Bunarm Bologaman wahl Bundjalung

An exhibition supported by Arts Northern Rivers
of new works by male Bundjalung artists

Date: 2 November - 23 November 2013

Time: Saturday 2nd Nov, 2pm

Place: Boomalli Aboriginal Artist Cooperative | 55-59 Flood St Leichhardt, Sydney

Artist Talk: Sunday, 3rd November @2:30pm

On November 2nd, Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative in Leichhardt, Sydney, will host the opening of  Bunarm Bologaman wahl Bundjalung, an exhibition of art by leading Bundjalung artists.

The Bundjalung nation are the original custodians of northern coastal areas of New South Wales, and this exhibition will present new works by 8 male artists; Noel Charlie Caldwell, Clarence Luke Close, Anthony (Tule) Gordon, Burri Jerome, Gilbert Laurie, Oral Roberts, Jai Walker and Lewis Walker.

Arts Northern Rivers assisted the group in applying for funding and assisting in other key management procedures, such as helping to source wholesale art materials, pricing and art courier services. The project was initiated by artist tutor Jan Levy from ACE North Coast Inc. for  artists who were at the mid-career phase of their arts practice.

The Governor of NSW, her Excellency, Professor Marie Bashir, AC, CVO will officially open the show, that will showcase artistic interpretations men’s stories and celebrate the culture of Bunjalung Country. There will be performances at the opening by Lewis Walker and Anthony Gordon, and an artist talk taking place the following day.

The whimsy of graffiti well done

http://www.banksy.co.uk/outdoors/index1.html

The Back Alley Gallery street art initiative in Lismore

Street art in the Lismore Local Government Area as part of the Back Alley Gallery project.

Thanks to Lismore Mayor Jenny Dowell for tweeting these photographs.

Boomerang Festival, Friday 4 to Sunday 6 October 2013 - Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay NSW

Tickets can be purchased online here

Clarence Valley Indigenous Art Award 2013 - entries now open

CVIAA (Clarence Valley Indigenous Art Award) 2013

The Clarence Valley Indigenous Art Award promotes contemporary Indigenous art of the North Coast of New South Wales.

Entries are now open for the 2013 CVIAA

Entry form and artworks are due on the Friday 4 October

2013 CVIAA entry form [word 62 KB]  ;  2013 CVIAA entry form [pdf 245 KB]

The Clarence Valley Indigenous Art Award supports the development of the collection of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art held by the Grafton Regional Gallery.

This award is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists who reside in the traditional areas of the Yaegl, Bundjalung and Gumbaingirr nations.

Artists are invited to submit up to two artworks within the given size limits for the following prizes an Open Acquisitive Prize of $5000 and encouragement awards for New Media up to $1000.

The winners of the previous CVIAA are:

2011 Frances Belle Parker Yaegl Land
2009 Danielle Burford Wonambi and the Wollemi Pine
2007 Alison Williams Black Cowrie - old medicine

Looking at the world through a camera lens

Debrah Novak Media Services & Photography www.debrahnovak.com.au

Vision4Change Aboriginal Arts Exhibition, Yamba Museum 8 June-15 July 2013

The prophetic words of deceased Aboriginal Elder Uncle Allan Laurie “Black and White must work together for the benefit of our young people” is embodied in this first time collaborative project between four Clarence Valley museums and the Aboriginal Community.

This exhibition brings to life a number of historic photos which have been borrowed from a number of collections dating from the 1870’s.

The idea for the exhibition is a response to the call by many non-local non-Aboriginal people from the Clarence Valley who want to learn and connect in some meaningful way with local Aboriginal people.

The collaborative project between Yamba, Maclean, Grafton and Lawrence Museums, some members of the Clarence Valley Aboriginal community and four acclaimed Clarence Valley Aboriginal artists is a demonstration of how well we all can work together for the common good if we put our mind to it…..

16 Elders have also had their photos taken with a number of their stories recorded for a short film.

Debrah Novak  

Bellingen Readers & Writers Festival, 22-24 March 2013

 

 

Click on program to enlarge

Grafton Regional Art Gallery - Exhibition just for kids from 24 October to 2 December 2012

 

Noel McKenna Dog, Vaucluse 2006

 

At the Grafton Regional Art Gallery, Prentice House, 158 Fitzroy Street, Grafton NSW 2460, from 24 October - 2 December 2012:

 

Best of JADA: Jada for kids

Prentice West

A selection of works from the JADA collection

hung at a height for children to get the best view.

Drawing activities will accompany this exhibition.

Celebrating Bundjalung Nation Artists

Large Open Weave Basket, 2008

Lelarnie

Childless, 2005

Michael Philp

Life drawing 8, 2007

Joanne Lapic

All images are from Arts Northern Rivers: Visual Arts Network

Culture and arts the focus of a Clarence Valley Council survey - participate now!

This media release is posted at the request of one of North Coast Voices’ regular readers. He would like to see Lower Clarence residents in particular participate.

Clarence Valley Council Media Release: 3 September 2012

Culture and arts the focus of council survey

Clarence Valley Council has launched an online survey to allow residents to voice their opinion on where the Valley’s heading on cultural and art issues.

As a part of council’s aim to revise its Cultural Plan, the survey urges communities to voice their opinions about what interests them culturally, and where they would like to see improvements.

Council’s General Manager, Scott Greensill, has urged all Clarence Valley residents to complete the online survey.

“The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete and is an opportunity for residents to tell council what is important to them when it comes to arts and culture in the Clarence,” Mr Greensill said.

“The survey will be available online until Monday September 24. Hard copies of the survey will also be available at libraries and council customer service centres.”

To access the survey, simply go to the CVC website www.clarence.nsw.gov.au and select the link.

“Council adopted its inaugural Cultural Plan in 2007,” Mr Greensill said. “A review of the current Cultural Plan is underway to assess the progress that has been achieved over the past five years. The revised Cultural Plan will be launched in early 2013 and will cover a period of four years.”

Release ends.

Authorised by: Scott Greensill General Manager 02 6643 0212  

For further information contact:

Des Schroder Deputy General Manager (Environment & Economic) 0447 430 261 or 02 6643 0203

Interested residents can take the survey here.

New recruits at Arts Northern Rivers

RANSW welcomes Arts Northern Rivers new recruits

This August saw Arts Northern Rivers recruit two new staff members. Visual artist, musician and composer Anthony Walker has been appointed to the role of Indigenous Arts Development Officer. He is a much awarded artist with vast arts experience in gallery management, curating and teaching. As a Yiman/Gurrend Gurreng man, Anthony is committed to social justice for all Indigenous Australians. Rachel Bending is the newly appointed Communications and Arts Development Officer. A designer trained at the Glasgow School of Art, Rachel also gained qualifications in financial management, event management marketing and permaculture. Ten years ago, she established her own award winning Eco textile design label. Both Anthony and Rachel will begin their positions this September.

 

Sharing 30 years of a song......

http://youtu.be/UHYnkWjApiU

A celebration of the timeless poetry of voice and instrument

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu

http://youtu.be/x8-YMpYbRqY

Mārrma djiḻawurr ŋāthinana, nambawu ḻarruŋana Guwalilŋawu
rirrakayunmina ḻiyanydja milkarri, nambawu ḻarruŋana Murrurrŋawu
roŋiyirri rirrakayyu. y..a barrawaḻayu y..a Mutjwutjŋa gaḻaṉiṉiyu

Ga namba Guwalilŋa, ga namba Warraḏika, ga namba Yumayŋa, m..m

Yä wulman ŋäthinana, yä dhiyaŋuna ḻanyiŋdhu dhungununayu
yä bāpa Kamba-Djuŋadjuŋa. miḻŋ'thurruna bayma Mayaŋ-ŋaraka
yä ŋäṉḏi maṉḏa. marrkapmirri maṉḏa. nhumanydja ŋayathaŋana Ruypu Milinditj
yä ŋäṉḏi maṉḏa. marrkapmirri maṉḏa. nhumanydja ŋāthiyaŋa milŋurr Burarrapu
yä namba guwalilŋa, yä gunambal warraḏika, yä namba Yumayaŋa
m..m
(english)

Two scrub fowl crying out, looking for Guwalilŋa
the calls like women crying, looking for Murrurrŋawu
the cries returning his mind to the jungles at Mutjmutjŋa

oh place Guwalilŋa, Warraḏika, Yumayŋa, m..m

Oh the old man cries, from this drink
oh dad Kampa-Djuŋadjuŋa, home Mayaŋ-ŋaraka bright in his mind
oh my two mums, beloved mums, hold Ruypu Milinditj
oh my two mums, beloved mums, cry for the sacred spring Burarrapu
oh the place Guwalilŋa. Warraḏika, Yumayŋa, m..m

 

*Djiḻawurr, the orange footed scrub fowl are family and relatives to the Gumatj---

Wiyathul as written by Yunupingu
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powerd by LyricFind
Read more at http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858831261/#dsPWVgkbbJwFDFwQ.99

Barham speaks out but Gulaptis keeps quiet on NSW Northern Rivers arts funding

Hansard, NSW Legislative Council, 24 May 2012:

The Hon. JAN BARHAM [10.49 a.m.]: I support the motion moved by the Hon. Mick Veitch. Because the House has important business to deal with today I will speak briefly, but I want to put on the record my support for the motion condemning the closure of regional development offices, particularly in the Tweed. I have had a great deal of involvement with the Tweed office over the years. Over the past 10 years five local government areas on the North Coast have worked collaboratively to develop a strategy for the growth of the creative industries, and we have had some great successes. Future successes will be put in doubt by this move by the Government. It is regrettable, and I hope the Government will review its decision.

The North Coast region is struggling. We are a long way from Sydney, but we have tried to be resilient by looking at opportunities that will benefit the area. The region's reliance on tourism is a matter of concern and the creative industries are seen as an area for jobs creation. The acclaimed author and academic Richard Florida, who writes on the rise of the creative industries, has identified that regions that protect their cultural identity and natural environment attract creative people, and that has certainly been the case on the North Coast. The North Coast has seen the fastest growth in the creative industries sector in Australia, outside the capital cities. The previous Government recognised that growth and provided support. The Tweed regional office has been very successful, with, for example, projects under the Creative Industries Brokers Project resulting in significant outcomes.

Arts Northern Rivers wrote to Mr Andrew Stoner, the Deputy Premier, and Minister for Trade and Investment, raising its concerns. The letter referred to 727 creative industries practitioners in the fashion, music and screen-digital sectors who are registered on the Arts Northern Rivers database. It referred to 416 practitioners who took part in sector-specific professional development and networking events. The letter also informed him about 20 businesses selected for intensive one-on-one business development support, 60 market linkage success stories and The Hive, the Northern Rivers creative industries website. The industry has been working on these projects in a strategic way, guided by evidence-based documents and research, so that in the future we will have an industry that can sit alongside tourism and grow opportunities in our region. That is one reason for the strong support for the rollout of broadband in our area.

The tragedy is that the Government has not recognised the flow-on effect. Often these groups seek support from government agencies, such as NSW Industry and Investment. If they do not receive that support, it may put in doubt their access to other support. I fear this is the case with a related project under NSW Trade and Investment. The reduction in the Regional Industries Investment Fund will have a great impact on the Screenworks organisation, which promotes the development of a screen industry on the North Coast. Filmmakers are flooding to the North Coast to set up their work and home base. The ABC series East of Everything was produced in the region. They said it could not be done, but nearly two years of lobbying resulted in the show being produced there. For many of the screen industry practitioners who are located in the area it was the first time they were able to work professionally and then go home and sleep in their own beds. Most of them have had to travel. It demonstrates that the North Coast has the capability in the screen industry, and Screenworks has been integral in promoting the professionals who are located in the region and attracting business to the area.

Why would the Government put all that at risk? After a decade of planning and working together, this is our future. Local government has been working with the State Government to grow the creative industries sector. This sector provides offsets to tourism and other industries and also supports cultural diversity in the area, an aspect much sought after by the tourism industry. I strongly support this motion. My community on the North Coast is shocked that funding sources and support services are being taken away, after so many years of government commitment. Unfortunately, this move demonstrates a lack of long-term strategic planning by the Government, as well as a lack of respect for the energetic commitment to the North Coast made by many organisations in the region. These organisations have worked hard to convince the Government of an alternative future for the North Coast. A minimal investment will return so much.

In a letter to Mr Stoner, Arts Northern Rivers states that it is very concerned about the decision to reduce activities by NSW Trade and Investment in the Tweed office and the impact it will have on the creative industries. I ask the Government to recognise the concerns that have been voiced. There is no shame in recognising that a mistake has been made. The Government should reverse the decision and work with the people in the region. The amount of money involved is minimal. I appeal to the Government to acknowledge the support for this motion and to reconsider its decision. This is a dangerous move that will have a dramatic impact in the future. Reconsideration of this decision by the Government is important to the people on the North Coast.

So far Clarence MP Gulaptis has kept his mouth firmly shut on this subject. Which is surprising given that the arts are a vital part of regional tourism and of local communities in his electorate.

Music as art

Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra) - official video

http://youtu.be/8UVNT4wvIGY

The power of words strung together

Israel has declared the German author Guenter Grass "persona non grata" and barred him from entering the country because of this poem.

What must be said

Why have I kept silent, held back so long,

on something openly practiced in

war games, at the end of which those of us

who survive will at best be footnotes?

It's the alleged right to a first strike

that could destroy an Iranian people

subjugated by a loudmouth

and gathered in organized rallies,

because an atom bomb may be being

developed within his arc of power.

Yet why do I hesitate to name

that other land in which

for years—although kept secret—

a growing nuclear power has existed

beyond supervision or verification,

subject to no inspection of any kind?

This general silence on the facts,

before which my own silence has bowed,

seems to me a troubling lie, and compels

me toward a likely punishment

the moment it's flouted:

the verdict "Anti-semitism" falls easily.

But now that my own country,

brought in time after time

for questioning about its own crimes,

profound and beyond compare,

is said to be the departure point,

(on what is merely business,

though easily declared an act of reparation)

for yet another submarine equipped

to transport nuclear warheads

to Israel, where not a single atom bomb

has yet been proved to exist, with fear alone

the only evidence, I'll say what must be said.

But why have I kept silent till now?

Because I thought my own origins,

Tarnished by a stain that can never be removed,

meant I could not expect Israel, a land

to which I am, and always will be, attached,

to accept this open declaration of the truth.

Why only now, grown old,

and with what ink remains, do I say:

Israel's atomic power endangers

an already fragile world peace?

Because what must be said

may be too late tomorrow;

and because—burdend enough as Germans—

we may be providing material for a crime

that is foreseeable, so that our complicity

wil not be expunged by any

of the usual excuses.

And granted: I've broken my silence

because I'm sick of the West's hypocrisy;

and I hope too that many may be freed

from their silence, may demand

that those responsible for the open danger

we face renounce the use of force,

may insist that the governments of

both Iran and Israel allow an international authority

free and open inspection of

the nuclear potential and capability of both.

No other course offers help

to Israelis and Palestinians alike,

to all those living side by side in emnity

in this region occupied by illusions,

and ultimately, to all of us.

Günter Grass Nobel Laureate

Translated by Breon Mitchell

The Guardian UK 9 April 2012

Art on the wing over Northern NSW

Katherine Castle Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos

Tanya Walker jabirus

Elizabeth Starkey Albert's Lyrebird

Noel Caldwell Boobook, 2007

Belligen Readers Writers Festival 23-25 March 2012

For further details
http://bellingenwritersfestival.com.au/

Click on images to enlarge

'My dirty little secret' is out

ABC Open

WINNERS of the ABC Open project 'Up Close' were announced yesterday, with Wooloweyah photographer Louise Gumb receiving a special mention for her photograph titled 'My dirty little secret'.

The image, a self-portrait of her own feet was the only entry made by Maelstrom Made Design, the design company owned by Louise and her husband Dan Gumb.

[The Daily Examiner,14 March 2012]

Maelstrom Made Design can be found here.