The Art of Conversation
The first national regional arts conference in 1998*, in which we had also added a discrete two-day event for community arts workers, led inevitably to the desire for gatherings at a state level, to delve more deeply into more local matters and celebrate art-making on our own soil, especially that of the host community. The first of these in Port Augusta in 1999 set a precedent for collaboration with the host communities in years to come that would see our relationships with local government in particular grow exponentially.
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Street Party for State Regional Conference, Navigating the Community through the Arts – The Value of Sustainable Partnerships, Artist Mike Tye -
Vines, Wines and Creative Minds – Loxton: Community members during opening parade, Vines, Wines and Creative Minds, State Regional Arts Conference, Riverland October 2005 -
Arts and Health Forum: Making the Connections The focus was on finding the common ground between the many types of practice which employ arts for health and wellbeing to better enable us all to champion the same cause. Panel conversations with industry specialists from different viewpoints—acute hospital-based health care, social wellbeing through community arts, art therapy and building design— and practical hands on sessions brought arts and health workers together to discuss the current state of play, with the broad aim of increasing advocacy in arts and health across the state. -
The Professional Development Road Trip sees 8 regional artists spend three days in Adelaide during SALA Festival. Participants have the opportunity to experience the Festival, as well as workshops, tours and other activities. One key benefit to this program is the opportunity to meet and speak with fellow regional artists from across the state. -
PUSH was held over 3 intensive days in Adelaide during the 2016 Fringe to take full advantage of the huge selection of performing arts opportunities available at that time, inviting regional Performing Arts Practitioners to attend and take their skills to another level while also networking.
Now that we can do almost anything with a screen, we still crave face-to-face conversation and the exchange of energy and inspiration that brings. The greater the distance between you and your peers, the less the opportunity arises to participate in discussion, debate and decision-making, to exchange and expand knowledge and to seek advice and feedback.
The first national regional arts conference in 1998*, in which we had also added a discrete two-day event for community arts workers, led inevitably to the desire for gatherings at a state level, to delve more deeply into more local matters and celebrate art-making on our own soil, especially that of the host community. The first of these in Port Augusta in 1999 set a precedent for collaboration with the host communities in years to come that would see our relationships with local government in particular grow exponentially.
Overarching themes (‘Can culture save the river and wetlands’ for Goolwa 2003, for instance) would throw a spotlight on artmaking as a means to tease out political and social concerns, host communities shared their towns, their artists and their achievements with their regional counterparts and people came together to find the means to deliver rich cultural experiences in their own communities.
These state-wide gatherings were especially mindful of the benefits of developing a broad skills base amongst the countless volunteers without whom very little could be achieved on the ground.
Scores of forums, workshops, conferences, road trips, salons and advisory group meetings later, the face to face gathering is still the primary sharing tool – not to mention the widely acknowledged benefits of solving problems with a barbecued morsel and a beverage in hand!
