PUBLIC REPORT art at the heart Regional Arts Australia National Conference 3-5 October 2008, Alice Springs This report based on the final report presented to Regional Arts Australia, Arts NT, Australia Council for the Arts, Alice Springs Town Council and the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. The public report only includes information relevant to the general public. Prepared by: Kieren Sanderson Conference Coordinator/Artistic Director and Nicky Schonkala Conference Programs Manager P: 08 89511151 F: 08 89511161 t: [email protected] W:www.artattheheart.com.a art at the heart 2008 Regional Arts Australia National Conference Final report Table of contents Report Structure................................................................................................................................ 3 OVERVIEW......................................................................................................................................... 4 PRESENTERS AND PARTNERS ...................................................................................................... 5 EVALUATION..................................................................................................................................... 9 a) Conference Aims and Objectives ................................................................................................ 9 b) Evaluation addressing Key Performance Indicators .................................................................. 11 c) Feedback ................................................................................................................................... 26 Delegate feedback...................................................................................................................... 26 Volunteer feedback..................................................................................................................... 30 DOCUMENTATION .......................................................................................................................... 31 a) Program..................................................................................................................................... 31 Conference Themes ................................................................................................................... 31 Expressions of Interest ............................................................................................................... 32 Keynote Speakers ...................................................................................................................... 33 Artistic Program .......................................................................................................................... 35 b) Marketing................................................................................................................................... 40 c) Logistics..................................................................................................................................... 43 Alice Springs Town Council (ASTC) - Host Community ............................................................. 43 Management and Staffing........................................................................................................... 43 Registration ................................................................................................................................ 46 Cultural Protocols ....................................................................................................................... 46 Venues ....................................................................................................................................... 47 Volunteers .................................................................................................................................. 48 Documentation ........................................................................................................................... 48 Traffic Management.................................................................................................................... 49 Bus Transport ............................................................................................................................. 49 Delegate bags ............................................................................................................................ 49 art at the heart T-shirts ............................................................................................................... 50 Gala Conference Dinner............................................................................................................. 50 Accommodation.......................................................................................................................... 50 APPENDICES................................................................................................................................... 51 Appendix 1 – Expression of Interest form................................................................................... 51 Appendix 2 – Artistic Director Scope of Work............................................................................. 54 Appendix 3 – Communications Report ....................................................................................... 57 Appendix 4 – Alice Springs Town Council Report ...................................................................... 65 Appendix 5 – Local Engagement Group Meeting minutes ......................................................... 76 Appendix 6 – Registration Breakdown and Progressive Participation by Delegates graph........ 94 Appendix 7 – Registration Form ................................................................................................. 96 Appendix 8 – Cultural Protocols ................................................................................................. 98 Appendix 9 – Venue Map ......................................................................................................... 100 Appendix 10 – Volunteer Application Form .............................................................................. 101 Appendix 11 – Volunteer Policy................................................................................................ 104 Appendix 11 – Volunteer Policy................................................................................................ 105 Appendix 12 – Bus Timetable and Map.................................................................................... 107 Appendix 13 – Delegate Bag design ........................................................................................ 109 Appendix 14 – T-shirt Design ................................................................................................... 110 Appendix 15 – Templates......................................................................................................... 111 - 2 - Report Structure This is the public report for the art at the heart Regional Arts Australia national conference. Evaluation The opening section is an evaluation of the event addressing the following subjects: a) Conference aims and objectives b) Evaluation addressing Key Performance Indicators c) Feedback Documentation The second part of the report is documentation of the event and includes detailed reporting of the event outcomes and processes. This is presented in the following form: a) Program b) Marketing c) Logistics - 3 - OVERVIEW Over one thousand people met in the desert town of Alice Springs from 2-5 October for Regional Arts Australia's sixth biennial conference, art at the heart. art at the heart hosted 959 delegates, 192 conference presenters and 254 festival artists from diverse cultural backgrounds and geographic areas from regional and remote Australia. Approximately 45% of presenters were Indigenous and the Artistic program featured a ratio of 40:60 Indigenous to non-Indigenous artists. The central focus of art at the heart was artistic and cultural exchange and cross cultural collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists and cultural workers in regional and remote contexts. art at the heart was designed to be an ideas incubator, development space and platform for delegates to learn new skills, create networks and generate new ideas. art at the heart aimed to link communities, artists, local councils and organisations in order to help create powerful connections and collaborations to sustain artists and stimulate arts activities across regional and remote Australia. Regional Arts Australia worked with the Northern Territory Government through Arts NT and the Alice Springs community to produce an inspirational experience. “It was inspirational. I feel very inspired to get back to work – to get things happening. I feel like I have fresh energy again to look at things.” Delegate feedback The art at the heart program explored the key areas of interest for the arts in regional and remote Australia through the following themes: • Place and identity • Arts partnerships, collaborations and exchanges • Sustaining participation in the arts • Creativity, innovation and change The sixth biennial Regional Arts Australia national conference was presented by Regional Arts Australia and the Northern Territory Government through Arts NT, in collaboration with the host town of Alice Springs. The Australian Government supported the conference through the Regional Arts Fund.