March 2012
Arts Queensland’s monthly update of arts and culture
Welcome to this edition of Arts Update. We bring you news of how Queensland artists fared at the Australian Performing Arts Market, catch up with Scott Spark 2011 Grant McLennan Memorial Fellowship winner and see what artists from New Guinea are preparing for the Asia Pacific Triennial.
QLD@APAM wrap up Some of Queensland’s finest performing artists and companies were at the 10th Australian Performing Arts Market (APAM) in Adelaide, 26 February–1 March 2012. Some performed for the delegates, while others made the most of this exclusive opportunity to meet, network and, hopefully, work with producers, festival directors and venue management from around Australia and the world. State and federal arts representatives from Australia and New Zealand joined companies, agents and producers in the corridors of the Adelaide Festival Centre where they held booths to engage and talk to delegates. APAM coincided with the Adelaide Fringe, 24 February– 18 March, which allowed the 600 delegates to see exciting live showcases by Australian performers. Brisbane beat boxer Tom Thum performed his latest
show, Beating the Habit, nightly, often to sell-out crowds and received four-star reviews. In 2014, 2016 and 2018 APAM will be held in Brisbane, presenting a unique opportunity for Queensland artists to showcase their work from their home base. APAM in Brisbane will be spread across several venues, with the Brisbane Powerhouse as host venue and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Gardens Point Theatre at the Queensland University of Technology and the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts among the list of venues. Image: Arts Queensland’s stand was a popular site for visitors at APAM 2012 in Adelaide
Two Queensland Indigenous artists get a gig at the 18th Biennale of Sydney The Biennale of Sydney is Australia’s largest and oldest contemporary visual arts event and this year, two Queensland Indigenous artists are set to shine in it. Torres Strait Islander artist Alick Tipoti and Aboriginal artist Judy Watson have been accepted in the exclusive three-month exhibition. Alick and Judy will showcase their latest works alongside 100 leading international artists hailing from all four-corners of the globe including Australia, New Zealand, Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe, South Africa and the Middle East. Alick will be the first Torres Strait Islander to showcase at the Biennale of Sydney since it began in 1973. His work chosen for the exhibition is an enormous 8 metre x 1.2 metre linocut titled, Girelal, 2011. This artwork is believed to be the world’s largest linocut printed from one block on a single sheet of paper according to Cairnsbased master printmaker Theo Tremblay from The Australian Art Print Network.
Judy will present an installation piece titled burnt vessels, 2009. The installation is assembled from smouldered glass objects and other found scientific paraphernalia that Judy collected from the burnt out University of Queensland Marine Research Station on Heron Island during her artist in residence in 2009. Arts Queensland has provided assistance to both artists to help with their marketing, promotion, publication and education program expenses through Development and Presentation Grants and the Queensland Indigenous Arts Marketing and Export Agency (QIAMEA). For more information about QIAMEA and Arts Queensland’s Development and Presentation Grants visit www.arts.qld.gov.au Image: Alick Tipoti at the 2011 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair. Photo: Kerry Trapnell
Vulcana Women’s Circus – Indigenous Lighthouse Grant A series of workshops in circus skills have led to benefits beyond the physical for students in Inala. Brisbane’s Vulcana Women’s Circus, in partnership with Inala Wangarra community, held circus workshops for the project Southside Dreaming, which received funding in 2011 through the Indigenous Lighthouse Grants, a partnership between Arts Queensland and the Department of Education and Training. Vulcana General Manager Katie Walters said the workshops inspired confidence and selfexpression for participipants. “Learning circus skills helped the students to connect with their bodies in positive ways and make healthy life choices,” said Katie. “We teach basic circus skills such as juggling and hula hoop. Sometimes our workshops are an alternative to standard Physical Education classes and they appeal to students who may not enjoy traditional sport, giving them an option for physical activity. “The positive outcomes are more than physical. Students develop team-building skills. They learn to work in a group and engage with the school community.” Southside Dreaming took place at Southside Education high school and the Murri School.
Katie said the workshops linked to Vulcana’s wider aims, where they take circus workshops and performance-devising projects to marginalised communities of women and young people. “The Lighthouse grant made it possible to work with these schools and connect communities across the south side,” she said. Katie added the feedback had been positive: “One of the Deputy Principals said the workshops were a highlight of the school year.” Applications are open until 4 May for 2012 Indigenous Lighthouse grants of up to $25 000 for schools, registered training organisations, individual artists and arts organisations able to demonstrate best practice in Indigenous programs. The grants aim to create innovative approaches to Indigenous education, training and the arts by stimulating collaborative projects promoting cultural awareness, student engagement and better learning outcomes. For information: deta.qld.gov.au/ indigenous/ Image: Vulcana Women’s Circus in action. Photo: Vulcana Women’s Circus
Billy Thorpe Scholarship and Grant McLennan Memorial Fellowship Applications are open for two of the nation’s most important annual music prizes – the $10 000 Billy Thorpe Scholarship and the $25 000 Grant McLennan Memorial Fellowship – both funded by Arts Queensland.
Billy Thorpe Scholarship The Billy Thorpe Scholarship was established in 2007 in memory of the late Australian blues-rock musician Billy Thorpe who came to fame in the late 1960s with his band The Aztecs. Thorpe moved to Los Angeles in 1976 where he worked as a session player, writer and producer, creating music scores for TV series including War of the Worlds, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Columbo and Eight Is Enough. He was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame in 1991 and returned to Australia in 1996. Billy died of a heart attack in February 2007 and was posthumously appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his contribution to music as a musician, songwriter and producer.
The $10 000 scholarship in his name gives a range of support for an emerging artist to establish their professional career through career planning and the opportunity to record with a local producer of their choice. This year the scholarship has been opened up to include bands as well as solo artists, a move supported by widow Lynn Thorpe. “This more inclusive framework is in keeping with Billy’s hard-rocking career and the family is looking forward to hearing the new batch of applications,” she said. The 2012 winner will be announced at the annual Queensland Music Awards on Tuesday 14 August at the Old Museum, Brisbane. Applications for the 2012 Billy Thorpe Scholarship close on April 30 and can be made online at the Q Music website: bit.ly/xh2ige
The Grant McLennan Memorial Fellowship
and soon discovered the benefits of his award.
Now in its sixth year, the $25 000 Fellowship reflects Grant McLennan’s passion for exploring culturally significant locations and is awarded to an individual or duo.
“Before the Fellowship, I’d never had the chance to throw myself into song writing and music fulltime,” he said.
Established in honour of the late singer-songwriter, the Fellowship offers an early to mid-career artist the opportunity to visit New York, London or Berlin for up to two months to further develop their artistic skills. McLennan was one of Australia’s greatest songwriters and a founding member of 1970’s Brisbane band, The Go-Betweens. Following the demise of The Go-Betweens in 1989, McLennan collaborated with other performers including Ian Haug of Powderfinger. McLennan received many accolades, including the naming of Cattle and Cane by the Australasian Performing Right Association as one of the 30 greatest Australian songs of all time. In 2000 he reignited The GoBetweens with friend and bandmate Robert Forster and continued working until his death in 2006. Last year’s Fellowship winner Scott Spark chose New York as his base
“Being able to immerse myself in New York was just amazing and it’s difficult to express just how lucky I feel to have had that opportunity. It has opened so many doors.” While in New York, Scott caught up with former Brisbane sound engineer Ben Tolliday who works with indie rockers The Smashing Pumpkins and Green Day. The pair started working on some demo tracks and now Tolliday, who lives in Los Angeles, is producing Scott’s debut album. The pair also met 1970s music star Scott McKenzie in Hollywood and the three are now working together, with McKenzie helping out with the lyrics and arrangements. The 2012 Fellowship winner will be announced at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts at a special concert event, Bands of Your Town, later this year. Guidelines and Applications Forms can be found at www.arts.qld.gov. au/funding/grant-mclennan.html . Applications close 5 April. Image: Producer Ben Tollliday (L) with Scott Spark at a private Hollywood recording studio.
Major PNG Commission for 7th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art The 7th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT) will have many highlights but two major architectural structures commissioned from artists of the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) will stand out above all others. Artists Waikua Nera, Nikit Kiawaul and Kano Loctai from the Abelam culture, and Anton Waiawas, Kevin Apsepa, Terry Pakiey, Nelson Makamoi, Jamie Jimok, Simon Goiyap and Rex Maukos from the Kwoma culture have been in Brisbane to create paintings, roof structures and carvings inspired by their ceremonial men’s houses. These extraordinary works will welcome APT 7 visitors to the soaring foyer space of the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA). APT7, December 8 2012-April 7 2013, marks the 20th anniversary of the exhibition series, the only
recurring exhibition to present the contemporary art of Asia, the Pacific and Australia “APT7 presents the opportunity to reflect upon the unprecedented transformations that have taken place across Asia and the Pacific over the past two decades and will continue to re-examine the region in an intentionally innovative way,” said Gallery Director Tony Ellwood. “These major PNG commissions will see work created in a customary context shown as part of a contemporary art survey for the first time.”
APT7 will feature new and recent work by around 150 artists from 25 countries across the Asia Pacific region; a major film program presented by the gallery’s Australian Cinematheque; Kids’ APT interactive artworks, installations, book and On Tour program; printed and online publishing; and programs of performances, artist talks and lectures. As well as the PNG commissions, visitors will enjoy work from West Papua for the first time, work by young artists from Indonesia and Vietnam, new painting, installation, sculpture and photography by Indigenous Australian artists, works from Turkey, Iran and Central Asia, and much more. “The APT exhibition series is the Queensland Art Gallery’s flagship project and since 1993 has attracted an extraordinary 1.8 million visitors,’ said Mr Ellwood.
“An important legacy of the Triennials is the Gallery’s unique collection of contemporary Asian and Pacific art, considered to be one of the finest of its kind in the world, and the relationships with artists and communities that have developed.” APT7 will occupy the entire Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and key spaces in the Queensland Art Gallery (QAG), including the Watermall. For more information on the exhibition visit www.qag.qld.gov. au/apt Image: Visiting artists working on The PNG Project as part of the 7th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art’ (APT 7) at the Gallery of Modern Art, December 8, 2012 – April 7, 2013. Photo: Queenland Art Gallery|Gallery of Modern Art Inset image: Abelam artist Kano Locatai carving lintel for APT 7 commission. Photo: Queenland Art Gallery|Gallery of Modern Art
2012 Queensland Premier’s Design Awards Entries are open to Australia’s richest design prize - the 2012 Queensland Premier’s Design Awards, now in their third year. The awards have two categories: a $40 000 Fellowship for a design leader and a $10 000 travel bursary for an emerging designer. The Smart State Design Fellowship acknowledges the significant contributions of an individual to developing a design culture in Queensland. The 2011 Fellowship was awarded to Nicola Lloyd for her longstanding commitment to fostering innovative design. Nicola co-designed three pavilions for World Expo 88 and was project manager on branding for Sanctuary Cove, the Brisbane Hilton and Cairns Hilton before co-founding Lloyd Grey Design in 1993. As the Smart State Design Fellow, Nicola has been an extremely active champion for design through the State Government’s design advisory group, the Queensland Design Council, and at speaking engagements state-wide. Last year the Emerging Design Leader Award went to dynamic Brisbane-based urban and regional planner Yen Trinh. Yen will use her bursary to travel to Copenhagen and also attend
and volunteer at the London Architecture Festival. In London she will participate in Architecture Association School’s Summer MAKE, a live architecture project at Hooke Park, a 350-acre working forest. Nicola and Yen gave inspirational and entertaining presentations on their experiences as award winners at the 2012 Queensland Premier’s Design Awards breakfast at the State Library of Queensland earlier this month. The Queensland Premier’s Design Awards are an important platform in the Queensland Design Strategy 2020, which is dedicated to positioning design at the heart of Queensland life and making the state a hub for design excellence in the Asia-Pacific region. The 2012 Design Fellow and the Emerging Design Leader will receive a specially commissioned pin created by contemporary Brisbane jeweller Elizabeth Shaw. Entries close on 23 April 2012. For details visit: www.arts.qld.gov.au/ qpda Image: Arts Queensland Deputy Director-General Shane Rowlands with 2011 Design Fellow Nicola Lloyd and 2011 Emerging Design Leader Yen Trinh at the 2012 Queensland Premier’s Design Awards breakfast.
2012 Arts Queensland Poet in Residence Award-winning Canadian poet Angela Rawlings, known as a.rawlings, has been chosen as the 2012 Arts Queensland Poet in Residence. She begins a three-month residency at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts in June. Angela often collaborates with other disciplines to produce innovative multimedia work. She has also worked in theatre, music and dance and has extensive teaching and community engagement experience. Her first book, Wide slumber for lepidopterists, published in 2006, is now in its third print run. Angela lives in Iceland where she is Artistic Director of the International Poetry Festival.
During her residency, she will develop a new site-specific work for her Sound Poetry and Visual Poetry series, incorporating field recordings of Queensland ecosystems in combination with poetry performance. Angela will work with local poets, engage with regional and rural communities and present headline performances at the Queensland Poetry Festival in August and the Brisbane Writers’ Festival in September. More information on her schedule will be available at www. queenslandpoetryfestival.com Image: a.rawling records the tap and hiss of a remote waterfall in Svartifoss, Iceland. Photo: Michael Knox
In other news... New funding round open for Artist Run Initiatives Queensland visual artists and designers can apply for up to $25 000 in the 2012-2013 round of Arts Queensland’s Artist Run Initiatives (ARI) program.
artists, 50 curators, 60 writers and 22 designers. This funding has resulted in more than 100 exhibitions in Brisbane and throughout Queensland.
A total of $118 450 is up for grabs for innovative visual arts, craft and design projects.
The ARI grant program is funded by Arts Queensland under the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, a Queensland and Australian Government initiative which provides financial support to the state’s visual arts, craft and design sector.
The ARI grant program encourages visual artists, craft practitioners and designers to work together in new ways increasing opportunity for career development. Since 2008, the program has provided $585 000 to 29 projects, supporting more than 380
For more information visit www. arts.qld.gov.au. Applications close on 31 August 2012.
Stories about young Queensland artists As part of its evaluation process of the Arts, Culture + Me Children, Young People and the Arts Action Plan 2008-2011, Arts Queensland commissioned Elleni Toumpas and Kate Walton, Crossroad Arts and La Luna Youth Arts to create digital stories about the success and challenges of young artists and arts workers in Queensland.
(www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKl5l OGCdmY&feature=related)
The results have been uploaded to Arts Queensland’s YouTube channel. The videos share important stories about how young people are pursuing their arts practice and trying to build sustainable arts careers. Videos include:
Tim Terton
Young artists with La Luna in Townsville (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=MXXJ2ZrPkZk) Young artists with Crossroad Arts in Mackay
The Medics (www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOIl DHR41So&feature=related) Andrea Fisher (www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPzzt L1Iq7E&feature=related)
(www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqtEv fOaFdo&feature=related) Contortionist Studios (www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIAicl vW7Ww&feature=related) Ashcan Collective (www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvA9 Zl2kfeE&feature=related)
Cairns Indigenous Art Fair The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair is going from strength to strength as outlined in the recently published report by Arts Queensland. The CIAF 2011 Evaluation Report features trend data for the three years of CIAF and figures show attendee numbers have grown 30% to 13 000 people in 2011.
On average, over $600 000 worth of Indigenous Art has been sold each year. For further information about outcomes of CIAF visit: www.ciaf.com.au Image: Arpaka Dance Company delighted crowds at the 2O11 CIAF. Photo: Kerry Trapnell
Creative Regions In 2012 Creative Regions will be offering a series of Networking Events across Central and South West Queensland. To ensure the content of these events are relevant to your region, we have developed a quick online survey. We’d really appreciate your input into this process. Fill out the survey at www.surveymonkey. com/s/2012Networking
Another project underway is the development of a Central Queensland Artist in Residence Project. We are mapping Artist in Residence programs and facilities that already exist in the Central Queensland region. If you know of one, we’d love you to complete the following survey. Fill out the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/ CQAIR