ANNUAL REPORT 2012

EASTERN RIVERINA ARTS

SUITE 2/252 BAYLIS STWAGGA WAGGA NSW 2650

P. 02 69216890

F. 02 69258154

info@easternriverinaarts.org.au

easternriverinaarts.org.au

ABN 93 195 464 075

CONNECTING ARTISTSCOMMUNITIES COUNCILS ...

... FOSTERING A VIBRANT

CREATIVE REGION

2012 BOARD OF EASTERN RIVERINA ARTSJulie Briggs Chair, REROC nominee

Andrew Robbins Dep. Chair/Treasurer, Temora nominee

Sarah Last Secretary, Cootamundra nominee

Jenelle Becker Tumut nominee

Adele Casey Bland nominee

Marilyn Gilbert Tumbarumba nominee

David Gilbey co-opted

David McCann Coolamon nominee [until September]

Vic McEwan Wagga Wagga nominee [until July]

Kathy Maslin Coolamon nominee [from September]

Tracie Miller Wagga Wagga nominee [from September]

Connie McFadyen Harden nominee

Ursula Jones Lockhart nominee

Eastern Riverina Arts is one of fourteen Regional Arts Boards in NSW, each providing strategic direction for sustainable arts and cultural development in their region. As a member of Regional Arts NSW we are part of a powerful network able to lobby and advocate for regional arts.

WHO WE ARE

STAFFScott Howie Regional Arts Development Officer 1.0

Sarah McEwan Communications and Project Coordinator 0.4

John Heine Accounts Office 0.1

Jordan Bryon Community Producer Multistory Project 0.5[until October]

STAFFScott Howie Regional Arts Development Officer 1.0

Sarah McEwan Communications and Project Coordinator 0.4

John Heine Accounts Office 0.1

Jordan Bryon Community Producer Multistory Project 0.5[until October]

OUR REGION

SNAP SHOT OF OUR REGION

AREA: 41,129 km2

POPULATION: 126341 (2011 CENSUS)

POPULATION CHANGE SINCE 2006-3.6% [NSW +5.6%] MEDIAN AGE: 42 [NSW 38]

% OF POPULATION OVER 6516.5% [ NSW 14.7%]

% OF POPULATION IDENTIFYING AS ABORIGINAL 4.1% [NSW 2.5%]

WAGGA WAGGA

HARDEN

URANA

LOCKHARTTUMUT

COOLAMON

TUMBARUMBA

TEMORA

COOTAMUNDRA

BLAND

YOUNG

JUNEEGUNDAGAI

2011 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

SIMON TEDESCHI & IAN COOPEREastern Riverina Arts organised a micro-tour by acclaimed virtuousos, pianist Simon Tedeschi and violinist Ian Cooper. Three concerts in Tumut, Cootamundra and West Wyalong saw over 450 people attend. The concerts were presented in partnership with Musica Viva, the Arts Centre Cootamundra, Montreal Theatre and the Bland Shire Cultural Advisory Committee. The presenting model ensured no risk to community presenters and demonstrated striong demand for future tours in the region.

8 ARTISTS2012 saw the commencement of the development phase of an arts project featuring emerging and established artists with and without disabilty. The project, in partnership with the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, will result in an exhibition as part of the Gallery’s Annual program in 2013. Artists come from across the region.

8 Artists was one of six projects funded in 2012 under the Delineate program and allowed the artists the

opportunity to discover each other’s visual language through the creation of a collaborative artist book. An intensive two day workshop allowed the artists to explore methods to collaboratively make work. The workshop culminated in an open studio to display work in progress attended by over 60 people.

DRAMATIC MINDS Eastern Riverina Arts sits on the Dramatic Minds Regional Advisory Group assisting in providing strategic direction for rthe Dramatic Mind Festival. It is a drama festival for high schools that encourages the creation of short plays around themes of mental health. It is a partnership between Murrumbidgee Local Health District, the NSW Department of Education and the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program. Now in its fifth year Dramatic Minds has expanded to three events in Temora, Wagga Wagga and Albury. 2012 saw over 18 schools and 180 students participate.

Eastern Riverina Arts aims to increase the participation for all people in the arts and cultural activities across the Eastern Riverina region. Eastern Riverina works collaboratively to identify and implement arts and cultural projects that target young people, children, people with disability, older people, women and children. We also aim to support local bodies who deliver cultural and arts activities. The following are some of our successes this year.

ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION

“Simon and Ian left us feeling privileged to have been part of something very special.”

- Debbie Jarvis

COUNTRY ARTS SUPPORT PROGRAMEastern Riverina Arts managed the assessment of these grants in our region. The assessment panel consisted of board members Andrew Robbins and Jenelle Becker and Tony Curran, a local artist. Ten applications were received and nine projects shared $17,455 in funding. Successful projects were:

Riverina Regional Library: Techniques In Cartooning E-Artist In Residence

Tumbarumba Artists on Parade: Co-Opera Performance Of Die Fledermaus

Adelong Alive Museum: Millinery Workshops

Wagga City Rugby Male Choir: Development Workshop For Choir

Cootamundra Arts Centre:Coota Beach Sand Sculptor

St Andrews Anglican Church: Resident Artist Workshops

Harden Murrumbarrah Arts Council: Workshops In Visual And Performing Arts For Young People

West Wyalong & District Country Education Foundation: Choral workshops by Co-opera

Temora And District Visual Arts Community: artist workshops

Kellie and Angela work on a shared painting as part of 8 ArtistsPhotographer:Chris Orchard

2011 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION

FANNY LUMSDEN AND THE THRILLSEEKERSEastern Riverina Arts supported the Country Halls tour by Fanny Lumsden & the Thrillseekers. After the 2012 floods Fanny, a Tallimba gal, wanted to raise some spirits and some money for her home community and others like it. Successful concerts were staged in Tallimba, Ganmain and Boree Creek providing great entertainment and raising money for BlazeAid.

CRITICAL STAGES - THE JINGLISTSEastern Riverina Arts brokered relationships between two commnunity volunteer presenters and Critical Stages. Critical Stages tours outstanding independent productions from Sydney to the community presenter network throughout NSW. Coolamon Up-to-Date Store and the Arts Centre in Cootamundra.

HIP-HOP WORKSHOPSEastern Riverina Arts co-ordinated hip-hop workshops in Lockhart and West Wyalong with Centennial Tuvale. Demand for this type of activity triggered a partnership between us and the Councils of Bland, Coolamon, Cootamundra, Lockhart, Urana and West Wyalong to develop a two-year program to be delivered in 2013-2014.

CARBOOT GALLERYTowards the end of the year we initiated a project designed to showcase visual artists from across the region. One artist from each of the member shires were selected to take part in an exhibition to tour throughout the region in 2013. The twist? All the work had to fit in the boot of our car.

The artists are a mix of professional and emerging artists and the exhibition is designed to show the diversity of practice in the region. Artists included in the exhibition are: Jordy Bos (Coolaman), Graham Cossey (Cootamundra), Peter McDade (Tumbarumba), Sue McDonald (Tumut), Amanda Gay-McCrone (Temora), Amanda Levett (Harden), Raeleen Pfeiffer (Lockhart), Demi Smith (Urana), Ralph Tikerpae (West Wyalong), Hayley Wheaton (Wagga Wagga).

Visit carbootgallery.tumblr.com for more info

“Patrons were impressed with the whole production [the Jinglists] and want to have them back next year”

- Isabel Scott , The Arts Centre Cootamundra

Fanny Lumsden & The Thrillseekers onstage at Tallimba Hall Photograph supplied by Fanny Lumsden

INDUSTRY AND SECTOR DEVELOPMENT2011 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

DREAM BIGWe partnered with Western Riverina Arts to present Dream Big, a one day conference and workshop on the theme of Arts and Regional Festivals. The conference focussed on how to include creative projects in your festival, and how to fund these projects. Speakers included Ian Pidd (Artistic Director Junction Festival), Joey Ruigrok van der Wervan (Spectacle maker), John Harvie (Deni Ute Muster) and Gabrielle Eade (Arts NSW). Nearly 60 of the regions festival organisers and development, tourism and event staff from Councils attended.

LOW COST NO COST MARKETINGEastern Riverina Arts delivered a workshop targetting community groups and artists who had yet to explore an on-line presence. The workshops looked at low cost websites, social media and evaluation tools available online. Workshops were held in Harden, Coolamon, West Wyalong, Temora, and Tumbarumba.

SCREENWRITING WORKSHOPEastern Riverina Arts hosted a workshop in Screenwriting delivered by Australian Film, Television and Radio School at Charles Sturt University. We also subsidised a place

in the workshop for one person residing in our region outside of Wagga. The workshop was held at Charles Sturt University. We look forward to working with AFTRS in 2013 to deliver more great workshops.

FITZMAURICE ST GALLERYEastern Riverina Arts auspiced funding and provided guidance and publicty for the set up of a pop-up gallery in Fitzmaurice St Wagga. Jacob Raupach curated two exhibitions in the space over its 8 week exisitence featuring photography and mixed media work from emerging artists.

REGIONAL ARTS NSW Eastern Riverina Arts hosted workshops from Regional ARts NSW. Access All Areas was a one day workshops for arts organisations and disability service providers generating new projects and partnerships. We also hosted Funding Manager Ben Sibson delivering a seminar on specific NSW arts funding programs.

Eastern Riverina Arts aims to provide opportunities for artists, arts & cultural workers, volunteers and local Councils to increase their capacity to deliver arts and cultural programs in the region.

“Ian and Joey [at Dream Big] were inspirational with their creative ideas. I wish I could have them in my local community for just one weekend... !” - Bernie Bodel

PROMOTION OF ABORIGINAL ARTS & CULTURAL ACTIVITYEastern Riverina Arts aims to work collaboratively with Aboriginal artists, groups and support organisations across the region to promote Aboriginal arts and cultural activities.

ASHMONT ARTSPACEAs part of our contribution to the Ashmont Placemaking Group, Eastern Riverina Arts have taken possession of an empty shop in Ashmont to operate as a shopfront gallery. The first exhibition opened in December and featured portraits of members of the Ashmont community expressing their hopes and dreams for 2013. The portraits were taken by Dave Maloy. The exhibition space is available for people who live in or have stong connections to the community.

NGIYAGINYA FESTIVALOur community producer Jordan Bryon gave workshops at the festival in digital music making, as well as documented performances for the Multistory website.

NSW ABORIGINAL CULTURE, HERITAGE & ARTS ASSOCIATIONEastern Riverina Arts attended the Wagga consultation meeting for the formation of a new association and the Travelling Places workshops scheduled for 2013.

Amanda Levitt Beings of Perception (Detail), Etching on perspex, wire, multimediaPhotograph: Jacob Raupach

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS2011 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

FEATURED ARTISTEach month Eastern Riverina Arts features an artist on its webpage and e-bulletin. The artists featured in 2012 were visual artists Roger Bennie (Wagga), Amy Urquhart (Wagga), Lucy Buttenshaw (West Wyalong) and Melanie Evans (West Wyalong), designer Jeff McCann (Wagga), writer Derek Motion (Wagga Wagga), video producer Laticia Gibson (Lockhart), sculptor and public artist John Wood (Wagga)and photographer Chris Orchard

WEBSITE / SOCIAL MEDIA / E-BULLETINSEastern Riverina Arts sends out a monthly e-bulletin artEfacts promoting our activities, upcoming events in the region, news stories, opportunities for artists and arts workers as well as funding opportunities. Through this and our newsflash and artEfacts extra we have promoted hundreds of events throughout the region.

Our social media presence continues to grow. While our following is modest on Facebook and Twitter they both increased over 2012.

Six stories and events were picked up for featured stories in the Regional Arts NSW e-bulletin and website.

Eastern Riverina Arts aims to raise awareness of our work through the promotion of activities as well as promote the work of local arts organisations across the region and the State. We aim to create opportunities to encourage networking between artists, arts and cultural organisations, and Councils operating in the Eastern Riverina region.

Featured artist Melanie Evans Photograph: supplied by Melanie Evans

GOVERNANCEEastern Riverina Arts is committed to developing and implementing sound governance policies and practices that guide the organisation’s decision-making.

STRATEGIC PLANNINGThe board of Eastern Riverina Arts worked closely with the Regional Arts Development Officer and Accounts officer in the development of the 2013-2015 strategic plan. The plan outlines clear goals and strategic priorities underpinned by a strong sense of purpose, values and artistic rationale.

Eastern Riverina Arts’ decision making and operations will be driven by the key values of connectedness, inclusiveness and professionalism.

The strategic plan was at the core of the negotiation of a new triennial funding agreement with the NSW Government through Arts NSW. Coupled with effective lobbying from Regional Arts NSW, Eastern Riverina Arts, along with the other thirteen regional arts boards successfully negotiated an increase of 33% in its core funding.

BOARD DEVELOPMENTThe Regional Arts Development Officer and board members Andrew Robbins and Ursula Jones attended a one day workshop on governance by Better Boards. This was an invaluable, informative experience.

Following on from the workshop the board has formed two new sub-committees, one dealing with Governance and Policy and one dealing with Finance and Administration.

The Governance sub-committee developed a new auspicing policy while the Finance sub-committee worked with staff to revise the chart of accounts to better align our financial reporting to all stakeholders.

The board met five times throughout 2012. Two board members stepped down in 2012.

“OUR PURPOSE: Eastern Riverina Arts enriches, inspires and connects our region by fostering arts, culture, creative industry and community that reflects and celebrates our people’s vibrancy, diversity and creativity.“

Eastern Riverina Arts 2013-2015 Strategic Plan

CEO of Regional Arts NSW Elizabeth Rogers and Eastern Riverina Arts RADO judging at the Spirit of the Land Festival in LockhartPhotograph: Sue Schneider

REGIONAL ARTS DEVELOPMENT2011 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVESEastern Riverina Arts aims to promote the interests of arts organisations and communities in the region to State, Federal and Local governments and agencies, promote the importance of arts and cultural activities in creating liveable communities, promote the creative industries as a tool for economic and tourism growth, identify opportunities for the arts to participate in economic and tourism based activities, support the growth and development of arts and cultural activities and identify the facilities and services that are available in the region to support arts and cultural development.

CONSULTATIONSStaff from Eastern Riverina Arts were invited to attend community consultations for the development of the Riverina Regional Action Plan as part of NSW 2021 and with the Independent Local Government Review Panel.

Staff engaged in a Regional Arts Network teleconference to develop a response from the arts sector in regional NSW to those developing a Creative Industries Action Plan for the NSW government. This Action plan will be presented to the Minister with actions and recommendations to drive growth, innovation and productivity in the State’s Creative Industries

CONFERENCESEastern Riverina Arts staff attended the Community Economic Development Forum in Cessnock, Kumuwuki,the Regional Arts Australia National Conference in Goolwa, South Australia and Groundswell Muliticultural Forum in Sydney.

NETWORKS AND INTERAGENCIESEastern Riverina Arts contributed to the REROC Youth Network, the Coolamon Shire Interagency, Bland Shire Interagency, Multicultural Interagency Network, and Riverina Communities Rural Network.

REGIONAL ARTS NSW VISITThe CEO of Regional Arts NSW, Elizabeth visited the region in October at the invitation of the Spirit of the Land Festival in Lockhart, where she judged the National Farm Art prize. While in the region she visited the Coolamon Up-to Date Store and Temora Rurual Museum, met with Riverina Institute of TAFE to learn about the the effect of funding cuts to art courses and attended the Ngiyaginya Fesitval in Wagga Wagga.

PROJECT SUPPORT Eastern Riverina Arts supported applications for over twenty projects in the region by seventeen organisations and auspiced two grant applications by individual artists.

ARTS IN A CULTURALLY DIVERSE SOCIETY2011 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVESEastern Riverina Arts aims to work collaboratively with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse bodies and support organisations across the region to promote CALD arts and cultural activities.

Zohab Khan performing at the Harmony Day event Everyome Belongs at the Wollundry Lagoon AmphitheatrePhotograph: Shona Pratt

MULTISTORY PROJECTThe Multistory Project was our largest project in 2012. JOrdan Bryon, a skilled community arts worker and filmmaker was engaged throughout the year to delevop an on-line portal that provided an opportunity for the co-ordinated documentation of culturally diverse activity across the whole of community. Cultural groups were to have the space to promote, celebrate and share their cultural activities with the wider community.

The Multistory Project attempted to build the skills and capacity within the community to engage with new social media tools.

PUBLIC EVENTSAs part of Multistory Project four public events were held. Everyone Belongs was a Harmnony Day event featuring poetry, music and dance performances, as well as screenings of material from the MultiStory Project and short films from around the world. Over 150 attended.

Over 50 people attended the launch of the Multistory Website at the HR Gallop Gallery, Charles Sturt University. The website was launched by the Hon. Kate Kundy and

featured video work from the website and some large format prints documenting the Harmony Day event taken by Shona Pratt.

As part of Refugee Week, the community producer ran workshops in uploading photographs to popular social networks and gave away over 85 family portraits at theRefugee Week celebrations.

During the Fusion Multicultural Street Festival, an exhibition of work generated during the project including over 160 photographs was held. Alongside this was an exhibition by a Brazilian photographer Rafael di Lima, who worked closely with the community producer to create a photo and video exhibition engaging migrants to Wagga from Sudan, Chile, Indonesia, China, Germany, Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Slovenia. Over 150 people attended the exhibition in a five hour period.

CONTENT GENERATIONThe Multistory website contains over 35 videos, interviews photos and ten feature stories about the community. These were generated in twelve specific workshops as well as a number of one-on-one sessions with a number

of community partners include Headspace, Wafrica, Riverina Community College, Bridges to Learning, Ngurra Youth Hub. Approximatelty 105 people participated in these specific content generation workshops.

The website also contains links to personal blogs, and work done by Heap Decent and Booranga Writer’s Centre’s Riverina Multicultural Voice project.

DIGITAL LITERACY/USE OF THE PORTAL/SOCIAL NETWORKINGOver 120 people gained insights into how they might use social networking, blogging and basic computing skills that would enable them to better particpate in a digital society. Over 35 people received specific instruction in adding material to the Multistory website.

Multistory project also offered small group and indivdual assistance in computer literacy. Workshops and lessons were tailored to meet individual needs including emailing, attaching photos/documents to emails, Facebook, Microsoft word; general computer skills, downloading music/videos, online banking; searching on the internet; using communication applications like Skype and Viber.

Amazing!! Terrific work. Really shows just how multicultural Wagga Wagga really is.

- Sachi

2011 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES FORMING STRATEGIC REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

Eastern Riverina Arts aims to liaise regularly with the local government members and arts organisations operating within the Eastern Riverina Arts region to identify opportunities to create and implement collaborative projects.

The Regional Arts Development Office travelled some 30,000 km throughout 2012 and was a constant presence throughout the region, attending events, meeting with Council staff, commnunity groups and artists, attending interagency networks and designing and delivering projects.

2012 was a year dominated by planning and consultation. A number of collaborative projects were developed and received funding this year for implementation in 2013.

FRESH | DANCE | FILMThis is an exciting two year project commencing in 2013. Working across six towns in the region, Eastern Riverina Arts will provide workshops in contemporary hip-hop dance and video making culminating in a series of short dance films which will be screened around the region.

RIVERINA CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSICEastern Riverina Arts have formed a partnership with the Riverina Conservatorium of Music to assist in touring parts of the RCM concert series to Temora, Tumut, Cootamundra, Coolamon, Tumbarumba and Lockhart in 2013.

CONNECT THE DOTSWorking with the REROC youth network, we successfully applied to the Telstra Foundation to deliver a program providing young people in the region with access to a portable digital creative studio. A series of modules will be developed exploring the potential and pitfalls of creating in the digital, social and online world. The portable studio will be available to members to use when programming their own youth activities, creating an exciting new resource for the region.

SHORT + SWEET RIVERINAEastern Riverina Arts will be working with the Arts Centre Cootamundra next year to host Short + Sweet Riverina, Short+Sweet is the biggest festival of ten minute theatre in the world. The festival will provide incredible skills development and performing opportunities for Riverina-based professional and emerging writers, directors and actors.

“[Eastern Riverina Arts] consistently offer our community opportunities to engage in skills-based workshops and further develop our cultural network”

- Bronwyn Hatty , Coolamon Shire Council

ABC RiverinaAccessible ArtsArts NSWAustralia CouncilAustralian Film Television Radio SchoolBland Shire CouncilBland Shire Council Cultural Advisory CommitteeBooranga Writer’s CentreCharles Sturt University School of Creative IndustriesCoolamon Shire CouncilCoolamon Up-to-Date StoreCootamundra Creative Arts & Cultural CentreCootamundra Shire CouncilCritical StagesDepartment of Education and TrainingDepartment of Immigration and Citizenship dLux media arts Murrumbidgee Local Health DistrictHarden Shire CouncilHeaps DecentIDEASKurrajong Warratah

Eastern Riverina Arts acknowledges the following organisations we worked with in 2012 to deliver our program

Lockhart Shire CouncilMontreal TheatreMulticultural Council of Wagga WaggaMuseums and Galleries NSWMusica VivaNgurra Youth HubRegional Arts NSWRegional Development Australia – RiverinaREROC Youth NetworkREROCRiverina Community CollegeRiverina Conservatorium of MusicRiverina Institute of TAFE Spirit of the Land FestivalTemora Shire CouncilTumbarumba Shire CouncilUrana Shire CouncilWagga Africa AssociationWagga Wagga Art GalleryWagga Wagga City CouncilWestern Riverina ArtsYouth of Bland Shire

The Financial Report for the Year Ended 31 December 2012 as independently audited by HMA Twomey Patterson Audit Pty Ltd. is available from the Eastern Riverina Arts website or by emailing accounts@easternriverinaarts.org.au

FINANCE

Arts NSW 69% Councils 30% Arts NSW 62% Councils 30% Arts NSW 55% Councils 28%

Earned Income 1% Earned income 8% Earned Income 17%

2010 2011 2012

Eastern Riverina Arts financial situation has strengthened over 2012. Consistent retained funds over the last 4 years is ensuring the organisation’s sustainability. In 2012 the total income increased by 17% on 2011 total income while total expenses increased by 15% on 2011 total expenses

Eastern Riverina Arts retained a surplus of $22,977 well over the budgeted surplus of $5281. This income has been

generated from higher box office returns than expected from presenting performing arts in the region, increased earned interest, an increase in contract fees for service and savings in office administration.

The recent trend of earned income increasing as a percentage of total income is projected to continue in 2013 as the organisation seeks to diversify its revenue sources.

Eastern Riverina Arts is supported by the NSW Government through Arts NSW

Eastern Riverina Arts is a member of Regional Arts NSW

Eastern Riverina Arts acknowledges the support of our member Councils

The Multistory Project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship through the Diversity and Social Cohesion Program

Arts NSW 55% Councils 28%

www.easternriverinaarts.org.au