By Dominique Tassell
Four local art projects were approved for funding by Southern Downs Regional Council last week.
The first successful application is from Warwick Art Gallery, which applied for funding for their Condamine Country Art and Open Studio Trail.
They will use the funds to employ Brisbane artist Robyn Bauer as their artist in residence at the Gallery, give a workshop in landscape painting at Glengallan Homestead, and be a speaker at the Art Trail Dinner.
They will also use the funds to print a promotional booklet, create digital advertising, and employ local photographer Samantha Bennett to photograph the artists through the event.
The second successful application is from David Parsons, for his Connecting to Country- Journeys to Traditional Country project.
In his application, he stated he had written and produced a book describing several journeys toward connecting to traditional First Nations Countries.
This includes four brief but dramatic stories from his own family of First Nations people seeking and finding their heritages in Country and Community.
The funding will also go towards various local events exploring and finding meaning in local Githabul Country and the printing of 150 books.
The third project being funded is Trevor Horsnell’s Creative Pathways to Self-Care.
This project will provide 10 fortnightly two-hour workshops from 17 August until 17 January 2023.
These workshops have been designed for the special purpose of creating a safe, interactive and connective space for all professionals who ate currently working in a person-centred agency and roles within the Southern Downs and Granite Belt community.
The final application being funded is Catherine Elliot’s Textile Design: Upcycled Clothing.
The project consists of seven workshops and will finish with an exhibition of works.
The workshops will be held weekly at the Yangan School of Arts on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm, targeting locals aged 14 and over.
In the meeting, Cr Stephen Tancred stated his approval that money is mostly going to locals.
He pointed out that only one of the four recipients is from Brisbane.
He did raise concerns about the details given in some of the applications, noting the information given for Creative Pathways.
Cr Tancred said he had “no idea what they’re going to do”.
Councillors moved a motion that Council approve the four 2021/22 Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) Round Two applications, which meet the Assessment Criteria of the RADF Guidelines, for a total of $22,367.
They also moved that the balance of the budget for the 2021/22 RADF Program be rolled over into the 2022/23 RADF Program, subject to Arts Queensland approval.
The motion was moved by Cr Tancred and seconded by Cr Cameron Gow.
