News, events, info from the cultural development sector

VicHealth
Arts About Us Funding Round is Now Open

Funding is available to develop arts activities that stimulate dialogue and thinking about how we all respond to cultural diversity and Victoria’s Indigenous heritage, and/or to raise awareness of the harms of race-based discrimination and the benefits of cultural diversity. More information about the Arts About Us program can be found at www.artsaboutus.com.au. The program comprises two funding streams:
• Participation projects with grants of up to $30,000 per annum for three years;
• Presenting/producing projects with grants of up to $50,000 per annum for three years.
Further information and the online application form can be found at
www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/artsaboutus.

Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport
2011 National Awards for Local Government

The Hon Simon Crean MP, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government announced the two 2011 National Winners on 21 June 2011:
•National Award for Excellence: Frankston City Council, VIC: Frankston Student Discount Card Scheme (Splash Card)
•National Award for Excellence (small council): Mid-Western Regional Council, NSW: Inspire | Encourage | Enlighten.
http://www.regional.gov.au/local/awards/index.aspx

Seeking Young Community Arts & Cultural Development Artists

We are seeking applications from emerging artists 18-25 years interested in Community Arts and Cultural Development processes to undertake a six month residency with Shopfront as part of ArtsLab 2012. If your artwork is collaborative, focussed on the public realm or in collaboration with specific communities, Shopfront would like to encourage you to apply. Shopfront staff and the ArtsLab mentors can provide tailored support as you research and work within a community context towards a creative event or artwork. You will also have the opportunity to assist on Shopfront’s ground-breaking Outreach program which takes a multidisciplinary approach to making work with young people at risk of social, educational or cultural exclusion. Hone your ethics, processes and creative skills in a supportive environment, alongside a range of other young artists spanning performance, music and the visual arts. Work towards a modest outcome whilst learning alongside some of Sydney’s most inspiring artists working in Outreach and community arts processes. To apply, please read the Info Pack attached and respond by identifying the community you are engaged with or the cultural space you want to enter through your work. Shortlisted artists will be asked to prepare a more thorough proposal if invited to interview.
Shopfront’s Outreach Profile: Shopfront undertakes activities and projects in the community on multiple levels; working with schools for specific purposes, community organisations and youth services to create art that meets young people at their point of need and interest. Shopfront provides an artistic platform for all young people to tell their story and our Outreach program is dedicated to providing artistic access for young people who might not otherwise get the opportunity.

For more information about our Outreach program please visit our Outreach Blog: http://outreach.shopfront.org.au/

An exciting opportunity to join the rawcus board.
Rawcus is one of Australia’s leading disability arts organisations www.rawcus.org

We currently have vacancies on the Rawcus Board for a treasurer and candidates with a fundraising or marketing background. We are seeking board members who are strategic, collaborative, and enthusiastic. People who wish to provide governance for the artistic aspirations of this critically acclaimed, award winning company. If you would like to apply to join the Rawcus Board of Directors, please call Jacque Robinson Rawcus Company Manager on 0421 103 877 or email on jrobinso@portphillip.vic.gov.au

The Centre for Cultural Partnerships is currently seeking applications for a 2.5 year, full-time Research Assistant position to work on an ARC-funded research project investigating the effective evaluation of community-based arts projects.

The role is located in the Centre for Cultural Partnerships, a teaching and research hub for community-based arts practice in the Faculty of the VCA and Music, situated at the University’s Southbank campus in the heart of Melbourne’s arts and cultural precinct. The role involves independent research and writing, project administration, collaboration with community-based arts organisations and some site visits across Australia. The position also involves working closely with project investigators at the Centre for Cultural Partnerships, RMIT and the Australia Council for the Arts.

Enquiries contact Dr Lachlan MacDowall lmacd@unimelb.edu.au, +61 39 9035 9087.

Culture and Community Researchers’ Network

The role of participatory arts in social change in Timor Leste
Kim Dunphy, PhD candidate, International and Community Development, Deakin University

My PhD research examines the role of participatory arts in social change in East Timor. Data comes from case studies of long and short term participatory arts initiatives, involving community music, theatre and visual arts. This paper presents my preliminary findings, especially outcomes for stakeholders; participants, artistic leaders, host organizations and the wider community. Issues of concern and challenges arising from the research will also be discussed.

Kim Dunphy (B.A., Grad Dip Movement and Dance, M Ed) is undertaking her PhD research in International and Community Development at Deakin University. Kim is also the Program Manager of the Cultural Development Network and a director of non government organisation, Many Hands International, that seeks to promote cultural-asset based community development in Timor Leste.

The members of United Cities and Local Governments share the vision that culture is the fourth pillar of sustainable development.
United Cities and Local Governments calls on cities and local and regional governments around the world to:

• integrate the dimension of culture into their development policies;
• develop a solid cultural policy;
• include a cultural dimension in all public policies;
• promote the idea of culture as the fourth pillar internationally, in particular in international policy making.

United Cities and Local Governments calls on national governments to:

• bring a cultural perspective to national development plans as a whole;
• establish concrete objectives and actions concerning culture in areas such as education, the economy, science, communication, environment, social cohesion and international cooperation;
• promote the idea of culture as the fourth pillar internationally, in particular in international policy making.

United Cities and Local Governments calls on the United Nations, development agencies and the international community to:

• explicitly integrate culture into programmes on sustainable development;
• promote the international debate on the implications of the inclusion of culture as fourth pillar of development;
• foster the inclusion of culture in international policy making.

Find out more about the UCLG Policy Statement on Culture on these websites:
Agenda 21
United Cities & Local Governments
Download the PDF: Fourth Pillar UCLG Policy Statement

ReGenerating Community: Arts, community and governance.

This journal features keynote presentations, peer-reviewed and practitioner articles based on presentations from the ReGenerating Community: Arts, Community and Governance Conference in September 2009.  Articles address the major issues of the conference: how can community relationships be built across the divide of those who govern and those who are governed? how can the arts address issues of relevance for communities across Australia and the world?

Co-edited by RMIT’s Globalism Research Centre and the Cultural Development Network.

Download or order journal articles.

‘The Fourth Pillar’ book is available again as a hard copy.
Buy a hard copy online, using your credit card
$29 including postage within Australia or $33 to other countries.

Buy a hard copy online, using your credit card

The book is also available as a pdf for free download:
Download the Fourth Pillar

Agenda 21 for Culture – United Cities and Local Governments’ policy statement on cultural development

Agenda 21 for Culture is the first document with a worldwide mission to support the  cultural development role of cities and local governments. It was developed by the Commission for Culture of United Cities and Local Governments (the international peak body for local government) in 2006  and adopted by the Executive Bureau of UCLG in November 2010.

It advocates culture as the ‘Fourth Pillar’ of sustainable development, adding a fourth dimension to the three already existing pillars of economic viability, social inclusion and environmental balance.

The Cultural Development Network seek to promote this conception of cultural development as a significant role of local government in Victoria and Australia, and our activities focus around this goal.

Culture: Fourth Pillar of Sustainable Development – Policy Statement

These further documents are available from the Agenda 21 website:
Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development
Millennium Development Goals, local govermments and culture
Document 1: Agenda 21 for culture
Document 2: Advice on local implementation of the Agenda 21 for culture
Document 3: Cultural indicators and Agenda 21 for culture
Report 1: Local policies for cultural diversity
Report 2: Culture, local governments and Millennium Development Goals
Report 3: Agenda 21 for culture in France. State of affairs and outlook
Report 4: Culture and sustainable development: examples of institutional innovation and proposal of a new cultural policy profile
Report 5: Cities, cultures and developments. A report that marks the fifth anniversary of Agenda 21 for culture