December ENews No Images? Click here Hi everyone, I’d never seen a bike power an island, until I saw Balance. Or met a cat from space, until I saw Tinker. And I never would have had the chance if not for the Australian Children’s Theatre Foundation Commission. The ACTF was created to further the extraordinary legacy of Joan and Betty Rayner, and has been supporting the creative development of new theatre works for children for decades. It is one of the long-term partnerships we are most proud of at Regional Arts Victoria. Applications for the 2019 Commission are open now. If you’ve got a theatre piece for primary school children ready to be brought to life, this opportunity is one worth checking out. There’s loads of other opportunities to check out at Regional Arts Victoria this month too, from Showcase Victoria, to Presenter Mentorships, and the Regional Arts Fund. On top of that, we have new resources from Artlands Victoria and highlights from another year of Home is Where the Hall is. So go on. Check ‘em out. The news is in. Joe Toohey Please note: The Regional Arts Victoria office is closed from 22 December 2018 to 6 January 2019. PROGRAMMING Connecting Places Mentorship ProgramBuild on your career performance and professional networks through Regional Arts Victoria’s mentoring program. Regional Arts Victoria are offering five Community Presenters a 12 month mentorship to help further their presenting practice. The mentorship matches experienced presenters and other professionals with upcoming community presenters wanting to build a sustainable presenting practice. Applicants are welcome to name a specific mentor, or Regional Arts Victoria can source a suitable mentor based on the applicants desired skills development area. Applications are now open and close on 22 January 2019. Alongside mentorships, book in Connecting Places 2019 touring by 21 January 2019 to be eligible for the Small Regional Presenters Fund. Speak with Rosie Dwyer -- PROGRAMMING Arts & Education CommissionWe're back full of conversation from the Drama Australia conference over the weekend. It was an opportunity to listen and demonstrate the versatile ways Arts & Education touring meets school needs across the state. Regional Arts Victoria has ready-at-hand On Call programs available for short notice bookings. We also tour artists On The Road within a specific date range in both regional and metropolitan areas. These tend to book out quickly! Alongside touring, the Australian Children's Theatre Foundation commission a new work for schools touring every two years. Artist applications are open until 28 January 2019. If you are an educator keen to bring arts experiences to your school, three or more bookings before 21 December 2018 receive a 15% discount. Speak with Pippin
Davies Image Joan and Betty Rayer, creators of Australian Children’s Theatre Foundation PROGRAMMING Touring Services on showThe #ShowcaseVictoria information session about touring took on a new twang last week. We went back to basics - touring is about relationships. The session introduced Regional Arts Victoria alongside the Victorian Association of Performing Arts Centres before delving into what opportunities Showcase Victoria exists to provide. It is a platform for artists to show their work to venues across Victoria. It is by application. It is competitive. In a chummy kind of way. In conversation following 'Showcase 101', Regional Arts Victoria highlighted the various means with which to tour, Auspicious Arts delved into budgeting, and Gasworks and Lab Kelpie reiterated the collaborative nature of marketing with venues. Their simple and effective instruction covered essentials on the venue 'Wishlist'. Showcase Victoria runs from 14 - 15 May at Karralyka Centre, Ringwood. Speak with Gemma Robertson Image by Highwire Events and Entertainment. Dinosaur Time Machine 2017, by Highwire Events and Entertainment. PARTNERSHIPS Opportunities to celebrateIn Partnerships, November has been a month to celebrate. Not only do we recognise the value of community halls through events activating these spaces, we also look ahead. We see that connection happens, new ideas spring forth, and creativity abounds. Responsiveness to opportunities is evident. Works resulting from Community Grants in this period embellish upon Queer stories, and, Connectedness, as well as imparting why it is imperative that we listen to bees. A swathe of commentary generates through the arts in regional Victoria. Anna Kennedy, Memberships Coordinator met with Jo Grant, Creative Arts
Facilitator for the Great South Coast to connect with regional members and discuss plans for regional development in the area. Where there is opportunity to get out and about, we are ever so pleased to meet you. Please note that membership applications and renewals will be on hold from Friday 14 December to Monday 14 January. Direct urgent membership enquiries to It is also key to note from now into the new year, that we have more opportunities to celebrate. Regional Arts Victoria administers the Regional Arts Fund Community and Quick Response Grants, which open in January. We also administer the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Community Arts Grants Program, with applications closing 31 January. Please see our website for more details. Speak with Liz Zito -- PARTNERSHIPS Home is Where the Hall is: Burra Town Hall, SABurra Town Hall outdid themselves this November with a series of events taking place in the Hall. Beginning with the Spring Garden Expo and the wonderful stage display created by the ladies from the district. Titled ‘Poppies for Peace, Red for Remembrance’ the three day event encompassed workshops, as well as garden advice from the experts, stallholders and artisans. As part of Regional Arts Victoria’s Home is Where the Hall is there was the highly acclaimed Fred Smith Concert Dust of Uruzagan. And finally, on Remembrance Day the Burra RSL Sub Branch held a light luncheon for those who had attended the Remembrance Day Service. Image by Sharon, POPPIES FOR PEACE, RED FOR REMEMBRANCE, 2018. PARTNERSHIPS Home is Where the Hall is: |