The Hon Rod Kemp was Minister for the Arts and Sport from Friday 23 November 2001 to Tuesday 30 January 2007. This site is available for archival purposes only.

Celebrating community with Festivals Australia

‘Ute Art’ at Coober Pedy, an Australian Festival of Chamber Music and a digital art workshop are among the innovative cultural activities that will engage local communities across Australia with the support of funding announced today by the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp.

Senator Kemp announced 29 festivals will share in over $500,000 in the latest round of funding under the Australian Government’s Festivals Australia program.

“Festivals are a great way for people to come together to celebrate, appreciate and understand their communities. By funding innovative cultural activities through Festivals Australia, the Australian Government provides regional and remote communities with access to exciting arts experiences that would otherwise not be available,” Senator Kemp said.

“Many projects involve workshops, enabling community members to participate in the creation of artworks or performances alongside professional artists.”

This latest round of funding will support a variety of festivals, including:

• Australian Festival of Chamber Music for a collaboration with Dance North to present the work “Suelle”, as a centrepiece for the Townsville Festival Program.

• Cooper Pedy Opal Festival will feature the project Ute Art which will see murals painted on 40 opal miners’ Utes and tray tops. The Utes will then be showcased in the street parade.

• Antarctic Midwinter Festival for Ice Cold Words a program of readings, discussions, debates and interpretations of Antarctica.

A list of the successful applicants for the program is available online from www.dcita.gov.au/festivals.

Festivals Australia is an Australian Government funding program which provides funding for arts-based projects that enhance the cultural program of regional and community festivals.

The deadline for applications in the next rounds of both Festivals Australia and Festivals Australia Regional Residencies funding is 15 February 2006.

MELBOURNE

18 November 2005