29/10/02
Western Australia's leading performing artists will showcase their talents to national and international promoters, producers and festival directors to expand the export market of their productions.
Culture and the Arts Minister Sheila McHale will announce the Indigenous Arts Showcase this evening at the launch of the Perth International Arts Festival's 50th Golden Anniversary Festival brochure at 7pm in Supreme Court Gardens.
"In early February potential buyers will be shown export-ready performances, meet with the artists, visit their organisations and be exposed to Aboriginal culture to help them gain an understanding about the context of the work being presented," Ms McHale said.
"We want indigenous talent to become one of our strongest export products and to attract international prominence to Western Australian indigenous artists who have often not received the profile of east coast artists.
"They will have the opportunity to demonstrate the extraordinary quality of their talent and hopefully be picked up by festivals and arts companies from around the world."
The showcase will be held from February 7 to 9, 2003.
This first ever Indigenous Arts Showcase is being co-ordinated and funded by ArtsWA in partnership with the Office of Aboriginal Economic Development, Perth International Arts Festival with the association of independent indigenous artists.
The Perth Festival is Australia's oldest major festival, celebrating its 50th Golden Anniversary in 2003.
The State Government has been a principal sponsor of the festival for many years, providing opportunities for Western Australians to see world-class artists and the very best of WA performing arts companies.
The festival intends this to be a birthday party to which the entire WA community has been invited. Many events are free to the public.
For the first time in its 50-year history, the festival will expand across WA with three regional festivals in the Great Southern Region; Broome and the Kimberley; and Kalgoorlie and the Goldfields.
Minister's Office - 9213 6900
