Cultural Awards 2011 Winners
Accessibility
DiscoverAbility
DiscoverAbility provided a bunch of writers, some with disabilities, with an intensive introduction to scriptwriting, under the guidance of PP Cranney. Then a professional director and cast workshopped five selected scripts and recorded them as “DiscoverAbility Radio Playhouse” at local radio station 2NBCfm. For International Day for People With a Disability, Hurstville Council presented a Forum,…
People's Choice
John O'Brien Writing Competition for School Students
The John O'Brien Writing Competition for School Students is an annual writing competition developed to promote literacy and to help foster the art and habit of writing. The competition is run in conjunction with Narrandera Shire's signature John O’Brien Festival.
Brendan Hartnett Award
Anne-Marie Wiles
Anne-Marie Wiles received a solid grounding in community cultural development firstly as an artist, during eight years with Sydney’s pioneering Sidetrack (Multicultural) Theatre. Working primarily as a performer involved in devising new original theatre for and about communities in Sydney, she was always an organiser and relished that direct liaison and networking between communities and artists. She then worked in various cultural development contexts, notably as the Arts Officer for the ACTU Queensland Branch for seven years, before she began her cultural development role in local government in 1999 with South Sydney Council (which became City of Sydney) and was the first Cultural Development Officer at the new Redfern Community Centre in 2003 before moving to Hurstville City Council in 2004.
Division A Winners — Population less than 20,000
Aboriginal Cultural Development
Our Women Our Stories
This oral history project targeted 22 women in the Gilgandra community from Aboriginal and multicultural backgrounds and told their stories through local Wiradjuri artist, Gail Naden. The outcome of the project was a photographic and oral history exhibition.
Cultural Infrastructure
Henry Parkes Centre
The Henry Parkes Centre, a major cultural tourism precinct incorporating the Parkes Visitor Information Centre and 4 unique collections including The King's Castle Elvis Exhibit, Parkes Motor Museum, Parkes Museum and Antique Machinery collection, was completed and opened in 2010. At a cost of $4.6million, the precinct was one of Council's major infrastructure projects for 2010 and demonstrates a…
Library and Information Services
Saturday morning with the kids is not just about sport.
Leeton Shire Library is a fun place to be on Saturday mornings. With half an hour of stories and songs every week to entertain children aged 1-7 along with their parents and carers. Working mums and dads can now share the storytime experience with their children every week by coming to our new Saturday Book Chair. While many families visit the library on Saturday mornings, being able to participate…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
Shibori Textiles Residency and Exhibition
The project consisted of a residency/workshop and survey exhibition of Shibori textiles by Sydney based textile artist and tutor Barbara Schey. The residency/workshop component included the artist presenting a series of workshops at two local high schools titled 'Disappearing Shibori' and a two day adults workshop titled 'Shibori with Attitude'. The exhibition was titled 'The Eternal Now: Shibori…
Division B Winners — Population between 20,000 and 60,000
Aboriginal Cultural Development
Adam Hill: Not a Proppa Aborigine
Adam Hill: Not a Proppa Aborigine is a mid career survey presenting a series of 25 works from over twelve years of the artist’s professional art practice. Hill is well known for his powerful works which are firmly located within the tradition of urban Aboriginal Art and engage directly with the political conditions of Australia’s contemporary Indigenous society. A central issue examined in the…
Cultural Industries
24/7 Youth Film Festival
The 24/7 Youth Film Festival is a collaborative project between Mosman, Manly, Warringah, and Pittwater Council's which challenges young people to create a 7 minute short film over a 24 hour period. Participant teams are required to include a range of specific items, themes, locations and dialogue lines into their film which are revealed at the commencement of the 24 hour period. The festival…
Cultural Infrastructure
Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre
The Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention project involved the construction of a new 500 tiered seat performing arts theatre adjoined to the existing Dubbo Civic Centre and refurbishment of the Civic Centre. The 1960s Civic Centre comprised a flat floor main hall capable of seating 800 in theatre style, a raised stage, fly tower, dressing rooms and commercial kitchen. Whilst the facility was…
Integrated Cultural Policy Implementation
2010-2020 Urban & Public Art Strategy
Adopted in October 2010, AlburyCity's ten year Urban & Public Art Strategy establishes the framework for the management of the existing collection and commissioning of new works. Key priorities under the strategy are: The preservation of the City's collection of urban & public art The preservation of our existing monuments & memorials The development of strategic urban & public arts…
Library and Information Services
Write around the Murray Festival
Write around the Murray is a literary and story based festival managed by AlburyCity libraries staff, in conjunction with a community committee. The festival has operated for 4 years, with the most recent festival occurring from 8 - 12 September 2010. The festival is marketed as a celebration of writing, illustrating & storytelling and in 2010 incorporated 50 events, 30 presenters over 5…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
Scattered Bones
Thousands of school students across NSW have visited the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum (AFMM) in Bathurst from connected classrooms using video conference technology. The Scattered Bones program is a series of dinosaur themed writing workshops delivered to regionally isolated schools across NSW (including School of the Air). It is a fun and interactive combination of palaeontology and…
Division C Winners — Population over 60,000
Aboriginal Cultural Development
'Wrapped in a Possum Skin Cloak by the Lake: an Aboriginal cultural revival project'
The Aboriginal Reference Group [ARG], in collaboration with Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery [LMCAG] and Lake Macquarie Library, hosted a series of workshops between October 2010 and January 2011 through which the Aboriginal community made a possum skin cloak. The cloak came to represent many things for the group – the revival of a cultural practice, education of the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal…
Cultural Industries
Promoting and mentoring local youth entrepreneurs
The Loft Youth Arts & Cultural Centre works with and for local youth entrepreneurs to assist them to organise and manage their own events.
Cultural Infrastructure
Bankstown Arts Centre
The Bankstown Arts Centre is a new cultural facility in Western Sydney, and was opened on 17th February 2011 by Premier Keneally. It is a place where artists and communities will collaborate to explore ideas and learn, create and experience contemporary community based art. The Centre is a multidisciplinary arts venue which provides office and studio accommodation for the Bankstown Arts Society,…
Integrated Cultural Policy Implementation
Neighbourhood Stories St Marys
Neighbourhood Stories St Marys is a groundbreaking initiative of Penrith City Council's Neighbourhood Renewal Program, demonstrating an integrated approach to cultural policy implementation and innovative creative community engagement. The Neighbourhood Stories process engaged local residents through workshops in a creative conversation with artists, community organisations and local government in…
Library and Information Services
iBIMS™ - The Digital Link @ Willoughby City Library
iBIMS™ the Intelligent Book Information Management System, is the first bilingual web-based OPAC, bridging the communication gap between Chinese speaking patrons and librarians who cannot speak the language for accessing the Chinese language collection. It can be run on any PC, handheld device and any Smartphone with a web browser and internet connection. It is developed by Kairos International,…
Programs Projects and Partnerships
LEVIATHAN
Sydney Theatre Company Resident Director, Stefo Nantsou, adapted John Birmingham’s award-winning book, “Leviathan...The Unauthorised History of Sydney” into a large-scale collaborative theatre work involving a cast of culturally-diverse performance groups from around Hurstville; others local to Liverpool and Bankstown; and Sydney Theatre Company’s permanent ensemble of actors, The Residents.…
Division C Highly Commended — Population over 60,000
Cultural Infrastructure
Auburn Centre for Community - A place of welcome and connection
Auburn City Council recognises that access to community cultural facilities is crucial to fostering community cohesion. The Auburn Centre for Community is the first large scale multifunctional community facility in the suburb of Auburn and houses a range of spaces which promote education/training support; art production, cultural and lifelong learning activities; sport/ recreational programs; and…
Division B Highly Commended — Population between 20,000 and 60,000
Programs Projects and Partnerships
Barrunbatayi Burial Ground, East Kempsey Cemetery
Loosing loved ones is never easy, even more so when you do not know where they are buried. In 2009, the Dunghutti Aboriginal Community and Council organised for radar scanning of the old burial ground, created a rainbow serpent path, gardens, borders around graves and erected a granite memorial for those resting in unmarked graves. In 2010, the NSW Heritage Council provided a grant to consult with…
Accessibility Highly Commended
Accessibility
Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre
The Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention project involved the construction of a new 500 tiered seat performing arts theatre adjoined to the existing Dubbo Civic Centre and refurbishment of the Civic Centre. The 1960s Civic Centre comprised a flat floor main hall capable of seating 800 in theatre style, a raised stage, fly tower, dressing rooms and commercial kitchen. Whilst the facility was…
