Stage 2 - Overview
'Connection' activities occur between 25th January to 30th July, 2021.
This stage focused upon a series of conversation-based activities across multiple platforms to create an increased sense of community across the sector as it faces the ongoing challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic - and other (current and future) threats.
‘Connection’ nurtured trust, facilitated the exchange of ideas, expertise and support between members of the Mycelium network .
‘Connection' activities complement existing services delivered by WA's peak organisations (such as Regional Arts WA’s hub network and regional roundtables) and regional organisations’ own annual programs.
‘Connection' increased awareness about who is in the sector, what they are doing, what is working, what could be done better and how doing things collaboratively could make the sector stronger.
Some of the discussions during this stage have informed the nature of activities in the following two project stages in relation to a large-scale collaboration on the development of a pilot model for an ongoing regional arts triennial (‘festival’) that stretches across the state, based upon a single provocation/curatorial theme.
Thanks to our funding partners (Lotterywest, The State Government of Western Australia, Regional Arts WA and the Federal Government).
Activities included:
ZOOM FORUMS
12 x Zoom forums including:
‘Self Care for Artists’ - self care for artists and arts workers by Scotia Monkivitch (Creative Recovery Network)
‘Exploring models for sustainable arts organisations’ - by Julian Canny (Business Development -Euphorium)
‘Ask me Anything - behind the scenes at North Midlands Project’ - by David Bowman-Bright (North Midlands Project)
‘Art Improves Lives - Increasing community perception of the value of the arts’ - looking at social impact of the arts and advocacy - by Shelagh Magadza (Chamber of Arts and Culture) and Joel Pearson (Euphorium Creative)
'Planning the Regional Artist & Curators Symposium' with Anna Louise Richardson
'The Mother Lode' - by Leah Rakbundel
'Exploring the Regional Arts Triennial' - with Fiona Sinclair
DEVELOPMENT OF A PODCAST SERIES
A six part podcast series will be recorded by the Project Coordinator, with feature interviews from a range of regional artists, arts workers and arts org representatives exploring diverse experiences.
(The episodes will be broadcast in Stage 3)
The majority of podcasts are in the style of a long-form interview. Participating practitioners include:
- Deb Carmody - Indigenous writer, film-maker, media director (Goldfields)
- Charlie McGee - musician (Great Southern)
- Abdul-Rahman Abdullah - sculptor (Peel)
- Charmain Green - poet, writer, painter, activist (Mid-West)
- Naomie Hatherley - visual artist, educator (Kimberley)
A podcast on The Alternative Archive exhibition series and survey is also in development.
VISIBILITY & VOICE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA
Regular social media postings by the Project Coordinator highlighted activities across the regions, and linked in with promotion undertaken by other regional and metro orgs.
EMAIL UPDATES
Regular email project updated activity helped connect the sector in a conversation thread across the duration of the project stage.
COMMISSIONED BLOG POSTS
To increase critical dialogue around the attributes, health and sustainability of the sector 10 Blog posts were commissioned from diverse regional artists and artsworkers & posted online. These presented a range of viewpoints and allowed more contemplative reflection of the current state of the sector. Guest bogs includes:
- ‘Why Can’t We Talk about Art?’ by Daniela Palitos and Jenny Barr (editors of a new online art journal, Local Art Paper https://localartpaper.com)
- 'Pirate Life' by Bec Schofield of the Nomadics
- 'Hello' by Sarah Hinton
- 'Conversations with (regional) Sheila' by Fiona Sinclair
- 'Mother Lode' by Leah Rakbundel
- 'The Cossack Regional Arts Residency' by Carrie McDowell
- 'Open Borders' by Annette Davis
INTENSIVE LEARNING CONVERSATIONS
‘One on one’ intensive learning conversations conducted by the Project Coordinator with representatives from arts orgs & independent practitioners to gauge project progress and provide in depth insight for shared learning.
CONNECTION GATHERINGS
30 x networking events (4 per region) - delivered by a local host organisation. A wide range of approaches to gathering and connection was undertaken.
KIMBERLEY
Waringarri Aboriginal Arts and AACHWA, Kununurra
Kimberley Arts Network, Broome
Goolari Media, Broome
PILBARA
Junction Co, Karratha
Junction Co - Port Hedland
Cheeditha Arts, Roebourne
GASCOYNE
Carnarvon Art Gallery & Public Library, Carnarvon
Gascoyne in May, Carnarvon
Exmouth Arts & Cultural centre
MID-WEST
North Midlands Project, Carnamah
Northampton Old School Community Initiative
Funtavia (Euphorium) Geraldton
GOLDFIELDS
Esperance Community Arts, Esperance
Kambalda Cultural Arts Centre, Kambalda
Artgold, Kalgoorlie
Wilurrara Creative (online)
WHEATBELT
Meridian Arts, Merredin
Lake Grace Artists, Lake Grace
Arts Narrogin, Narrogin
Beverley Station Arts, Beverley
PEEL
Contemporary Art Spaces Mandurah
City of Mandurah
SOUTH-WEST
Creative Corner, Margaret River
Southern Forest Arts, Bridgetown
Stirling Street Arts Centre, Bunbury
Bunbury Entertainment Centre, Donnelly River
GREAT SOUTHERN
Vancouver Arts Centre, Albany
Denmark Arts, Denmark
Plantagenet Arts Council
Ideation, Albany
CREATIVE CO-LABS
18 Creative Co-Labs delivered by a local host organisation, two per region. These two half-day or one full-day events will bring creative practitioners across art forms together in a safe space for the exploration of new connections and future collaborations. Each event will be facilitated by an experienced practitioner. In many cases the facilitator is a local professional with sufficient experience working across art form or CACD practice. In some instances, the host organisation has requested a facilitator from out of the region to bring a new perspective, new idea and insight into the region.
The facilitators will participate in an online forum prior to the Co-Labs allowing for sharing of ideas about how they each intend to approach the Co-Lab. A follow up Zoom discussion after the Co-Labs will once again allow for shared learning. Notes from these sessions will be shared more broadly with the sector.
There is no intended tangible ‘output’ from these Co-Labs, other than a focus upon the building of connections between individuals to encourage ongoing support and exchange leading to possible future collaborations. These intensive sessions will allow a deeper level of conversation and engagement than other elements of the Mycelium project.
The Co-Labs also allow for discussion around themes/issues or current relevance to the local/regional community. These can then be shared across the Mycelium network to identify commonalities between regions that inform a larger conversation around a unifying thread for the proposed inaugural regional Arts Triennial.
Participants will determine the level of feedback available from the session that can be shared with the broader Mycelium network.
Participants will pay to attend the Co-Labs. Facilitators will be paid at industry rates for their time and travel. Host organisations will provide venue, accommodation and local transport as required.
Co Lab facilitators and host organisations include:
KIMBERLEY
Waringarri Aboriginal Arts, Kununurra
Kimberley Arts Network, Broome
PILBARA
Junction Co, Karratha
GASCOYNE
Carnarvon Art Gallery & Public Library, Carnarvon
Gascoyne in May
MID-WEST
North Midlands Project, Carnamah
Mid-West Arts (online)
GOLDFIELDS
Tjuma Pulka First Nations Media, Kalgoorlie
Cannery Arts Centre, Esperance
WHEATBELT
Meridian Arts, Merredin
Arts Narrogin Narrogin
PEEL
Riptide, Mandurah
SOUTH-WEST
Creative Corner, Margaret River
Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre
GREAT SOUTHERN
Mix Artist Albany, Albany
Southern Edge Arts, Albany
Denmark Arts, Denmark
For info about other project stages
