Arts grants - Perth area

1/7/94

Arts Minister Peter Foss today announced more than $186,000 of financial assistance for arts activities in the Perth environs.

Mr Foss said investment in the arts yielded great cultural and economic benefits for the State.

"According to recent figures, the arts and cultural industries employ nearly 19,000 people, representing a 30 per cent growth in employment in this sector in the past two years," he said. 

"The arts have important economic spin-offs, particularly for other industries such as tourism.

"This financial assistance means that Western Australians throughout the State will be able to enjoy and participate in a diverse range of arts activities."

Details of the projects are:

·       $1,500 to the Children's Book Council of Australia, to bring two renowned children's authors/illustrators from the Eastern States for tours of metropolitan centres, including Armadale, Canning, Cockburn, the East Metropolitan region, Gosnells, Joondalup, Melville, Stirling, Victoria Park and some of the western suburbs. The tours will take place during Children's Book Week in August.
The Children's Book Council of Australia, also received $25,000 to tour the authors/illustrators to country areas, including Albany, Broome, Bunbury, Carnarvon, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Katanning, Karratha, Kununurra, Merredin, Newman, South Hedland, and Tom Price.

·       $6,000 to the Children's Book Council, towards the promotion of Children's Book Week in August;

·       $6,000 to dancer/choreographer Alice Cummins, of Mount Lawley, for a series of solo performances in August/September;

·       $5,000 to the Graduate College of Dance, towards the Western Australian component of the 'Stars of the World' gala they will  host in July;

·       $3,000 to film-maker Dawn Jackson, of Perth, to employ local composer David Pye to create a soundscape for her dance-based short film 'Industrial Angels';

·       $8,606 to Effie Crump Theatre, for wages for the director and actors of the production of 'Lipstick Dreams' in July/August;

·       $7,000 to the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art, for a co-production with SB Productions, called 'Shadow Boxing', an exploration of sexual identity and gender stereotypes.   This will be performed at PICA in August;

·       $2,000 to Kite Productions for writer Nicholas Flanagan, of Northbridge, to write a new play  'Gothic Melancholy';

·       $5,000 to the Crafts Council, of Western Australia, towards the promotion of Western Australian craft at the 4th Australian Contemporary Art Fair in Melbourne later this year;

·       $13,000 to dancer/choreographer Rakini, of Mount Lawley, towards a cross-cultural dance performance, based on the dramatic repertoire of Indian Odissi Classical Dance.   This will performed at PICA in September.;

·       $3,550 to Brent Neylon, of East Perth, towards a photographic exhibition at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art;

·       $4,500 to the arts journal 'Western Review', towards the publication of new WA writing;

·       $2,500 to the WA Music Industry Association, to employ professional songwriters to conduct song-writing workshops;

·       $6,770 to Fairweather Productions, based in Highgate, towards the writing of an original work of musical theatre.  The work-in-progress will be presented towards the end of the year;

·       $15,150 to the Performing Arts Centre Society (the WA Actors' Centre) towards the employment of an administrator and the development of a professional workshop program during the second half of this year;

·       $2,000 to artist John Cullinane, of West Perth, towards his first solo exhibition in Sydney in September/October;

·       $3,000 to the Burmese Association of WA, based in Inglewood, towards a Burmese Dance project;

·       $4,000 to the Jazz West Big Band,  to record and promote an original CD;

·       $2,760 to the Ran Dan Club Association of Mount Lawley, towards a two-week project conducted by international festivals director Neil Cameron.  A training program will culminate in a showcase event early next year;

·       $6,000 to Black Swan Theatre, for an Aboriginal performer training program, building on previous and existing training programs.  Ultimately, this will increase the available pool of Aboriginal theatre workers;

·       $12,500 to the Multicultural Arts Centre of WA, based in North Perth, for multicultural community enterprise development;

·       $6,060 to Jane Cale, of West Perth, towards the rehearsal and public reading of her new work, 'Darling Days' in July;

·       $24,000 to actor Marcelle Schmitz, of Bayswater, towards the workshopping of a new performance piece, 'Private Property', on a station east of Geraldton in September/October this year;

·       $3,000 to WEB, based in Bassendean, for a series of six literary performance evenings in the second half of this year, featuring women artists;

·       $2,500 to artist Geoffrey Wiese, of Embleton, towards his participation in, and the promotion of, a group exhibition in which the artists will explore the question of identity through things such as gesture, clothing, posture, and self-decoration.  The exhibition will take place in October at the Court Hotel in Beaufort St;

·       $3,000 to composer Katie Lavers, of Bayswater, towards an experimental performance using computer-generated sound, from which showings of the work-in-progress will be conducted at the end of the year;

·       $2,650 to dancer Jon Burtt, of Bayswater, to develop original dance material.

For further information, please contact, Mary Wright -Department for the Arts: (09) 4271212.

Media contact:   Jeanne Klener 325 8655 / 222 9595