Arts Roundup

The Barkly region is achieving a strong profile on
the Australian arts front with work being seen from
Adelaide to Darwin and Melbourne to Alice.

Barkly Arts
There is a sense of vibrancy and diversity with initiatives and programs planned for 2000 throughout the Barkly including:
An ongoing development of the community based contemporary dance project that began in 1999 under the direction of Tennant Creek professional dancer Lynette Lewis. This program has been identified as one of most successful initiatives (measured by participation of young people, feedback from school, parents, community and success with performances at festival and other events).
This program will be extended and in 2000 it is hoped that there will be exchanges with other contemporary programs such as with Gap Youth Centre in Alice Springs and possibly Aus Dance in Darwin.
On the visual arts scene there are several developments including Barkly artists being invited by Alice Springs based Desart to develop and present an exhibition of work for June/July 2000 at their Sydney Gallery in Rose Bay.
Barkly Regional Arts has been asked to co-ordinate this proposal and will be seeking expressions of interest from artists and organisations across the region in the early part of 2000. This link with Desart will continue to ensure that art from the Barkly is recognised nationally and internationally for both contemporary and traditional indigenous arts.
The establishment of an art gallery at the Borroloola Education Centre to be developed as part of a schools based Vocational Education Training program. This gallery as well as providing a venue for display and sales by local artists will also host, as they have previously with Artback NETS NT Touring, travelling exhibitions.
Several tours of the Barkly are already in the pipeline including a music performance and workshop program by Elliot band Kulumindini and a poetry theatre/dance workshop and performance program through schools involving local poet/gold prospector Jimmy Hooker and dancer Lynette Lewis.
Early discussions are underway for development of a local community theatre project around health issues such as aids, alcohol and environmental health that would also tour the communities of the Barkly.
Local poet Jimmy Hooker will travel to Winton in Qld to participate in the Annual Bronze Swagman worldwide competition for Bush Verse, Tennant Creek based musician Barry Benning has been nominated for the Australia Independent Country Music Awards and has been invited to the 10th Annual Tamworth on Parade Spectacular to be held in Sydney in September 2000.
A series of concerts events in public spaces such as Peko Park in Tennant, Basketball area in Elliott and school at Borroloola. This initiative has evolved from several events that were held this year such as Drum Drum Concert in Tennant and Across the Top Tour throughout the region.
In Tennant a meeting was called to develop an idea of monthly concerts/event in the park on a Thursday evening (a day of alcohol restrictions for this community). This concept is similar to FREEPS or Life Be In It Programs, except in Tennant it will build upon existing positive social change that is happening because of the restrictions. It is hoped that we can tap into other government funds such as Sport and Recreation and LWA to build this concept.
Compiled by Peter Callinan
Barkly regional Arts Co-ordinator

Pink Palace - Julalikari Arts and Crafts
It has been difficult to choose one highlight of the year for the Pink Palace but we have managed to narrow it down to two. The first one was the residency of Judy and Joyce Watson in May and June. We really enjoyed working with them and produced a huge amount of work whilst they were here and we also kept on going afterwards. Judy showed us how to work with pigments on paper and canvas, we had never done it before and really liked how the paintings turned out.
Some of the paintings have been shown now in Alice Springs, Melbourne and early next year some will be shown in the Adelaide Festival.
The other highlight was the jewellery workshop we had with Penny Watson from Batchelor College.We painted and decorated wooden shapes, glued them together and made brooches, hairclips, fridge magnets and necklaces. We also had a go at enamelling copper and making brooches and necklaces. The jewellery was very bright and bold and we were really happy with the results.

Crafts Council
President of the Crafts Council, Pam Perry, nominated the International Women's Day exhibition
held at Murranjirra Gallery in March as the highlight of their arts year. The exhibition attracted over thirty entries, with a huge variety of work exhibited.
Sewn garments, pottery, paintings, silk scarves and basketry were a few of the methods of production displayed. The exhibition also coincided with a basketry workshop held by Philomena Hali at the Crafts Councils rooms.

Murranjirra Aboriginal Arts
In March we had the privilege of presenting The Year of the International Woman's Day exhibition, sponsored by the Tennant Creek Crafts Council and associates. This exhibition proved that the Barkly Region is full of very creative and talented women. There were many inspirational pieces of arts and crafts, ranging from a small cup and saucer with a teaspoon made from spinifex grass created by Alison Alder, a paper mache Mirrow and bowls beautifully painted and created by Joie Boulter. This banner was a magnificent piece of work, it was full of brilliant colours with silver and golden threads throughout the banner, a truly beautiful piece of work. These are only a few of the art pieces that inspired me personally.
In September we had the Boraloola Collection exhibition, sponsored by the Barkly Regional Arts and associates. This exhibition was a small but a very powerful one, showing that the talent in Boraloola is not to be underestimated in any way. The arts and crafts ranged from small painted Mahogany nuts, acrylic paintings, pastel drawings, leatherwork, woodcarvings and photographs through to large outstanding tree stump sculptures. I look forward to presenting and promoting more of the Boraloola talent in the future.
Last but not least, in October I had the Desert Harmony Fashions Exhibition, sponsored by the Tennant Creek Craft Council and associates. This exhibition was full of fashion designs created from when Desert Harmony began 10 years ago. Once again the creativity that flows from within the Barkly Region is outstanding. This exhibition brought back a lot memories for me, as I was a part of the first Desert Harmony Committee way back when. So to still be involved from time to time and over the years seeing how successful this event has become, is a great achievement for all those who have poured blood, sweat and tears into keeping this event alive. Keep up the good work, there are still people out there who appreciate your efforts, believe it or not.
So to the Barkly Region, keep those creative juices flowing and have a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Barry Benning
Barry Benning has received recognition where it really helps by being awarded an $80,000 two year Fellowship from the Australia Council.
The Fellowship is in recognition of Barry's commitment and devotion to playing and promoting country music, along with his tireless work in the training of young Aboriginal musicians.
Barry has been invited to perform at Tamworth's Bicentennial Park in January 2000 to play in front of a crowd of thousands. He has also been invited to appear at Sydney's Rooty Hill RSL Club in February for the Tenth Annual Tamworth-on-Parade Country Spectacular. He has also been nominated for the Australian Independent Country Music Awards.
Good on ya Barry!

The Christmas Tree Committee
The Christmas Tree Committee would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Julalikari Council for their assistance with the following :-
Julalikari Workshops for their efforts in remaking or repairing the street Christmas signs,
Julalikari Arts and Crafts at the Pink Palace for repainting all the Christmas signs,
The CDEP workers for erecting the Christmas signs in the correct order.
Julalikari Council's assistance is greatly appreciated and the committee looks forward to continuing this association.
We would also like to thank both Julalikari Council and the Tennant Creek Council for the use of their garbage truck over the last ten years and the use of the forklift for the erection and dismantling of the jumping castle, always operated by the same tireless person.
Thankyou from all the committee members.