Grants to help arts groups to tour country areas

The State Government has allocated more than $73,000 for arts groups to tour performances through country areas.

Announcing the grants today, Arts Minister Kay Hallahan said the performers would tour the North-West, Mid-West, South-West, Great Southern, Goldfields and the Wheatbelt.

Mrs Hallahan said the funding was part of the Government's commitment to increasing access to the arts for Western Australians living in regional areas.

The Minister said Sally Morgan's play 'Sistergirl', produced by Black Swan Theatre and a highlight of the 1992 Festival of Perth would tour Karratha, Geraldton, Carnarvon, Broome, Derby, Kununurra and Wyndham following a grant of $19,000.

Funding of $20,000 was allocated for a play 'Wildcat Falling' by Aboriginal playwright Mudrooroo (Colin Johnson) - which combines theatre and Aboriginal music - to premiere in Narrogin in July before touring Katanning, Albany and Bunbury and then a season in Perth.

Tom Hungerford's play 'Stories From Suburban Road', produced by SWY Theatre, would tour communities in the Great Southern and Goldfields regions with a grant of $19,983.

Mrs Hallahan said funding of $15,000 would allow isolated Kimberley communities to take part in professional music recording workshops conducted by Broome-based group Garnduwa Amboorny Wirnan Incorporated.