Cultural Awards 2008 Winners
Accessible Arts
Camden Creative Studios
Camden Creative Studios at Narellan Library is a new facility that combines traditional and digital arts to provide education, new skills and greater opportunities for creative expression to people of all ages, all backgrounds and all abilities in the Camden area. Music and sound, multimedia and short film, graphic design, photography and performance all form a rich contemporary palette of colours…
People's Choice
Performance by Victorian Opera "Cossi Fan Tutte" at Morundah
Presentation of the production by the Victorian Opera of Mozart's "Cossi Fan Tutte" in the Paradise Palladium Theatre in the Village of Morundah (population 15), within the Urana Shire. This operatic vaudeville production was very entertaining and funny, with some 900 in attendance on the two nights of 11th and 13th October, 2007. Patrons travelled from overseas as well as Sydney,…
Brendan Hartnett Award
Allan Baptist
Allan has been instrumental to Shoalhaven cultural development. Also a successful artist himself, Allan is a great communicator with an innovative approach to problem solving. The current level of activities within Shoalhaven would not have been reached without his drive, insight, vision and mentoring.
Division A Winners — Population less than 20,000
Cultural Infrastructure
Inverell Shire Public Library Redevelopment
The Inverell Shire Public Library Redevelopment was opened to the public on 2nd November 2007. The “new” library is now one of the town’s most prominent public buildings with elegant finishes and the capacity to service the local population well into the future. The redeveloped library building has double the original floor space, an outdoor area with seating, dedicated Children's and Young Adults…
Integrated Cultural Policy Implementation
Bland But Not Boring...
With the unfortunate Local Government Area name of Bland Shire; members of the community work in partnership with Council to make living in our rural towns, including West Wyalong a dynamic place. In 2003, Bland Shire Cultural Advisory Committee embarked on developing their first Community Cultural Plan. From the outcome of this planning process, the local opportunities capitalised upon are endless…
Library and Information Services
Digitisation of Tenterfield newspapers provides keyword access to local history
Keyword searching of historic Tenterfield newspapers is now available at Tenterfield Public Library, thanks to a State Library Development Grant of $20,775. Masters of Tenterfield newspapers 1875-1955 on microfilm were released by the University of New England to W & F Pascoe Pty Ltd for scanning into Tif (Bitonal) format at 400ppi. The images were supplied on DVD for conversion to a searchable…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
Turning the Pages
Turning the Pages was a successful marriage of environment, community, art and science to celebrate the significance of the Pages River. It aimed to promote community awareness and appreciation of the geological, biological and cultural history of a major tributary river that meanders its way south to join the iconic Hunter River. This innovative project involved the installation of a temporary…
Division B Winners — Population between 20,000 and 60,000
Aboriginal Cultural Development
WYK on Tour - Wiradjuri Youth Kulture at NSW Parliament House
WYK is the first record of local Aboriginal history in Griffith through the eyes of young people. WYK On Tour took beautiful artworks and put them in the seat of Government. Artists recognised ….”we do have culture…it might not be old stuff ….we know who our mob is ….our culture is always evolving….” WYK on Tour delivered film, documentary, soundscapes, paintings, graphic design, written histories,…
Cultural Industries
Byron Shire - Developing Regional Cultural and Screen Industries
Byron Shire Council is providing leadership in developing the Cultural and Screen Industries through integrated cultural and economic development planning. This has included support for a regional Creative Industries Strategy, a review of its filming policy with local industry association Screenworks, and targeting screen and cultural industries in the Community Economic Development Plan and the…
Cultural Infrastructure
LibraryMuseum
Albury’s LibraryMuseum is a city landmark and community hub. Everyday around 800 people come to borrow books, browse, visit exhibitions, attend storytime, surf the net, research family history, attend meetings, shop, listen to music or to simply hang-out. The project was ambitious; to create a signature facility that had the dignity of a civic building, and the ability to speak to future…
Integrated Cultural Policy Implementation
Are We There Yet - Griffith's Cultural Plan
“Are We There Yet” is not just a plan, but an arts and cultural strategy fully integrated into the Griffith Community Action. These have been developed in partnership with the local community and the Department of Premier and Cabinet and is Griffith major policy framework. Council acknowledges the diversity of our community, and the opportunities this creates for cultural celebration and Arts…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
From All Four Corners - Celebrating Diversity
From All Four Corners – Celebrating Diversity involved the participation of Council’s four cultural facilities; Civic Theatre, Museum of the Riverina, Library and Art Gallery as well as involvement with local, state and national organisations through to local business houses and the community. Over 24 exhibitions and events featured in the winter cultural program from 1 June - 26 August 2007…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
A City of Shadows & Ice
In August 2007, Kogarah Town Square was transformed into a wasteland city constructed of ice panes and fire for A City of Shadows & Ice – a unique large-scale physical theatre performance working with young people from the region. A partnership between Shopfront Theatre and Kogarah Council, the show was developed in response to events at Cronulla and Brighton in 2005, and used arts as a means…
Division C Winners — Population over 60,000
Aboriginal Cultural Development
Merrigong Environmental Sculpture Project
The Five Islands Lookout on Mount Keira, is a site that community consultation identified as both sacred for women and a place of past massacre. The project sought to enact a ‘Healing’ of the site through artistic collaboration and ceremony. The art work, inspired by the story of the ‘The six daughters of the west wind’, consists of six bronze structures or ‘Gunyas’, cast from twigs collected on…
Aboriginal Cultural Development
Practice not Projects
Practice not Projects is about the Gallery and its Aboriginal Reference Group (ARG) committing to long-term and honest objectives that have made Aboriginal programming a fundamental part of gallery practice, beyond just projects. We have worked closely together to ensure consistent quality and integrity resulting in the yearly % of exhibitions with part, or all ASTI content, has risen from 10% in…
Cultural Industries
The Loft Youth Venue Music Program
The Loft Youth Venue Music program is a multi-faceted program to foster and develop local music in Newcastle in a fully supported drug and alcohol-free environment. The program ranges across a number of activities including: * Organised after school and holiday workshop music programs * EMERGENCY band nights for new and emerging bands * LOADED, the annual major gig which features nationally…
Cultural Infrastructure
Greenacre Town Centre Improvement Program (TCIP)
Greenacre Town Centre Improvement Program (TCIP) is more than a Council 'footpath, kerb and gutter' project, focusing instead on the vertical before the horizontal with public domain refurbishment. Creation and installation of individual and meaningful community-based public art is an important component allowing community members to express their own local identity, and to establish ownership of…
Integrated Cultural Policy Implementation
Auburn Council's Cultural Plan 2007 - 2017
The Auburn Council Cultural Plan 2007 – 2017 serves to consolidate Council’s emerging and evolving role in supporting Auburn’s distinctive cultural life. Auburn Council’s Cultural Plan is a 10 year plan, reflecting the cultural aspirations and values of the community. Council’s Cultural Plan will enhance existing cultural assets and resources, and provide new opportunities for cultural development,…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
Tell me my Mother
The Campbelltown Aboriginal Men & Women’s Life Story Project aims to improve the wellbeing and quality of life of Aboriginal women and men aged 45 years and over who live within Campbelltown. By documenting, publishing and presenting the life stories and memories of Campbelltown’s Aboriginal women and men, the Project aims to increase awareness across generations of the valuable contributions…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
Hills Voices Online
Through an innovative website, 'Hills Voices Online' showcases Baulkham Hills Shire Council’s cultural heritage to the world by encapsulating the stories and voices of the community. Excerpts from over 40 oral history interviews have been digitised, transcribed, and loaded onto the website with accompanying photos. Themes celebrating the varied nature of the Shire include: - Changing Suburbs,…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
The Language of (Dis)Ability: access2art 2007
access2art is a program of creative activities and expression developed, implemented and evaluated through a forum of Hills based disability services and schools hosted and coordinated by Baulkham Hills Shire Council (BSHC) Cultural Development Program and Aged and Disability Services. It involves an ongoing evaluation and planning process and a development stage which culminated in an end of year…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
Mu Meng Moved Three Times and Other Stories: Traditional Chinese Storytelling
Mu Meng Moved Three Times and Other Stories is a video interpretation of traditional Chinese stories as created by local Chinese Cantonese and Mandarin speaking residents assisted by Community Cultural Development (CCD) and media workers. Developed from ideas by Chinese residents through consultation with Hills Community Aid + Information Services Inc. (HCA) the project was developed and…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
Campbelltown Arts Centre - Cultural Program
Campbelltown Arts Centre provides South-west Sydney with a flagship cultural venue that engages and inspires communities through the production and development of cultural programming. Completion of the new $10m Arts Centre in 2005 positions Campbelltown as a leader in arts and cultural development in NSW. This cultural infrastructure project included the development of a 180 seat performance…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
For Matthew & Others - Journeys with Schizophrenia
For Matthew & Others: Journeys with Schizophrenia was an extraordinary project that examined the multiple impacts of schizophrenia through the art and personal stories of those who live with or have been touched by the illness. This multi-venue project comprised a range of cultural and education programs bringing together artists and artworks from across the visual, performing, literary and…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
News From Islands
News From Islands marks a milestone in arts and cultural development in South-west Sydney, a region that like the Pacific region is made of a complex social infrastructure of cultural diversity and shifting identities. As ‘news’, this project explored the energy created by the exchange and interchange of information, taking its route through local and international artists, community participation,…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
Dragon Tales - storytime!
Dragon Tales is a lapsit program in Mandarin for 0-3 year olds with parents or carers. Babies and toddlers are introduced to books, stories and reading in their native language, Mandarin, while giving parents and carers an opportunity to talk to each other in a friendly setting. The program includes songs, rhymes, simple stories and interactive finger-plays. Hurstville City Library runs an array of…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
"Tales From Dragonhurst"
The TALES FROM DRAGONHURST radio project was initiated by Hurstville City Council & local community radio station 2NBCfm to follow on from their successful collaboration on the WAY BACK WHEN oral history radio project launched in Seniors Week 2007. Tales From Dragonhurst, a much more ambitious project, involving a cast & crew of 30 people and an 8-month process of writing, rehearsals,…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
Exploring Pompeii
Staff of the St George Regional Museum worked with Pompeian specialist, Jaye Pont, and long-term unemployed people to develop an exhibition and education program for NSW high schools on the history of Pompeii. Through a series of enlightening exhibition text panels ‘Exploring Pompeii’ utilizes archaeological excavations to illustrate the history and life of this once vibrant city. The exhibition…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
MHAD - St George Mental Health Arts Development
Since forming in late 2005 as a partnership of mental health services providers and "consumers" or PEERS (People Experiencing Extraordinary Realities) in the St George region, supported by Hurstville City Council (providing workshop venue, auspicing and administrative assistance) a MHAD committee comprising representatives from NEAMI, St George Division of Mental Health, Hurstville City…
Division B Highly Commended — Population between 20,000 and 60,000
Library and Information Services
A Weekend of Crime.
This project comprised three separate events presented by the Library on the 14th and 15th July 2007. The first event was a day long workshop presented by renown crime fiction writer Ms Leigh Redhead. It also included a lecture on forensic science by Senior Constable Ian West and a lecture on autopsies and determining time and causes of death presented by Dr Steve Flecknoe-Brown. This workshop was…
Library and Information Services
A Haven Now and Then
The 2WG Women’s Club was one of the early radio clubs in Australia beginning in the 1930s and continuing until the 1960s. Isolated rural women were able to connect over the air waves and support each other through what were often difficult times. As well as providing much needed support for each other, the ladies of the Women’s Club poured their efforts into fundraising for the benefit of the whole…
