No images? Click here Hi all, We're resurrecting the iCreate Newsletter! We know it's been a while, and there's been a lot happening in the creative and cultural space. We hope you've been doing OK during these topsy turvy times. With no COVID community-transmitted cases recorded in NSW for the last week (yay), and businesses starting to operate again, we hope you agree there's now some good cause for optimism. Warning- this Newsletter's a long one. We'll cover some exciting news regarding our 'reimagined' ArtWalk event, emergency funding for museums, the Aboriginal Art (Birpai) for the Airport competition, the Australia Council's latest Performing Arts Audience sentiment report, details regarding another important COVID survey (please have your say!) and a new grant opening from the Country Arts Support Program. Plus, we're introducing our new team member Georgina! It's ArtWalk, but not as you know it...As you are all aware and experiencing - COVID-19 has had a serious impact on our local business as well as the arts, cultural and creative industries. Running an event that brings crowds of up to 15,000 into our CBD over one night is not going to fly in the current environment. So, we have worked with a range of stakeholders to conduct a complete re-think of the event as the delivery of ArtWalk has been identified as a key way that Council can support the recovery of local artists, cultural and creative sectors. What is the reframed ArtWalk for 2020? In short, the ArtWalk 2020 format will be based on the concept of ‘The Longest Footpath Art Gallery’ where: It will be a multi-day event (Thursday 1 October to Thursday 8 October 2020 inclusive). It will be situated in the 3 CBD locations of Port Macquarie, Wauchope, and Laurieton. How can you get involved? The new event format aims to encourage businesses in these central business districts to partner with artists and exhibit artworks or creative installations in store windows. Our previous participants are our best champions for how to use ArtWalk to connect artists and businesses in the region. If you had an ArtWalk Partner in previous years, can you look to join forces again? Can you speak to your business neighbours and encourage their participation? Can you encourage your creative network to make direct approaches to businesses to use their window as a gallery display? See a sample window image below. We wish to encourage artists from all disciplines to display visual arts such as painting, pottery, crafts, fashion or use existing screens to broadcast digital arts such as short film, graphic design, and animation or live stream performances. Businesses are also encouraged to consider programming an ‘artist in residence’ for the week or in-store displays and can register these activities on the ArtWalk Satellite Event program. Lots more info is available on the website: www.artwalkpmq.com.au, and Registrations to participate in either the Longest Footpath Gallery will open on 1 July via the ArtWalk website. Community-run museums seek council and government supportAround 300 community-managed museums across New South Wales are struggling to cope following drops in visitor numbers during COVID-19 restrictions, according to Museums & Galleries of NSW. The organisation is urging the NSW Government to provide emergency funding and support to the museums, which are mostly in regional areas, in order to ensure their survival. NSW councils are also being encouraged to grant rates waivers to the museums to reduce costs. Create NSW says that micro museums are eligible to apply for the $50 million arts relief package offered by the State Government, but applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, so funding is not guaranteed. See here for more information. Airport Aboriginal Artwork Design Competition- closes 16th June 2020 We're inviting all interested designers, artists, graphic designers or similarly qualified parties to provide a submission to produce a bespoke Aboriginal artwork mural to be displayed in the recently upgraded Port Macquarie Airport Terminal. The artwork is to convey a message of welcome to Birpai Land and the Port Macquarie region. The successful applicant must identify as belonging to the Birpai Nation and reside in the Port Macquarie-Hastings Local Government Area. The winning artist will have their designs translated onto a vinyl wall graphic measuring approximately 7.2m long and 2.7m high to be installed on a wall between the arrivals pass back doors. Council is offering the winning artist(s) $5,000 in prize money. For information on how to enter, see here. Australia Council survey - Performing Arts Audiences & COVID-19 How do you feel about planning to attend arts events again? Australia Council for The Arts is working to understand changes in behaviours and sentiments of arts-goers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, to support decision-making and forward planning across the sector. Read more This week, the Australia Council released a Fact Sheet outlining their key survey findings from their May COVID19 Audience Outlook Monitor for the Performing Arts. It makes for interesting reading, particularly when they start talking about getting back into spaces, as most audiences are not comfortable to do so yet and are keen to continue with streaming options as part of performance/ticketing in the near future. Particularly relevant is the point about reinforcing safety measures throughout the stages of an audience journey, and that there will be greater comfort in attending smaller performances. Country Arts Support Program (CASP) - Grants Now Open! CASP is an annual small grants program administered by Regional Arts NSW (RANSW) on behalf of Create NSW. The aim of the CASP is to support community arts and cultural development in regional NSW through small grants that:
2020 CASP GUIDELINES -The 2020 CASP Guidelines are available here. Please contact Arts Mid North Coast via email prior to your submission at rado.artsmidnorthcoast@gmail.com. And Yes, It's Another Survey.. Gathering data specific to our local government area is incredibly valuable and in support of that, we encourage you to complete the REMPLAN - Australian Business Economic Impact Survey. Why this survey? It is specifically targeting insights around a change in employment and economic impact by industry. Evidence of the COVID impact on local arts and cultural businesses and organisations may help us secure funding for important recovery initiatives. You can complete the survey via the link here. Say Hi to Georgina Perri! Finally, a quick word to introduce Georgina Perri, our new Cultural Development Officer. Georgina has moved across from the Community Engagement Team, and we snapped her up as she's got a long and impressive history working in the cultural space with other Councils and organisations. She's super-excited to be working on the new Cultural Economy Plan, public art projects, and a raft of other initiatives. She's going to be busy! Georgina can be contacted on 6581 8113, or by email georgina.perri@pmhc.nsw.gov.au. Stay well, keep creative, and we'll aim to send another update in the coming month! All content © Port Macquarie-Hastings Council 2018. |