$79,510 IN REGIONAL ARTS FUNDING ANNOUNCED FOR TASMANIA

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$79,510 IN REGIONAL ARTS FUNDING ANNOUNCED FOR TASMANIA

The Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development, Local Government and the Arts, the Honourable Simon Crean MP, has announced that funding for 14 projects totalling $79,510 will go to regional, rural and remote Tasmanian communities from the Regional Arts Fund, an Australian Government program delivered on behalf of the Australian Government in Tasmania by Tasmanian Regional Arts.

President of Tasmanian Regional Arts Lee Cole said, “The Regional Arts Fund is an incredibly valuable program – it brings people together to enjoy the arts, helps to create jobs and brings new skills to country communities.”

In this round projects located throughout Tasmania, from Ulverstone in the north-west, South Hobart in the south and Nubeena in the east will be supported. Four major and ten small projects have been supported. It is anticipated some of these will be showcased at the Junction Arts Festival in August 2011 in Launceston.

Creative processes have been supported in the funding of projects commissioning script writing, musical arrangements, music and performance, song writing as well work for youth theatre, circus and theatre production. Lee Cole said that the range of projects funded reflects the diversity and quality of Tasmanian Arts Practices.

“’Window on Deloraine’, is a partnership between Arts Deloraine, Rotary Club of Deloraine and local businesses presenting works and performance in 60 shop windows of Emu Bay Road during the Tasmanian Craft Fair in November 2011.”

“Silkweed have been funded to create a performance piece ‘Letters from a Broken Heart ( working title)’ with original music and images inspired by (actual and fictional) letters from Japanese POW camps and asylum seeker detention centres reflecting on the lives of the writers and their families and friends.”

“ One pleasing aspect of the current round of applications is that 43% of those successful were first time applicants to the Fund. This demonstrates that the Fund is reaching out to new artists and communities throughout Tasmania” added Mr Cole.

The Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund supports regional communities, arts groups and artists to create works that are high-quality, locally distinctive and made for varied audiences. The Regional Arts Fund aims to achieve sustainable cultural development in communities across regional, remote and very remote Australia by facilitating cultural partnerships and networks, supporting the professional development and employment of regional artists, and by funding community arts projects.
Teresa Beck-Swindale, Regional Touring Officer, www.tasregionalarts.org.au