same page," explained artist Hape Kiddle of the workshop held at Parkview on Tuesday this week.
The results were varied, as the workshop let the children decide what they would make from the materials. "It was open-ended and wasn't prescriptive. To help get them started we talked about how people approach creative work, how some people draw or talk or feel as a way of generating ideas. How some prefer working in groups or on their own," said artist Melanie Baulch.
"There were a lot of options, it could've been crippling for the kids creatively. I think the outcome was empowering as a result, they were very proud of their work. There is no right or wrong, rating or judging, and I think that's empowering for children."
"The process was very playful rather than being outcome-oriented. I was surprised at how much they produced. Much of it may turn up as Christmas presents, I'd guess."
Melanie Baulch said the workshop went well. "The kids couldn't wait to get started and, at the end, the children were very respectful and helped clean up."
"We’re grateful to Riverina Local Land Services for supporting this project," said Mr Motion. "It's great to be able to challenge the way people think about the environment through art. Last year our Reimagining exhibition brought varying perspectives on the Murrumbidgee from artists.
"This year we aimed to continue that conversation and were able to generate even more individual expressions from artists through these workshops."
Eco Deco artworks by Parkview and Murrami public school students will be on display in The Roxy Gallery in Leeton from 11am to 2pm on Saturday 24 October.
Monday 13 October 2014
Uh Oh Tony! at The Roxy
Award-winning theatre maker Nick Coyle will bring his winningly whimsical show Uh Oh Tony! to the Roxy Community Theatre on Wednesday 22 October.The fun-filled 40-minute family show features music, singing, puppets and plenty of audience interaction. It is suitable for children aged four to eight.
Coyle plays Tony who ends up with a puppet also named Tony after a mix-up in the delivery of his robot. This second Tony is a colourful character and the two begin an adventure that leads to friendship.They are joined onstage by Holly Austin, who plays more than one role and was described in a review as being "delightfully larger than life".
Give your kids the chance to experience the magic of live theatre and see Uh Oh Tony! when it is performed in Leeton at 11am on Wednesday 22 October.
All tickets are $7 each, phone The Roxy on 6953 2074.
Blooming art
Former Leeton resident Carmela Kozlowski has a new collection of artworks in that town, exhibiting in the Western Riverina Arts window gallery during October as part of the Western Riverina Arts Trail.There is a floral theme through the assembled paintings, pastels and drawings, so the timing appears perfect for this display as spring warms the weather outside.
Ms Kozlowski held an exhibition of landscapes during August at the Historic Hydro Motor Inn and has placed in the Yanco Agricultural Art Exhibition in recent years, for paintings in 2010 and 2011 and then sculptures in 2012 and 2013.
"I enjoy exhibiting in as many art shows and competitions as I can," she told The Irrigator earlier this year and more of Kozlowski's floral work can currently be seen in Griffith Regional Art Gallery as part of their annual Flower Power exhibition.
Thursday 18 September 2014
Ann Rayment exhibits in Griffith
One of the Riverina’s well-known artists, Ann Rayment, will officially launch her solo art exhibition called Fragments at the Griffith Regional Theatre on Thursday September 25 at 5:30pm.
“While I use a variety of materials and processes in each work, the tools I most enjoy and use are the palette knife and my hands. Using my hands gives me a real freedom, which comes through in my work,” said Ann, whose works feature a dominance of vibrant colours.
“As with many artists, my art will keep evolving. And, as this is the case, I will continue to challenge myself to materialise the visions I carry with me every day,” she added.
Ann’s works hang in both private and public collections around Australia. As part of the Western Riverina Arts Trail, Fragments will travel to Leeton in coming months.
Monday 8 September 2014
The CAD Factory plan a walk of healing and hope
The walk will acknowledge local history, honour the capacities of land and people to produce food and fibre, and help build cultural and ecological resilience. Along the way, artists will present and share work made specifically for each campsite.
The walk has been created in partnership with the National Museum of Australia, Graham Strong and the Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation and will be held from 12 - 15 September with many ways for people to participate.
You can attend the entire event and camp and walk with the group over the 45kms, or camp and walk for a night or two. Come for a day time walk for all or part of the journey or attend one or all of the “Special Events.” There are no restrictions in how you can participate. If you’d like to camp and/or walk for 1, 2 or 3 days, please register on The CAD Factory’s website, www.cadfactory.com.au
For those who don’t like the thought of camping or walking, the “Special Event” nights are a good way to join in the conversation and experience contemporary art and community.
On the opening night of the walk, Friday 12 September, from 5:30pm - 7:30pm there will be a big celebration with Uncle Stan Grant talking about Wiradjuri language revivial, Uncle Jimmy Ingram talking about local histories, weaving demonstrations by the Hands On Weavers, traditional Johnny Cakes, along with performance, music, projections and more. All of this held at Buckingbong Camping Reserve, 7km down Buckingbong Rd Narrandera, past the Fisheries.
The second night of the walk, Saturday 13 September, brings internationally acclaimed artists Lorraine Connelly Northey and Jonathan Jones with Aunty Gail Clark to create a site-specific installation in the Buckingbong State Forest. These celebrated artists will work with local materials and stories to reconstruct notions of gunya or home. As their location is inside the forest, audience are asked to meet at the corner of Strontian Rd & the entrance to Buckingbong State Forest, Sandigo (just past the Gap Rd) at 5pm for a 5:15pm departure to the installation location with viewing and conversation from 6pm - 7pm.
The final night on Sunday 13 September will end with a performance on a huge land art work created in a Birrego paddock in 2009. Join Graham Strong, Steve Harradine and Vic McEwan at the Meridian Circle, and hear why it was constructed and the process involved in making it. Walk the Meridian Circle and experience music made by Strong and McEwan on guitar and fence. As this location is on private property audience are asked to meet at the corner of Strontian & Boundary Rd, Boree Creek at 5pm for a 5:15pm departure to the performance location. Performance from 6pm - 7pm.
Buckingbong to Birrego is the first project in The CAD Factory’s suite of Regional Partnership projects that will be held over the next 18 months and partner this Riverina based arts organisations with established city institutions; NMA, NAVA and Performance Space. Each organisation will engage with regional NSW artists, landscape and communities to create a major focus on contemporary regional arts practice, process and development.
Minister for the Arts, Troy Grant, said the funding is part of the NSW Government’s commitment to supporting arts and cultural projects in regional NSW. “The NSW Government is committed to increasing the opportunity for people in regional communities to experience high quality, locally-produced arts and culture,” Mr Grant said.
Buckingbong to Birrego, three-day walk What Lies Around the Bend? A Night of Community Celebration, Storytelling and Performance
Friday 12 September, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Buckingbong Camping Reserve
A Site-Specific Installation by Lorraine Connelly Northey and Jonathan Jones with Aunty Gail Clark Saturday 13 September, 6pm - 7pm Buckingbong State Forest
The Meridian Circle Performance: Land Art, Music and Conversation
Sunday 14 September, 6pm - 7pm Birrego Paddock
Image above shows an aerial view of the Meridian Circle, a land-based artwork created by Graham Strong and Steve Harradine in 2009. Photo by Eddie Lloyd.
Wednesday 3 September 2014
Teaching colour with Kandinsky
Wassily Kandinsky, the father of abstract art, was promoted at East Griffith Preschool by local artist Melanie Baulch as a way of introducing techniques including colour-blending.
Around 165 kids undertook workshops that focused on shapes and colours within Kandinsky's paintings. Preschool directory Suzy Tucker observed the influence of the workshops in the artwork of the children, particularly the use of geometric shapes.
While the children were each given the same directions and materials, it was obvious looking at the results how much their interpretations varied. "The kids put their own spin on their work," observed early childhood educator Hannah Violi.
"With some kids you'll come along and suggest another element but they'll say 'no' and explain that it's finished," said early childhood educator Julie Vitucci.
The project was supported by Regional Arts NSW's Country Art Support Program (CASP) funding, which is currently open for projects to be delivered in 2015. These funds are directed toward skill or audience development, particularly through artist-led workshops. Talk with Western Riverina Arts today to begin your application.
Sarah McEwan’s work on display
McEwan is a core member of The CAD Factory, which began as an underground warehouse space in Sydney during 2005 and relocated to the remote location of Birrego in August 2010. Since then The CAD Factory have developed a variety of artistic projects in the region.
McEwan’s work is the visual exploration of these questions with reference to the self and the way identity is formed. A striking feature of these self-portraits is the fact that each figure contains no face. The face has been cut out and replaced with black threads. By eliminating the feature that identifies you, the strategy interrupts the notions of beauty and being defined by your physical features. The external falls away and the internal thoughts are left exposed where the private becomes public. The works become portraits of interior landscapes.
See Remapping the Self in the window gallery at Western Riverina Arts during September.
Friday 29 August 2014
Notes from Dream Big 2014
Local Wiradjuri man Cedric Briggs provided a welcome to country which was followed by the first keynote speaker, Jacquie Riddell. Her career in marketing communications includes Australian cultural institutions SBS, Triple J and, presently, the Art Gallery of NSW.
Riddell presented that marketing is about building a community. "You need to know everyone individually. Take the relationship into your own hands. A modern cultural institution is connected to a community."
Penny Miles spoke on recent Australia Council survey findings. "85% of Australians think the arts make for a richer and more meaningful life." She enthused that attendances by regional audiences was ahead of those in cities, as well as echoing earlier comments about building a community. "To have a real relationship, you need to understand what they care about."
She argued that the world is changing faster than the art community and that the role of the artistic director needed to be rethought. "They take a role like 'police' within organisations and contributed to creating a passive audience. Glow was also critical of inflating audience numbers, saying it was a short term strategy.
For the panel on the topic of capturing a community's imagination moderator Scott Howie, Regional Development Officer with Eastern Riverina Arts, drew responses from Vic McEwan, Casey Jenkins and Katherine McLean.
On the topic of community engagement McLean said that embracing opposing voices was important. "Articulating hate is the bed of transformation." She was critical of the announcement of cuts to ABS data on sport and the arts, "you value what you measure". Local artist McEwan estimated that his organisation The CAD Factory had contributed $250,000 to the Narrandera community in recent years.
A good image will attract audience, a point reiterated by ABC Open's Riverina-based facilitator, Sonya Gee, relating the value in generating views with online video. She spoke of the value of storytelling and that "the Riverina had the most stories from any Open area screened on ABC TV."
Tim spoke on the value of experimenting with different techniques to generate interest in email newsletters. Scott Howie discussed ethical consent in arts projects.
Bernadette Flynn from Griffith's Pioneer Park spoke on a project she'd managed online, which led her to conclude broadband was more important than running water. The experience had demonstrated that "Working in a distributed way worked better than face-to-face," although working in a coffee shop had also attracted others too. An extensive legal document had assisted in providing a statement on the seriousness of the project.
Maz McGann introduced Creating Australia, the new national body for community arts and cultural development. Their website encourages artists to update their projects as a means of attracting resources to advocate for the arts and cultural development.
Monday 25 August 2014
Musical inventions wanted
Leeton Town Band is offering $100 for the best homemade musical instrument that can be played along with other instruments of an orchestra.
Your instrument may be made from any materials, new or secondhand, but it must be playable as part of an organised musical group. Your entry to the competition may be best classed among any of the usual families of instruments (string, percussion, wind, electronic).
Some ideas to get you started include using PVC or galvanised piping, old gas cylinders, biscuit tins, lengths of wood or wooden boxes, car horns, kitchen utensils, shed tools ... in fact, any safe, non-toxic materials at all. Many traditional bush instruments would fit the bill, including tea chest bass, xylophones, simple flutes and a basic trombone.
You will need to tune the various notes. If you Google "musical tuning" you can download a concert pitch tuning scale and your instrument should conform to this scale.
You or someone you nominate can demonstrate your instrument's capabilities at Brass In The Park, on Sunday 9 November in Leeton's Mountford Park. A nominee from Leeton Town Band will judge the entries.
There is no entry fee for this competition. Further information can be obtained from eatsap[at]gmail[dot]com.
Thursday 14 August 2014
CAD Factory Regional Partnerships
With the support of Arts NSW, The CAD Factory is pleased to announce a major partnership program between The National Association of Visual Arts (NAVA), The National Museum of Australia and Performance Space to partner together over the next 18 months to invest in the cultural life of the Riverina by developing an innovative suite of projects.
Each organisation will engage with regional NSW artists, landscape and communities to create a major focus on contemporary regional arts practice, process and development.
Vic McEwan, Artistic Director of The CAD Factory said, “The CAD Factory will participate in skills exchange with each of these national partners to enable growth and development for the organisation and to promote and develop The CAD Factory's cultural programming and creation on a national level. There will be many opportunities for local artists and community members to participate and help develop this exciting program.”
Go to www.cadfactory.com.au for more details.
Friday 8 August 2014
Write your own media release
The headline of a media release
should summarise the subject matter in a way that is interesting and
bold. It is designed to engage the reader and encourage them to keep
reading. Be creative but keep it short.
The lead paragraph follows the headline and it is essential it succinctly conveys the story. Check it includes: WHO did it? WHAT did they do? WHERE did they do it? WHEN did they do it? WHY did they do it? And, of course, HOW did they do it?
Following paragraphs expand the subject matter of the lead and it is where you start telling the story with key messages and hard facts. This is the body of the media release and it is critical to prioritise messages from the most important to the least important.
Write in the third person using active language in short sentences. Short paragraphs also assist the reader to quickly digest the content.
“Quotes are another important part of writing a media release,” said Jason Richardson, Communications Officer for Western Riverina Arts. “Remember to attribute them to someone because the media are unable to use newsworthy quotes unless they are sourced and often they will not call to check.”
“When writing a quote you don’t necessarily have to capture what someone has said word-for-word,” said Jason Richardson. “In fact, it’s usually better if you take the spirit of what they would’ve said if they had the opportunity to write their own quote.”
Remember that media releases need to stay focused on their subject. Sometimes a project will provide opportunities to write a number of media releases highlighting various messages, outcomes or milestones.
The last paragraph is the least important information and can include background information or a final summary of the essential details about the organisation, activity or person that is the subject of the media release.
Always finish the release with the following so the reader knows it has finished and does not continue on more pages:
ENDS
The lead paragraph follows the headline and it is essential it succinctly conveys the story. Check it includes: WHO did it? WHAT did they do? WHERE did they do it? WHEN did they do it? WHY did they do it? And, of course, HOW did they do it?
Following paragraphs expand the subject matter of the lead and it is where you start telling the story with key messages and hard facts. This is the body of the media release and it is critical to prioritise messages from the most important to the least important.
Write in the third person using active language in short sentences. Short paragraphs also assist the reader to quickly digest the content.
“Quotes are another important part of writing a media release,” said Jason Richardson, Communications Officer for Western Riverina Arts. “Remember to attribute them to someone because the media are unable to use newsworthy quotes unless they are sourced and often they will not call to check.”
“When writing a quote you don’t necessarily have to capture what someone has said word-for-word,” said Jason Richardson. “In fact, it’s usually better if you take the spirit of what they would’ve said if they had the opportunity to write their own quote.”
Remember that media releases need to stay focused on their subject. Sometimes a project will provide opportunities to write a number of media releases highlighting various messages, outcomes or milestones.
The last paragraph is the least important information and can include background information or a final summary of the essential details about the organisation, activity or person that is the subject of the media release.
Always finish the release with the following so the reader knows it has finished and does not continue on more pages:
ENDS
Thursday 7 August 2014
CASP opens for 2015
“This year there’s even more money to assist in the development of local arts activities,” said Derek Motion, Regional Arts Development Officer. “Grants of up to $5000 are available and the guidelines are now less prescriptive for its use.”
CASP grants are designed to primarily cover professional artist's fees and expenses such as travel and accommodation.
"Any community-based incorporated group can apply and I hope they will,” said Mr Motion. “Individual artists can also apply, they simply need to have their application auspiced by an incorporated group. Talk with me for assistance."
CASP provides small grants to arts and community organisations in regional NSW for short term, locally initiated projects.
The Program aims to support locally determined cultural activities and make them accessible, so communities can explore and express their cultural identities. Benefits include social and economic outcomes for the community through training, employment and promotional activities, while leading to greater awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity in rural and regional New South Wales.
In 2014 three Griffith-based projects were supported through CASP funding:
- GRAPA's 'Shakespeare under the Stars' community theatre productions will include a reprisal of their 2013 production, 'The Merchant of Venice,' at the Shakespeare on the River Festival at Stratford upon Avon, Victoria in May 2014, as well as performances of their 2014 production, 'Macbeth,' in Griffith and outlying areas in October and November.
- Griffith Regional Theatre will host a selection of theatre workshops to be delivered by Tanya Hennessy.
- Griffith East Preschool will introduce art as a form of expression to 180 children via an artist in residence program and exhibition. Working with the Regional Art Gallery the goal is to promote art to the community through the artists of early childhood from July 2014.
- The Leeton Men's Choir will hold workshops for an all-male vocal group. A series of six half-day singing workshops will be conducted by a Narrandera- based singing teacher and a final day-and-a-half workshop is planned with an internationally renowned ‘a capella’ choirmaster.
- The Leeton Art Society will host a workshop with Helen Cottle, followed by a memorial exhibition in memory of former president Penny Paniz.
- The CAD Factory will present three monologues based on historical Narrandera figures on the grounds of the Narrandera Train Station, including a soundtrack by a local choir designed entirely from live human voices.
- Live Well Narrandera's Happy Feet at the Food Garden Project is a community partnership to create 25 decorative pavers in mosaic for the Narrandera Food Garden. The project will involve at least six participants attending five workshops in 2014.
- The Narrandera Arts and Creative Network will host The Lines and Shadows Projection Art Workshops, where participants will learn basic skills using projectors, mapping and software to create shadow art.
For more information contact Derek Motion, Regional Arts Development Officer, Western Riverina Arts.
Image by Jason Richardson from The CAD Factory's In The Heart Of Our Past production, which was supported by CASP funding.
Friday 1 August 2014
Soul, Jazz and Old School R&B
After a run of visiting musicians from near and far, this August First Friday Live will get back to its roots and feature some talented local artists. On the first day of August, we welcome Jeff & Dee – the dynamic duo who's smooth, sophisticated sounds are making waves in our town!
‘Jeff & Dee’ are a newly formed pair who perform the style of music that they most enjoy. Since collaborating earlier in the year, Jeff & Dee have been performing at various venues in and around Griffith. The ‘Jeff’ portion of J&D is local lad, Jeffery Wright. A well known figure in the Griffith music scene, he shares his time between painting and strumming. Jeff is an accomplished guitarist and boasts a long career of making great music. When asked what the highlight of his music career has been, Jeff reminisces, “... playing poolside at the ‘Miss Sunshine Beauty Pageant’ 1981. But it’s all been downhill since then!”
The ‘Dee’ part of the duo is Adelaide export, Deanna Farnell. Deanna is a captivating, versatile and powerful vocalist who has performed in a number of countries and cities, singing across a number of genres; favouring Musical Theatre, pop and soul. Highlights of her career include The Buddy Holly Musical in London, singing at the Rugby World cup, and being the State Music Coordinator for The Australian Girls’ Choir. Certainly a great loss for Adelaide, but a sensational win for Griffith!
Enjoy a night of fabulous live music. Invite your friends, book a table or just turn up! We can’t wait to see you there! This month's concert will be held at Bar One88, 188 Banna Avenue, Griffith on Friday 1 August from 7.30pm. Our low cover charge of $15 goes to the performers to ensure we can keep bringing great live music to Griffith.
More details at http://www.firstfridaylive.com.au
Thursday 24 July 2014
Author Jesse Blackadder to visit Narrandera
Jesse’s first novel for grownups was After the Party (Hardie Grant Books 2005), her second The Raven’s Heart, (HarperCollins 2011 and Bywater Books 2012) and her third Chasing the Light: A Novel of Antarctica (HarperCollins 2013).
After the Party was among the Australian Book Review list of all-time favourite Australian novels (2010) and Chasing the Light won the 2011/12 Australian Antarctic Arts Fellowship.
Jesse wrote The Raven’s Heart, about the real Blackadder family in 16th century Scotland, after she finally got sick of people asking if she was related to Rowan Atkinson.
During 2013 The Raven’s Heart won the Benjamin Franklin Award for Historical Fiction (USA) and the Golden Crown Award (USA), was awarded the bronze medal by Independent Publisher Book Awards Historical Fiction (USA), was a finalist in both the Lambda Foundation Literary Award (USA) and ForeWord Book of the Year (USA); and won the Varuna HarperCollins Manuscript Development Award 2011 (Australia).
Jesse is writing a series of junior fiction novels (for readers aged 8-13). The first – Stay: the last dog in Antarctica – was published in July 2013 by ABC Books and the second, Paruku The Desert Brumby, in January 2014.
Jesse is an experienced freelance writer and journalist. She studied creative writing at university (along with film and photography) in a BA (Communication) at the University of Technology Sydney. She has a Master of Applied Science (Social Ecology) and is completing her Doctor of Creative Arts at the University of Western Sydney.
Hear Jesse discuss writing in Narrandera at the Art Hub in the Train Station from 11am to 12.30pm on Tuesday 29 July.
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