Sawtell Art Group are looking for an Acrylic Art Tutor to teach on Tuesdays.

For more information please Phone Sue 6653 5157 or email sawtellartgroup@bigpond.com

With the entry for any one session only $4 this is cheap entertainment for those who love music instrumental and vocal, dance and drama. All sections except dance are held in the Merv Mercer Auditorium at the Racing Club, and there is lift access for those not able to manage the stairs.

Session times are 9.30, 1.30 and 5.30

The dates for the 2012 Eisteddfod are:

• Instrumental: Thursday 24th May – Saturday 26th May
• Vocal: Sunday 27th May – Tuesday 29th May
• Schools’ Vocal: Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th May
• Piano and Keyboard: Friday 1st June – Sunday 3rd June
• Schools’ Speech and Drama: Monday 4th – Thursday 7th June
• Schools’ Dance (held at Coffs Harbour High School) Friday 8th June
• Dance groups (Coffs Harbour High School) Saturday 9th June – Monday 11th June
• Dance solos (held at the Jetty Memorial Theatre) Tuesday 12th June – Sunday 17th June

The instrumental sections kick off our Ruby year, coming up on Saturday 26th May and promising wonderful entertainment as the ensembles compete in the evening session beginning at 5.30. Strings guitar and brass ensembles are preparing for this and in the same session young musicians will be battling it out for the championships.

Schools’ days are always entertaining, the morning sessions starting at 9.30am

Keep the above dates for the dance sections, as they light up the stage with colour, entrancing young aspiring ballerinas in the audience.

For more information and programs check out the Eisteddfod Society’s website or call 66537524

Guidelines for the 2013 Arts Funding Program (AFP) can be downloaded from the Arts NSW website. 

Application forms will be progressively released on the Arts NSW online application system. You will be required to create a user account and (once you’ve received a verification email) login to submit an application.  Information on using the online application form is available from the FAQs page of the Arts NSW website.

A series of Briefing Information Session have been planned around the State.  See the attached schedule for further information. Arts-NSW-2013-AFP-Sessions RSVP’s are essential.

An additional Briefing Information Session has also scheduled:

Coffs Harbour Council Chambers Cnr Coff and Castle Streets Coffs Harbour         Friday, 25^th May, 11am-1pm

Please contact staff if you require any assistance.

Download Nomination Form Here – Nominations Close 31st May 2012

Recognising outstanding volunteer arts leaders across Australia

RAA is pleased to call for nominations for the 2012 Awards program to be presented at the RAA National conference Kumuwuki / Big Wave in Goolwa South Australia 18-21 October 2012.

The RAA Awards program acknowledges the invaluable contribution volunteer leaders make to the cultural life of their local communities. Nominations are called from regionally-based arts and cultural volunteer leaders whose work has inspired and supported arts development.

It is well recognised across the arts community that volunteers play a vital role in delivering art and cultural events across Australia, without volunteers the arts and cultural sector would literally come to a standstill. RAA wishes to recognise this valuable workforce by acknowledging exemplary volunteer leadership over the past 2 years.

Inspiring and motivating others is a great skill, some of our most influential leaders have developed and practiced these skills outside the paid workplace. The RAA Awards program endeavours to acknowledge and inspire others to engage, lead and commit to the success of our art and cultural communities across Australia.

Nominations can be made to your State or Territory Regional Arts organisation (listed below) with one volunteer chosen from each to attend the RAA National conference to receive an Award for their outstanding service. The prize includes accommodation, airfare and conference registration, a total prize value of over $14,000. Award winners are selected by each State or Territory Regional Arts organization.

For further information please contact your local Regional Arts organisation:

Country Arts Western Australia: (08) 9200 6200
Artslink, formally Queensland Arts Council: (07) 3226 4000
Tasmanian Regional Arts: (03) 6426 2344
Regional Arts Victoria: (03) 9644 1800
Arts Northern Territory: (08) 8999 8981
Country Arts South Australia: (08) 8444 0400
Regional Arts New South Wales: (02) 9270 2509

For more information regarding the Regional Arts Australia conference Kumuwuki / Big Wave see http://regionalarts.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=82e98ff426e671b1bdaf7e1ad&id=aa21170beb&e=c44a7fb280

Sessions will cover:

• What we do/who we are
• type of grants available
• tips for a successful application
• question and answer time

The 2013 Arts Funding Program Guide will be released in the week beginning 7^th May 2012.

The attached flyer details each session available with RSVP details. Arts-NSW-2013-AFP-Sessions 

Please note that Arts NSW has new telephone numbers.  Go to http://www.arts.nsw.gov.au/index.php/about-us/people-and-structure/funding-programs-branch/ for a full staff listing.

We provide regular weekly performing sessions as Humour Therapy in residential aged care services and since the documentary was screened on ABC1 Compass program on 4th March we are getting many requests for this work nationally. You can see the trailer to the film on http://www.thesmilewithin.com.au/ Attached are two brochures, one on the Play Up Program and the other about the Arts Health Institute (http://www.artshealthinstitute.org.au/) The program is overseen by our Creative Director, Jean-Paul Bell (who was a co-founder of the Clown Doctor program in 1996).

We provide training and support for the performers. The training is free but the performer needs to get to Sydney for this first training program. We have training in one of Australia’s largest aged care facilties this Thursday and Friday (12th and 13th May) and again 10th and 11th May. The training is also an audition process. We are looking for performers with strong empathy and compassion as well as strong improv and comedy ability, musical skills is a bonus. Once the performer is accredited by the AHI to be delivering the Play Up Program and placed in a residential aged care facility, we pay $250 for half a day (one session of 3 hours with 2 hours “on the floor”) and $450 (2 sessions) for a full day and depending on location there may be a travel allowance. The work is weekly at the same location. The Arts Health Institute provides ongoing support, professional development in this method and manages the program.

We urgently need performers in the following locations:
Canberra
Narrabri
Wee Waa
Walgett
Bourke
Condobalin
Temora

Some of these locations can be a circuit coordinated through a group of performers.

We have strong interest with many aged care facilities in many regions including the NSW South Coast, Albury and Hay regions.

We are currently in Scone, Newcastle, Sydney, a number of locations on the NSW North Coast, soon to be in Wollongong and we recently launched in Brisbane. We currently have over 20 performers working in the program since it started in December 2011. It is making a real difference to the quality of life of people living with dementia and in residential aged care that also includes the staff. 

People interested in being a Play Up Performer can register their interest on our website: http://www.artshealthinstitute.org.au/Programs/Play-Up-Program-Registration.aspx or call me directly especially if they wish to come to the training this week.

Please call me to discuss other strategies you may have to assist. My number is 0414 507050.

There are two main prizes: • The ‘City of Kogarah Art Prize’ is a national acquisitive prize for painting of $8,000. All entries are considered for this prize.

• The ‘Place of Reeds Art Prize’ is a $2,000 acquisitive prize for artists living in the Kogarah local area, with a solo exhibition in March 2013 at the Kogarah Library and Cultural Centre.

There are also prizes for Kogarah high school students, and emerging and commended artists totalling $2,000. The inaugural City of Kogarah Art Prize will be judged by Barry Pearce, Emeritus Curator, Art Gallery of NSW. Artworks being entered in the Kogarah Art Prize will be received at the Jubilee Community Centre on Wednesday 6 June 2012.

 For entry forms visit www.kogarah.nsw.gov.au/artprize
 Email artprize@kogarah.nsw.gov.au
 Phone Arabella Lee, Community Projects Officer on 02 9330 9580 Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KogarahArtPrize

This is a community capacity building and strengthening program – as yet the guidelines and application form are not available until the round opens. HOWEVER now is the ideal time to start thinking about your program application and commence (if you haven’t already) any processes in relation to community engagement, identifying priorities, getting quotes etc.

See the link below for more information – and this is where the forms will be available. (Note again – guidelines may have changed since last year).

More information from http://www2.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au/2433_4.html

The workshop will be presented by Ben Sibson, funding officer at Regional Arts NSW. Through his history as an arts practitioner and administrator, Ben has seen grants processes from the perspective of an applicant (both successful and unsuccessful), a member of assessment panels, and an administrator of funds, and will share the insights that these differing viewpoints have provided.

This workshop is particularly directed to Cultural organisations and representatives of organisations are encouraged to enrol.

The Workshop will be held on 14th June at the Coffs Harbour Education Campus Innovation Centre from 10.30am – 3pm

You can enrol for this workshop by contacting Arts Mid North Coast on 02 66589400