Artlands Victoria Weaves Innovative Research And New Ideas Into Regional Cultural Practice

Over five days in October, international, national and local speakers will share knowledge, trade resources and exchange gifts at Artlands Victoria - a national platform for over 700 delegates to learn and understand innovative research and new ideas into regional cultural practice.

Artlands Victoria Creative Director Ros Abercrombie explains that Artlands Victoria is cross-disciplinary, interconnected and intergenerational, "We are creating a platform to showcase contemporary artists and new thinkers to influence the way we engage with regional arts and its processes. Our program connects creative projects with critical conversations on key themes - from health and well being in the arts to innovative practice across industries; and from Indigenous practice on country to developments in technology, education and skills development."

Curated around interwoven augmented content and topics, the Artlands Victoria program will broadly focus on:

Wed 10 Oct On Country - a First Peoples approach to practice on country

Thu 11 Oct Creative Tonic - art that creates social change for people, place and wellbeing

Fri 12 Oct Industry Impact - refining purpose, identity, economic and social impact

Sat 13 Oct New Thinking - young creative perspectives, technologies and skills development

Sun 14 Oct Out & About - a self-managed exploration of Central Victoria's cultural offerings

On Country

Artlands Victoria kicks off with an opening ceremony in Bendigo's Rosalind Park and moves to the Ulumbarra Theatre for panel discussions and the first keynote presentation that will link 'people to landscape' presented by two proud Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta men from Central and Northern Victoria: Trent Nelson, Chair for the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, and Rodney Carter, Chief Executive Officer of the Dja Dja Wurrung Group.

Creative Tonic

Aligning with Mental Health Week, this day highlights the positive impacts that art and creativity has on health and wellbeing, including enriching connections to place and society. Arts for wellness advocate: Jill Rivers and VicHealth's Jim Rimmer will lead a conversation about how the arts can heal and how it can effect sustainable social change. International speakers from the United Kingdom, Amanda Smethurst (Creative People and Places National Peer Learning Manager) and Jenny Rutter (Super Slow Way producer) will highlight how art and creativity can develop strength and connectedness within communities.

Industry Impact

Friday explores industry and practice, including a keynote from Scotland's Sue Jane Taylor about her practice that is founded on exporting growth, productivity and innovation for arts practice and regional industries. Gannawarra Shire Council representatives, Tom O'Reilly (Chief Executive Officer) and Roger Griffiths (Manager Economic Development), will lead an exploratory keynote extrapolating the integral relationship between economic development, the creative industries and artistic practice. Dr Rebecca Coates from Shepparton Art Museum will interrogate the provocation that asks: Are galleries in an identity crisis? Throughout the day there will also be case studies from Museums Australia, Ballarat International Foto Biennale, the Victorian Government's Small Town Transformations initiative and sessions about evaluation and funding models.

New Thinking

Regional and rural Australia has an abundance of sensational creative young people - often the quiet achievers whose notion of creativity is broad and encompassing. At Artlands Victoria, a group of young creative thinkers will speak about their aspirations, their dreams and their vision for the future of creative practice in regional Australia. The day will also include dialogue about educational pathways and skills development, technology coding workshops and panels that discuss sustainability of practice and commissioning new works.

Out & About

Delegates are encouraged to explore the cultural offerings offered in Central Victoria, including Artlands Victoria Cultural Pharmacy in the Conservatory in Bendigo's Rosalind Park and in Maryborough Circus Oz will present Rollin' Into Town as part of the Regional Centre of Culture.

Artlands Victoria
10 - 14 October 2018
artlands.com.au