Artstart 2009 In Lieu of an Artstart Showcase Forum - Arts Mid North Coast has created a Mid North Coast Artstart 2009 Blog We would like all Co-ordinators and participants to view the Blog, add yourself as a friend and then place comments and input on your projects and any of the other projects that were undertaken throughout the Region. We hope that through active participation and discussion on the Blog Site that many of you will gain insight and benefit from seeing the other project material and engaging in discussion on those projects.This is a way of linking you all in as a process to improve and extend the current network throughout the Mid North Coast Region.I hope that you all see this virtual showcase as a valuable tool for communicating your ideas and inspirations. and encourage you to sign up today :) Visit the Blog Site Now - http://mncartstart.blogspot.com/ $23,500 in small grants distributed for youth and arts Projects

Arts Mid North Coast has recently distributed $23,500 in small grants for youth and arts related projects across the Mid North Coast region.

Arts Mid North Coast was assisted in the grant assessment by a number of locally based Youth Development Officers who, together with a number of youth representatives, reviewed the applications received and awarded the grants.

Projects funded on the Mid North Coast through Artstart 2009 are:

• Hip Hop Fusion - Three Dance and Movement classes
• Whale Watch Headland water tower mural - Water Tower Mural,
• Bang Scratch Holler - Engaging Young People to participate in arts based workshops teaching skills in drumming, percussion, DJ, singing and video production,
• Stepping out and Moving forward - Six week program to develop artistic expression in young people who have a parent with a mental illness,
• Nambucca Valley Diversity Dance Group Teaching Youth Hip Hop and Traditional Aboriginal Dance Techniques.
• Off the Wall an Aerosol art - mural painted on an amenities block.
• Reaching Out Through Mangroves - Connecting the importance of the Wetlands to the survival of today's youth,
• Manning and Great Lakes Battle of the Bands -Youth Bands from the Great Lakes and the Manning being invited to enter a battle of the bands
• Dances With Dolphins - To Create a 'Dances with Dolphins Walk' along the foreshore of Wallis Lake in Forster Tuncurry CBD.

Regional Arts Development Officer and Executive Officer of Arts Mid North Coast stated:
"It was great to have young people involved in the grant assessment and distribution process. Young people are in the best position to know what type of projects will be of interest to young people and provide them with creative and interesting projects that focuses on the culture of today's youth"

Artstart is a youth arts and skills development program that happens every two years. Funding is provided by the Department of Education and Training's Access Division and $52,000 was received by Arts Mid North Coast for the whole of the North Coast region. A further $25,000 will be distributed in the Northern Rivers region in the very near future, using a similar process.

The remaining grant money will be used to fund a regional showcase and evaluation of Artstart projects across the region in December of this year. Some of the projects funded across the Mid North Coast include:

If you would like further information regarding Mid North Coast Artstart Projects, call the Arts Mid North Coast offices on 0266589400. Further information about Artstart across the state is available from the state website: http://www.artstart.com.au/