Ausdance WA announces new program

Regional Arts Partnerships Program for Contemporary DanceAusdance WA announced earlier this month that it was launching the Regional Arts Partnerships Program for Contemporary Dance (RAPP).

 

Ausdance WA Director Gabrielle Sullivan wrote in the newsletter, “It has taken a couple of years to negotiate but we have finally successfully concluded the negotiations to partner with regional arts organisations and artists to deliver the Regional Arts Partnerships Program for Contemporary Dance.”

 

The RAPP is aimed at bringing together regional artists and arts organisations with key service organisations to create collaborative partnership groups to drive regional arts development across Western Australia. It’s delivered through Country Arts WA with funding from the Departments of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and Infrastructure and Regional Development. RAPP has even secured support from The Australia Council for the Arts, the federal government’s arts funding and advisory body.

 

Individually tailored projects have been devised by Mandurah Performing Arts Centre (Peel Region), Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council (Esperance Goldfields Region) and independent artists Annette Carmichael and Symantha Parr (Great Southern Region) to address the specific needs within their communities.

 

“As the peak body for advocacy, promotion, participation and education for dance in WA, Ausdance WA will support the delivery of projects in each of the partnership communities,” declared Sullivan. “Importantly, as part of the two-year project, we will be delivering significant professional development programs for regionally based dance artists and arts workers.”

 

Mandurah Performing Arts Centre will continue its vision of developing an understanding of professional contemporary dance practice in a regional setting and will engage, support and develop indigenous dance groups in the Peel Region.

 

Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council will host a series of professional dance residencies in the six towns in the region to support and upskill local artists and youth, and to deliver performance and engagement opportunities.

 

Annette Carmichael and Symantha Parr will work in partnership to explore and develop an artistic collective and to address the challenges of access to space and access to professional dancers for experimental and developmental dance practice in a regional setting.

 

“Co-creation and scoping for this program, which commenced during May this year, was coordinated by Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council, with the sustainability of dance practice in all participating regions kept at the forefront. As part of the scoping for the program Mandurah Performing Arts Centre hosted a MOORINGS Residency for Natalie Allen and dancers during June to test A Night Out! as a model for contemporary dance performance with strong community engagement content. Separate to the RAPP projects, we are at work on planning for the work to tour to smaller community venues across the state,” Sullivan explained.

 

“During August we brought together six arts workers from across the state for a week-long Community Engagement and Creative Producer Residency in Dwellingup. The residency was led by Annette Carmichael and was intended to prepare the arts workers for their role in delivering projects in their towns and centres,” Sullivan continued.

 

In addition, the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council piloted its proposed Dance Artist in Residence project with Alice Lee Holland earlier this month, bringing dance classes to school children and community members in Hopetoun, Ravensthorpe, Jerdacuttup, Jerramungup, Munglinup and Lake Grace.

 

The RAPP contemporary dance projects will commence early 2018.

 

“With the demise of our highly regarded Future Landings projects with regional artists and communities, our invitation to lead the RAPP projects is very welcome and we are very much looking forward to (continue) working with our partners to support dance activity in regional Western Australia,” concluded Sullivan.

 

To keep up to date with RAPP, follow the RRAC Dance Facebook page. Visit www.ausdancewa.org.au to sign up for future newsletters.