Arts Bringing People Together

A Saltwater Freshwater Festival youth flash mob, a short film about growing up in a coastal town, artist exchanges between local galleries, a science festival, a ‘play’ group for former refugee youngsters and a string camp for aspiring musicians are among the ten local projects sharing in $37,400 worth of arts and cultural grants from Council.

Council annually offers grants from $2,000 to $5,000 through its Arts and Cultural Development Grants programme to help support the implementation of the Creative Coffs – Cultural Strategic Plan 2017-2022.

“Each year we see new and exciting events, activities and learning projects for and by the Coffs Coast community,” said Coffs Harbour Mayor, Councillor Denise Knight. “This year is no exception and I love the way the successful groups are embracing our very, very diverse community and celebrating our differences and similarities so positively.”

The 2018/2019 grants are being awarded to:

Auspicious Arts Projects: A Nice Place To Stop – $4,000. ‘A Nice Place to Stop’ is a short film contrasting the experiences of growing up in a coastal town to merely passing through one as a visitor. The story follows a typical weekend through the lens of local youths, their story intertwining with that of a middle-aged tourist couple. Centre for Ecological Learning: SCINEMA International Science Film Festival – $2,600. This project sees a free SCINEMA screening at Southern Cross University’s National Marine Science Centre on Friday 17th August, during National Science Week. This event is hosted by the Coffs Coast Regional Science Hub (CCRSH), a network of partnerships between community organisations, business, government, schools, which links the arts, indigenous, and science communities. Friends of Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery: White Bluff Art +Science Collaboration Stage 1 – $5,000. ‘White Bluff Art + Science Collaboration’ is an artist-led and conceived, three year, multi-disciplinary art project aimed at holding an exhibition at the Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery in 2021. Coffs Harbour Regional Conservatorium: String Camp – $5,000. The String Camp will unite string students from the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area as well as surrounding areas for an inspiring and exhilarating project of music making and learning. A professional String Quartet made up of performers from Melbourne and Coffs Harbour will be the Quartet in residency for the duration of the event and will be the camp’s tutors throughout the week. Coffs Harbour City Orchestra: Coffs Coast Concert Series – $2,500. As well as the Orchestra’s planned 2018 concerts, this new project involves a series of four additional concerts in Woolgoolga, Nambucca Heads, Coffs Harbour and Sawtell. Woolgoolga Arts Group: Artist Exchange Workshops – $3,400. The project will involve workshops with artists from Woolgoolga Gallery participating in a workshop at Wadja Gallery at Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre and vice versa. The outcome will be a joint exhibition of works. Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance: Flash mob project – $4,700. This will be a three-day dance and culture camp with up to 40 Aboriginal youth selected from local high schools led by NAISDA (National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association) dance college and local dance practitioners. The dance will be performed at the Saltwater Freshwater Festival 2019. STARTTS: Coffs Harbour Imagine This – $3,500. ‘Imagine This’ will be a weekly group for 9, 10 and 11 year olds from Syrian and Iraqi refugee backgrounds who have recently settled in Coffs Harbour. It will provide a safe space where they can learn to play again. Red Cross: Lullabies and Sweet Dreams – $3,500. The aim of the project is to create connections, friendships and support for newly arrived refugee women and children through arts and the assistance of local artists. St Vincent de Paul Society: Connection Through Music – $3,200. Uko Ono’s Uke Squad of three musicians will come once a week to share the joy of music with the clients of ‘Pete’s Place’, Coffs Harbour’s homeless services centre. The project will run over eight weeks with the aim of teaching participants a handful of songs and possibly culminating in a public performance.