During 2005, in an effort to determine the regional arts sector's views on future priorities, Regional Arts Australia undertook, arguably, the most comprehensive national consultation that has ever been undertaken into the future needs and aspirations of the arts across regional Australia.
A number of clear priorities emerged from the national consultation and these have been published in a document entitled 2006 National Directions: Regional Arts, which was launched in mid February 2006.
» Summit overview
ConVerge: a touring exhibition
The Northern Rivers Touring Ceramic Exhibition is the culmination of three years of planning and preparation by artist/curators, Geoff Crispin, Bob Connery, and the Arts Northern Rivers Project Officer - Cath Fogarty.
The Brisbane opening of ConVerge, held in association with Verge: 11th National Ceramic Conference, was just the beginning of what will be a two year voyage for this stunning collection of ceramic art works by twenty of the Northern Rivers' finest ceramic artists - an intrepid journey to fourteen galleries in Queensland and New South Wales.
» Project overview by Cath Fogarty
Maps of the northern coastal region of New South Wales show highways and winding roads making their way in through timbered hills and open plains from north, south and west. Famous and spectacular rivers twist and join to flow their sometimes meandering, sometimes turbulent, way to the equally spectacular and famous coastline.
For many years people have converged on this particular part of Australia as both a place to live and a place to play, escaping the expanding cities in the north and south, or relative isolation in the west.
» Catalogue essay by Grace Cochrane
» Curators Foreword by Geoff Crispin and Bob Connery
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This is the most up to date contact list of councils across Australia out there, and the price is right - it's free.
The imagination imitates. It is the critical spirit that creates. Oscar Wilde
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You have been reading about it in the past issues of 716, now its live and sweaty. Craft Australia has launched youth@craft·design. Check out the site for yourselves. Make your mark - take part in the survey, tell us about yourself and your work.
The online forums are a biennial event organised by Craft Australia to gauge the needs of the Australian craft·design sector, just like the census, only more relevant.
reSkin is an intense three-week workshop that will focus on wearable technology, embracing the skill-based practices of object and fashion design.
reSkin will place four international and national facilitators with twenty participants including jewellers, textile artists, fashion designers and media artists. Together they will research, develop and rapid prototype sensor, time based and reactive clothing, jewellery, shoes, bags and personal environmental and device designs - anything wearable and technologically integrated.
Further information about reSkin and how to register is available on the ANAT website. reSkin has been developed by ANAT in partnership with Craft Australia and the ANU and will be delivered in Canberra 15 January - 4 February 2007.
Applications to particiapte in the reSkin wearables new media lab are now due.
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Looking for a professional photographer? Printing an invite, or a catalogue? Freighting your work? Need expert advice on a contract - a qualified conservator to care for your art? A creative agency to market your talent? You need ...
Craft Australia will promote artists' open studio, galleries and retail outlets in the lead up to the festive season. If you are interested in being part of this promotional campaign email Belinda Jessup with 'Craft and design online' in the subject line and register your expression of interest.
Craft Australia was involved in the hugely successful Indigenous textile conference Selling Yarns: Australian Indigenous textiles and good business in the 21st century held recently in Darwin - coinciding with the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award.
The conference began with a day of workshops, artists' talks and showcase sales. Work from all around Australia was on display for purchase by participants and passers by. Setting the vibrant mood for the conference, the following two days continued to inspire and inform delegates, many of whom had travelled great distances from remote communities to be part of the event and present their work.
The keynote address by Dr Richard West Director, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institute was informative and set the tone for many of the outomes that were identified during the summinng up of the conferece. Stay tuned, more to come.
After nearly eight years as chief executive officer of the Australia Council for the Arts, Ms Jennifer Bott is stepping down from her role with the Australian Government’s primary arts funding and advisory body. She will leave the organisation on 19 September 2006. Media release
The Pacific Edge is Australia’s largest regional arts event presented by Regional Arts Australia, Queensland Arts Council and Mackay City Council. Conference dates are looming, 15-17 September - don't miss out.
Regional Arts NSW has produced a DVD of the How are we going? Directions for the arts in the creative age conference held in 2005. Highlights include a film made by award-winning documentary filmmakers, Cathy Henkle and Jeff Cani as well as audio transcripts of talks and a 'live' broadcast of ABC Radio National's Australia Talks Back on the topic, 'Does Australia need a cultural policy?'.
Email admin@regionalartsnsw.com.au with 'DVD' in the subject line for your free copy.
The City of Greater Bendigo, Wellington Shire and the City of Latrobe have been the first three councils to sign a new, four-year partnership with Arts Victoria to deliver arts initiatives and programs across their respective regions. Under the new partnerships, State Government support for the arts in all three municipalities is secure until 2010.
Arts in Gippsland: Media release
Arts in Bendigo: Media release
The Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, today announced an Australian Parliamentary inquiry into the Indigenous visual arts and craft sector to examine and make recommendations on strategies and mechanisms to strengthen the sector. Media release
The Federal ALP has released a discussion paper on its art policy. Download Discussion paper.
Arts NT has undergone a minor re-structure to strengthen its capacity to focus on the core business of arts development. More
The South Project present forums, exhibitions and performances opening a new conversation between Australian and Latin American craft practitioners.
Santiago Gathering Whats On 
Congratulations to Cobi Cockburn winner of the 2006 Ranamok Glass Prize for her entry Shifting Fields. Congratulations must also go to Meghan Jones who has won the inaugural Italian Centre Arts Award (South Australia), Tom Rowney being offered a senior technicial position at the Canberra Glassworks, Scott Chaseling who has been accepted as the Leverehulme Research Fellow at the Sunderland University UK, and Susan Cohn and Catherine Truman - recipients of the Australia Council Fellowship.
Craft Australia is supported by the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian Government and all the state and territory governments.
Craft Australia is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
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