Brandenburg Trust Resident Artist Program
The Resident Artist program provides inclusive arts programming by funding placements of local artists in Aged Care Facilities in Albany. The Arts & Culture Team’s expertise is used to match artists to facilities, ensuring a good balance between style, medium and ability. Since the program started in 2019, three placements have been launched and are at varying stages of completion.
The pilot project at Hawthorn House was very well received and a case study can be read here. Placements at Clarence Estate and Craigcare are ongoing. Two further placements are planned for 2021, Aged Care Facilities and artists that would like to participate are encouraged to contact the Arts & Culture Team.
Funding for this project came from the Brandenburg Trust, and the Arts & Culture Team would like to thank the artists and Aged Care Facilities for their support in making this program possible.
Albany Town Hall Relaunch Festival
For the first time in its 133-year history, the Albany Town Hall is hosting its own 2-week long festival celebrating the iconic building’s refurbishment as the region’s flagship arts presentation venue.
Albany Town Hall Relaunch Festival involves a full two weeks of visual art, dance, theatre, literature and live music in both the upstairs auditorium and downstairs gallery, with something for everyone.
It all kicks off from Friday 2 April with the Poets and Performers Night, followed by the Town Hall Relaunch Ball from 7pm on Saturday 3 April in the upstairs auditorium.
The Relaunch Ball provides community with a chance to get dressed up and enjoy 3-hours of entertainment from Rainbow Coast Big Band as well as canapés and a complimentary drink on arrival.
Events across the festival also include live music from Carla Geneve supported by The Morsels on 5 April in the upstairs auditorium and from Natalie D-Napoleon Band on 16 April in the downstairs gallery.
Documentary film Dancing in Southern Shoes will also be screened followed by a performance by MoVo, CoMotion bring their immersive audiovisual live dance performance to the Town Hall, and Flickerfest celebrate their 30th anniversary in style.
The City of Albany thank key partner Lotterywest for making the Town Hall repurposing project possible, and the Great Southern Development Commission who have supported the project through the Regional Economic Development Scheme.
Albany Town Hall Relaunch Festival takes place from April 2 – April 18 at the Albany Town Hall.
For more information visit https://artsandculture.albany.wa.gov.au/events/
Download the full program here
Creative Enterprise Grants Projects
Six local artists will be flexing their creative muscles after successfully receiving a Creative Enterprise grant from the City of Albany aimed at supporting economic and social recovery following Covid-19. The Vancouver Arts Centre committed a total of $25,000 which was allocated across all grant recipients to develop projects and events in partnership with the small business sector in the Great Southern.
A website highlighting iconic beaches of our region created by Alex Gott-Cumbers will incorporate a traffic light system that lets users know the best time to visit each beach depending on weather conditions.
Author Dianne Wolfer will activate two literary events involving four Albany authors, a visiting author and an Albany musician with event partners Six Degrees, Paperbark Merchants and Albany Stationers.
Albany’s three original York Street and Albany Highway arcades will provide the canvas for Make a Scene artist pop-up project including markets and workshops and support surrounding businesses.
Matt Ward is developing an interactive QR code trail that will encourage users to solve clues to discover the location of the next QR code in View from the Magpie’s Nest: The QR Code Trail where each QR code brings a story to life through song.
Kwongkan Middars (Sand Dancers) is a film by Robert Castiglione that follows the journey of two 16-year old Noongar boys as they establish a business that presents traditional cultural dances for visitors to Albany.
The Menang Women’s Weaving Circle features Noongar women and Elders sharing skills in fibre weaving, creating utilitarian objects and wearable adornments that relate to Menang history.
Great Southern Music Scoping Study
The City of Albany in partnership with the Great Southern Development Commission, commissioned this 2017 study to assist in understanding the current health of the sector, its cultural and economic impact to the region, key challenges, limitations, opportunities and potential areas for growth and development.
Click here to view Scoping Study document