FEDERAL MP Warren Entsch has welcomed news that the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund will help Far Northerners celebrate arts, culture and diversity in communities.
The Lockhart River Indigenous Arts Corporation has received $10,670 for a project titled Our World Lockhart River, a collaborative, interactive program about arts and culture in remote Lockhart River.
“With this funding, the Lockhart Art Centre, local artists and Elders will be able to teach Lockhart’s children and youth about different aspects of life, arts and cultural practices that are particular to Lockhart River, and record these for future generations,” Mr Entsch explained.
In Cairns, the Tropical Arts Association will benefit from $14,300 for a project titled Much ado about inclusion – sustainable theatre design.
“This project engages a whole range of people in the community – including people with disability – in making sets, props and costumes from recycled materials,” Mr Entsch said. “These will be used for Tropical Arts’ theatre production of Much Ado About Nothing Dragons.
“I’m a very strong supporter of arts in our community in fact I’ve spoken several times about local artists and enterprises including Jute Theatre and Amanda Feher. I recognise that these sorts of initiatives often wouldn’t come about without financial support from government.
“It’s great that this government recognises that people in regional Australia need to have access to Australia’s vibrant arts scene within their own communities.”
The Regional Arts Fund is a key tool to ensure all Australians are able to experience, create and participate in the arts. The latest round saw 68 projects share in $890,225.
The Minister for the Arts, Senator the Hon George Brandis QC, said that artistic creativity and appreciation of the arts is as much to be found in the provincial cities and rural towns of Australia as it is in the capital cities.
“Support for regional arts fell under the former Labor Government and the Abbott Government is now giving it rightful priority and working to rebuild it,” he said.
The Regional Arts Fund is administered on behalf of the Australian Government by Regional Arts Australia and its member network of regional arts organisations in the states and territories. For more information about regional arts visit www.arts.gov.au/regional
