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Folio 92 Jun- Aug 2014 FOLIO 92 JUN- AUG 2014 multiculturalarts.com.au Be the difference Successful integration of newly arrived people from diverse cultural communities through the arts is critical to ensuring harmony, tolerance and a mutually respectful cohesive society. Help create a sense of unity, belonging and tolerance within the wider Victorian community. Donate now To make a fully tax deductible donation please visit www.givenow.com.au or contact us via email: [email protected] or call us on 9188 3681 to discuss how you can make a difference. Make your end of financial year gift count Image: Burundi youth drummer In announcing the winners for the 30th anniversary of the Award, Carrillo Gantner AO, Chairman of the Sidney Myer Fund Trustees remarked: “I am delighted by the depth and the diversity of talent that has been recognised at this year’s Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards. Once again we are reminded how important the arts are to us and how they can broaden our understanding and appreciation of the world around us. Each of the winners have been generous and passionate contributors to the arts and audiences alike and I warmly congratulate them. SIDNEY MYER PERFORMING ARTS AWARD 2014 Jill Morgan AM with Carrillo Gantner AO A response from Jill Morgan - Winner Facilitator’s Prize Credit: Nicole Cleary / Jim Lee Photo 2014 It is a great honour to receive the facilitator’s prize the contribution that diverse artists can bring to including dance, visual arts, poetry, music and new the essential contribution our diverse communities in the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards in the arts community and audiences in Australia to media arts. It has been an absolute privilege to work have made to the vibrancy of the Australian arts its 30th anniversary. It’s an even greater honour, ensure acceptance and understanding of our cultural with all these extraordinary artists, communities industry and the capacity of our community. knowing that Sidney Myer was a Jewish refugee diversity and increased social cohesion. and organisations to facilitate systemic change in that fled Belarus to come to Australia to start a new the arts. I thank the Sidney Myer Foundation and the Awards life and made such an enormous contribution to our MAV programs currently include: Emerge, a cultural Committee. I acknowledge the other recipients community. development program for refugee and emerging I dream of having a House of World Cultures in and their enormous contribution to enriching the artists, Visible Music Mentoring program, Melbourne one day – a creative space to inspire and performing arts in Australia. Over my 25 years in the performing arts industry Piers festival – a new festival based on who we celebrate our contemporary heritage -a welcome I am proud to have facilitated opportunities for are as Victorians, the Connect Ambassadors place for alternative and diverse cultures where I would also like to acknowledge the extraordinary many refugee and migrant artists from culturally program with the Melbourne Theatre Company, dialogue and cross art form happens – where team at Multicultural Arts Victoria including the Staff and linguistically diverse backgrounds in the Arts. Black Harmony Gathering with the indigenous cultural music and diverse cultural art from around and Board whom I have worked so closely with over They have contributed significantly to making the community, and Igniting Imagination with the the world are an integral part of the program not the the past years to make a difference. contemporary arts landscape in Australia richer. Melbourne Festival. exception. Jill Morgan AM Many of these artists have gone on to the main I also worked closely in partnership with the Arts Australia’s multicultural composition is at the heart Chief Executive Officer stage, including Arts Centre Melbourne, the Recital Centre over a 5 year period on the unique Mix of our national identity and is intrinsic to our history Centre, Melbourne Festival, Womad and have toured It Up program, one of Australia’s pre-eminent and character. Participation in and access to arts Previous winners include Mary Valentine, Ian Roberts, nationally and internationally and in 2008 for our multicultural performing arts programs with the and culture by people of culturally and linguistically Paul Petran, Ian Scobie and Skinny Fish Music. Announced 25/35 anniversary over 80 culturally diverse artists primary aim to ensure access for CALD communities diverse backgrounds is vital to support. As a nation annually, the national awards are determined by a Judging opened the Melbourne Festival to celebrate our and new pathways for artists from culturally and we must foster innovation and creative community Committee chaired by Carrillo Gantner AO (Chairman of the identity. linguistically diverse backgrounds. engagement. Sidney Myer Fund) and this year they included: Paul Dyer AO (Artistic Director of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra), As CEO of Multicultural Arts Victoria I share the Recently we developed Mapping Melbourne, a It is also profound that I received this prize in Brett Sheehy AO (Artistic Director of Melbourne Theatre ethos of giving voice and creating pathways in the new platform for independent contemporary Asian Cultural Diversity Week which celebrates our Company), Hannah Skrzynski (Director of Creative Asia) and arts for the artists and communities associated arts facilitating the exchange of artistic ideas, diversity and acknowledges the UN International Sarah Neal (Executive Producer, Malthouse Theatre). with the organisation I lead. I am passionate about practice and dialogue within the Asian region - Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination and 4 5 Seble Girma Makota Emerge Festival May 17 - July 5 For full program details see back cover or multiculturalarts.com.au Burundian Drummers at Emerge Fitzroy 27 SEPTEMBER 2012, 7.30PM ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE, WHY EMERGE FESTIVAL? HAMER HALL Victoria is currently Australia’s most multicultural The Emerge program encompasses Visible With every new wave of migration to Australia, practical terms. It also supports the objectives of state and is continually enriched by a significant mentoring, development of new work, community Emerge is at the forefront discovering and the2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and population of refugees who have fled their arts, leadership, advocacy, trainee-ship, plus produces connecting new talent whilst facilitating the promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, homelands due to conflict, upheaval and fear of a range of well profiled Emerge Festivals showcasing development, renewal, interaction and preservation which states the need to create the conditions persecution. Our refugee communities boast an the creative process and the extraordinary arts and of world cultures within the Australian community. for cultures to flourish and to freely interact in a incredible diversity of cultures and extraordinary diverse talents of participating refugee artists and mutually beneficial manner- Emerge does this you artistic talents many of whom have been successful communities. While the Emerge program respects tradition it will be amazed at all the new talent you will see and renowned artists in their countries of origin also recognises that tradition is expressed in a unearthed over the coming months! Enjoy Emerge. Multicultural Arts Victoria’s Emerge program Over its nine years Emerge has had sustained and contemporary environment that has the ability to responds directly to this untapped or invisible artistic real impact facilitating connections, pathways, give rise to new forms of innovative expression and “Emerge is the only festival of its kind, talent and provides skills development, support employment and representation for refugee artists the power to transform culture, imagination and and unearths the incredible talents people have bought to Australia from their home and real pathways into the arts for our emerging and communities. Emerge has unearthed some identity in the Australian Arts industry. It also has countries. Often these refugees and their refugee artists and communities settled now in amazing talents and connects to the mainstream meaningful outcomes at a social level, nurturing famlies have had to show significant Victoria. Emerge is also community driven, achieving arts industry with exciting new artists and diverse role models who are champions of racial tolerance, courage, ingenuity and creativity in their significant artistic and cultural development new audiences. understanding, intercultural dialogue & inclusion. lives to survive” outcomes. Emerge also creates a framework through which Anita Larkin, Artistic Program Manager, parts of the Victorian Charter of Human Rights Multicultural Arts Victoria and Responsibilities Act 2006 can be delivered in Lamine Sonko 8 9 KEEPING HAZARA CULTURE ALIVE The Hazaragi Project & Omagh Celebrations Although Hazaras are Afghanistan’s third largest “Omagh is really important for our community. There ethnicity, comprising of about 20 percent of the are many Hazara people now living in Australia and population, they have faced centuries of persecution. we have our own culture, our own tradition, our own Despite the international military presence in music, our own traditions and language. Because Afghanistan in recent times, the number and extent of Australia is a multicultural country, like other cultural abuses, from assassinations to executions of Hazara groups, we need to be able to practice and share
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