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Isn’t it amazing how quickly our world can change? Who could have predicted that so many regional Queenslanders would be impacted so adversely by the extreme weather events in recent months?

When disasters such as these occur the natural response of caring individuals is to rush in and assist in every way possible, but in the long term, the Arts become a critical component of recovery for regional communities.

Queensland Arts Council celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2011. The role QAC has played in regional communities over those 50 years has had an incalculable impact on the lives of many people.

I am personally privileged to work for such an organisation and to regularly hear stories of how QAC has changed or shaped their lives. In this newsletter we feature the story of a young man with autism who, as a 16 year old, was introduced to QAC.

Tim Sharp is now 22 and has gone on to turn his creation of ‘Laser Beak Man’ into an exhibition. This has toured regional Queensland and has been shown in New York, USA. Tim’s story is now being developed as a play by a major Australian theatre company. Tim’s mother, Judy Sharp has written to us on a number of occasions and I always find her letters particularly moving. I asked Judy if she would share one of her letters with you which, I think, provides a great example of the difference your support makes.

QAC offers, through its programs, an opportunity for you to make a difference. When you give to QAC, you can be absolutely sure that the staff, Board and members of our Cultural Support Fund Committee are doing the same and that we are all totally committed to ensuring that every dollar is maximized for the benefit of the people you want to support.

If you know of a potential donor or a volunteer who might be interested in being part of our team, please let me know.

Arthur Frame AM MFIA Chief Executive Officer

Donor newsletter Issue May 2011

new twist in wonDerful PhilanthroPic taleQAC’s valued philanthropic partnership with the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation (TFFF) has taken a wonderful new turn with the TFFF committing multi-year support for touring performances to small and remote schools throughout Queensland, as well as touring exhibitions to a wide variety of venues throughout Queensland.

This most recent chapter in this already great story of TFFF’s support of key artistic programs across the state, extends the TFFF’s previous commitment to these programs (and others) in 2009 and 2010, enabling QAC to provide happy endings for thousands of Queensland school children and community members who love the arts!

A big thank you to the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation for their ongoing support and belief in QAC!

My name is Judy Sharp. I am the very proud mother of Tim Sharp, a 22 year old Brisbane artist, most famous for his creation of Laser Beak Man. Tim has Autism.I can not speak highly enough of the benefits of the Queensland Arts Council’s Exhibition Program. They are far reaching and long term for my son as an artist and for the general community. I also have enormous praise for everyone we have dealt with at QAC for their commitment and professionalism and their passion to bring the arts to all corners of Queensland.

In 2006 Tim’s work was selected to be part of the QAC Exhibition Program. At that time he was the youngest person they had ever toured and also the first person with a disability to have a touring exhibition with them. Due to the exhibition’s popularity the tour continued until 2008, visiting 14 regional venues across Queensland with an estimated audience of 24,000. Visitors were not only from regional Queensland but also from around the world. The response was quite overwhelming and all very positive. The tour also received a lot of media attention, print and radio and in some cases television.

At the beginning of the touring exhibition we could have no idea of how far reaching and life changing this exhibition would be. The exhibition gave hope to regional families dealing with Autism and other forms of disability, gave educators the opportunity to discover the possibility of using art as a form of communication, gave an insight to the general community about Autism and spread the word of Tim’s artistic talents. The success of Tim’s ground breaking first touring exhibition enabled and encouraged other artists with a disability to apply to tour their own artworks. Tim’s involvement in the program raised awareness of his art and provided further opportunities for his career that has now enabled him to become the first person in the world with Autism to have his creation turned into a television series which screens on ABC TV. Currently development has begun with a major Australian theatre company for Laser Beak Man “The Play”.

Wherever possible, we visited the exhibition while on tour and I would like to give you two very powerful examples of the positive outcomes of the tour. In 2008, we went out to Roma to visit the exhibition, meet the local people and speak at the schools in town. While there, we met a lady who has a young son who suffers from severe Autism. Her son is unable to speak or go to school. That lady cannot leave her house except for a couple of hours per week when she gets respite care. She chose to use that time to come and visit Tim’s exhibition. We cried together about the sadness of her situation but she left happy and determined to try art with her son as a form of communication. It was the first bit of hope she had received in years.

A Bundaberg school used the exhibition to inspire their students to create their own super heroes and then held their own exhibition in the Bundaberg Regional Gallery. Part of this idea was to help one of their students, who has Autism and is a budding artist. The school used this event as a way of including that boy and showing some understanding throughout their community. Their exhibition got the biggest crowd of the year to the gallery.

We are incredibly proud of our association with the Queensland Arts Council, of the outcomes for Tim from his exhibition and the changes it has made for other artists and the great hope it has given to the wider community not just for families dealing with Autism and other special needs children but as a way to break down some barriers.

We remain in close contact with QAC and hope to develop further projects with them, perhaps even a regional tour of Laser Beak Man The Play. Tim’s exhibition with the Queensland Arts Council remains one of his greatest and proudest achievements and we are very passionate about our support for them and the continuation of their very important work.

Yours Faithfully,

Judy Sharp

info@laserbeakman.com

www.laserbeakman.com

Visual arts anD autisM - the tiM sharP storY -

Tim with an example of his creation Laser Beak Man

Quiet achieVers, Qac’s cultural suPPort funD coMMittee

A group of people with astounding amounts of business experience, energy and goodwill meet regularly to talk about the possibilities for partnerships and fundraising to help ensure QAC can continue to deliver a quality progam of arts experiences to rural, regional and remote Queenslanders.

This group of committed volunteers manages QAC’s Cultural Support Fund – a philanthropic fund that accepts tax deductible donations to support the important work QAC does. They oversee and give direction on the management of gifts and donations.

The Cultural Support Fund receives significant contributions from the Committee members themselves – they don’t just “talk the talk”. QAC applauds the work and passion of our quiet achievers of the Committee. Pictured from top left: Les Jones (Grant Thornton), Dare Power (Power Arts), Arthur Frame AM (QAC), Clinton Woodhouse (JBWere), Jane Frank (QAC), Kathy Davis (CFRE) and Loretta Hyne (Hyne & Son). We also say thanks to Life Member Patricia Mitchell OAM (not pictured) for her commitment and support and to long-standing member Susan McDonald (ex-QAC Board Member and Treasurer) who is retiring from the committee.

recoGnisinG our DonorsAll donations small or large, made to the Queensland Arts Council, are absolutely essential to the work of our organisation in communities and schools across the region. We are very appreciative of the support provided by the following donors and to the many friends and supporters who wish to remain anonymous.

Ann & Roger Bowden Ann & Rollo Nicholson (BD) Arch Cameron Arthur Frame AM (CSFC) & Mae Frame ArtsMedia Consultants Brisbane Valley Arts Council Inc Bruce Mellor Carmel Roden Chinchilla Arts Council Inc Christine Webster Clinton Woodhouse (CSFC) Creighton Family Cyril & Shirley Golding Dana McCown Dare Power (BD & CSFC) Dominique Tan Dr Cathryn Mittelhauser AM Dr Christiaan Willems (BD) & Christine Woods-Willems Dr Gilbert Burgh (BD) Dr Margaret Mittelhauser AM Dr Rebecca Scollen Drs HAB & AM Foxton Dysart Arts Council Inc

Elisabeth Hindmarsh Fairlie Schmelzer Glenda Morris Gwen Lyons Happy Apple Resort Heather Hale (BD) & Family Heather Robertson (LM) Helen Kirby Herman Miles InStyle Shoes & Accessories Biloela Jane Frank (CSFC) & Peter Cummiskey Jennifer Commens John & Denise Christensen John Posselt (BD) Joseph Morfea (BD) Judy Chengody Julie & Peter Dowd June Hoopert Karen Lane (in memory of Patricia Lane) Kathy Davis (CSFC) Kay Mays (BD) Kazuma Maintenance & Engineering Ken & Teena Wilcock OAM (LM) Les Jones (LM & CSFC)

Little Artists Moranbah Loretta Hyne (CSFC) & Richard Hyne M.R. & D.L Campbell Michael Evans Michael & Rowena Stenner L Lawton N&R Hughes Paradies Family Patricia Mitchell OAM (LM & CSFC) Priscilla Clare Sally Charlton (BD) Sara Bannon Sara Hughes Sharon Hogan Siganto Foundation Stephanie White The Fraser Foundation The Swich Contemporary Art Space Tim & Tammy Stiller Tim Fairfax Family Foundation Walter & Colleen BenhamLM - Life Member BD - QAC Board Director CSFC - Cultural Support Fund Committee member

Donors suPPort Great reGional outcoMes In its 2010 Annual Report, Queensland Arts Council featured a number of notable highlights which served to demonstrate the extraordinary outcomes achieved through generous philanthropic gifts throughout the year. They include the following examples:

For the third consecutive year, QAC’s community arts project Reconnect@Normanton, worked with elders and young people to create connections in the Indigenous and isolated community of Normanton.

The Youth Program toured 18 productions, delivering 1654 performances and reaching 182,633 students in 657 Queensland metropolitan and regional schools. 295 small schools received subsidised performances, thanks to the support of the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation.

The Exhibitions Program toured 16 exhibitions, including nine new exhibitions, across Queensland and NSW. The visual arts exhibitions profiled the work of 29 regional Queensland artists.

For a full listing of Queensland Arts Council’s highlights, along with some great regional stories and case studies of our work in regional communities, please visit our website and download the 2010 Annual Report on http://qac.org.au/about_us/our_publications

Images from left: Reconnect@Normanton, Film Making Workshops, Photo by Ross Harrold / Secondary Students enjoying a QAC School Production - Photo by Megan Hermans / Through The Looking Glass, Melanie Jai Miss Communication

the Value of BeQuests For 50 years, QAC has provided outstanding services as a peak state-wide arts and touring organisation.

However in recent times, Government funding has shrunk and philanthropy needs to become a more important source of income. Bequests, or gifts in people’s Wills, have the potential to allow the Queensland Arts Council to evolve and meet the demand for our services, particularly from tiny remote area communities to which we simply can no longer afford to tour. Imagine if these people were to miss out on the arts? It just doesn’t seem fair.

The thought of mortality and the importance of having a Will can be daunting. However, having a valid Will is the only way to ensure that your wishes will be met. A Will should be regularly updated and reviewed and stored safely with someone you trust.

When creating your Will, firstly provide for family; and then consider whether you can also include a gift to the Queensland Arts Council. A residuary bequest, where the remainder of an estate is left to QAC after specific gifts have been disbursed, is a particularly useful way to make a difference to the arts in Queensland.

For specific Will wording, to become a member of the special group of bequestors that we intend to create, or to discuss these matters further, please contact Arthur Frame AM on (07) 3004 7500. Thank you for considering the Queensland Arts Council as a beneficiary in your Will. If you choose to support us in this special way, please let Arthur know.

Kathy DavisCertified Fund Raising Executive Cultural Support Fund Committee