Premier Announces Coveted Arts Funding

Press Release
Premier and Minister for the Arts, The Honourable Anna Bligh
Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Premier and Arts Minister Anna Bligh today announced 44 arts organisations across Queensland will receive a total of over $10.4 million in 2011 under the Queensland Government’s small to medium (s2m) funding program for the arts sector.

“This is the new wave of energetic companies who have been embraced by audiences and are geared to grow their business, product and markets,” the Premier said.

“The 31 organisations set for three-year funding each show the great development, expansion and innovation that mark them as leaders in the arts sector.

“This year we have success stories like Expressions Dance Company, La Boite Theatre Company and Human Ventures who have proven to be outstanding through a competitive process and are securing three-year funding status for the first time under s2m.

“Companies like Circa, Queensland Centre for Photography and Topology are making a name internationally and cementing Queensland’s reputation as a hotbed of arts innovation and enterprise.”

The Premier said regional arts companies were also among the top performers.

“Cairns-based KickArts Contemporary Arts and Just Us Theatre Ensemble, Townsville’s Dancenorth, La Luna Youth Arts and Umbrella Studio, Mackay’s Crossroad Arts and Mornington Island’s Mirndiyan Gunana Aboriginal Corporation each achieved triennial support.”

Ms Bligh congratulated string ensemble Camerata of St John’s and Brisbane’s Flipside Circus for being successful in receiving s2m annual funding for the first time.

“Funding through s2m supports Queensland arts companies delivering music, dance, visual arts, design, craft, new media, writing, theatre, community arts and services from Mornington Island to the Gold Coast,” she said.

“Successful organisations are those which demonstrate excellence and innovation in their particular regions and art forms.”

Ms Bligh said funding for s2m invested in the arts sector through grants, partnerships and key support for industry development.

The s2m program is the foundation for four collaborations with the Australia Council which have leveraged extra federal funding for Queensland arts companies.

Young People Breathe Life into Election Campaign

A forum that will bring a number of Federal Candidates together with passionate young people, hopes to breathe life into what has been described by some commentators as an ‘uninspiring Federal Election Campaign’.

The forum Arts Election 2010 will put candidates including The Greens’ Larissa Waters under the spotlight to answer tough questions from 100 young Australians about their respective Arts and Cultural policies.

Left Right Queensland State Director Devett O’Brien says that Brisbane is developing a reputation as a city of innovation in the arts.

“Young Queenslanders want to see more of that in the Federal Government’s policy for the whole country.

This is as an important issue for young people and I suspect it will be front of mind when they vote on August 21st”.

The arts are a means of expression, celebration, dialogue, commentary and social change, and this forum will seek to provide true debate and real passion.

“The knowledge and passion of young people is something that a lot of politicians seem intimidated by. We don’t seek to intimidate, but we’d appreciate some authentic and challenging conversation.”

Arts Election 2010 is a joint Election Forum run by Human Ventures, Markwell Presents, Young People and the Arts Australia, Left Right Think-Tank, Wise Foundation and The Brisbane Institute.

Details of the event
Location: Bleeding Heart Gallery, School of Arts Building, 166 Ann Street Brisbane.
Date and time: commences 7pm, Thursday 19th August.
Media contact: Melinda Halloran | 0421 874 446 | m.halloran@leftright.org.au

Stylin’ UP Regional featured

Stylin’ UP Regional features in Issue 09 (Autumn 2010) of Namalata Thusi. The publication is produced by the Department of Communities and highlight key issues and best practice work in and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The publication has a state-wide readership.

The transcript of the article follows.
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