FRRR project Art Resides Here – Healthy Arts, Vibrant Communities will feature at Artlands Victoria. Image: Julie Millowick.
In between road stops in central Victoria, I spoke with Artlands Victoria Creative Director Ros Abercrombie. As is often the case with regional arts workers, Abercrombie was on the road, travelling from Bendigo to Castlemaine to connect with her regionally based creative team in the lead up to the national regional arts conference in October.
‘It is important that we have a regional conversation that is about practice, process and artists, and not focused on location and geography,’ said Abercrombie.
Abercrombie’s vision for the conference was refreshing and a little surprising. Despite the common thread of discussion on geography in regional arts – and despite the fact that she had just travelled 600 kilometres over two days – she wanted to talk about the contemporary and diverse work being made regionally, not the cultural politics of regional locations.
‘It is about valuing our regional arts practices and practitioners, by showcasing and celebrating the amazing depth, variety, and quality of work that is being produced and presented across regional Australia,’ she said.
‘Sometimes, as soon as a regional lens is cast, preconceived ideas of what that means for creative practice are formed,’ she added.
Providing a platform for creative projects and connected conversations on key themes – from health and wellbeing in the arts to new industries and Indigenous practice on country – Artlands Victoria is all about the art and the practices and processes which support it.
Lee Darroch,Yenbena biganga Ancestor cloak, possum skin cloak, possum skins, ochre, thread, wood burning, 2012. Collection of National Gallery of Australia, 2 m x 1.5m. Lee Darroch will be artist in residence at Artlands Victoria.
‘I see Artlands as a platform to showcase contemporary artists and to change the way we talk about regional arts – that is more cross-disciplinary and interconnected.’
Registrations are on sale now.
The framework and theme for the four day event is inspired by the Dja Dja Wurrung Country Plan 2014 -2034.
‘Dja Dja Wurrung People learned much from land and shared their knowledge, traded resources and exchanged gifts with neighbouring clans and mobs during times of ceremony and gathering together to mark special times’ – Trent Nelson, Chairperson Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation.
Trent Nelsons’ welcome ‘allows for a national industry to gather, share, trade and exchange through sessions, in-conversations, works-in-progress and workshops.’ Abercrombie says.
An integrated program
Artlands is designed as an integrated program, with speaker presentations embedded alongside commissioned projects. For example, a feature project The Cultural Pharmacy is a cross-disciplinary and site specific installation set in the Conservatory in Rosalind Park, Bendigo. Supported by VicHealth, the project is a collaboration between Darryl Cordell and Eliza-Jane Gilchrist with Castlemaine based performance ensemble Such As They Are and the Kyneton based writer and author of The Arts Apothecary Jill Rivers.
‘Both the general public and delegates can come and view the installation and engage with the performers to obtain a “cultural prescription” of a local arts offering,’ explained Abercrombie.
‘The project directly correlates with mental health week, and connects to the conversations about the arts, wellbeing and health across the event. The curatorial premise allows for artists, arts workers and policy makers to come together, to see and experience work and to participate in dialogue and exchange that influences future strategies, policies and collaborations.’
Artlands Victoria will be delivered in Bendigo from October 10-13, 2018 with a Castlemaine program stream available on Friday 12 October.
Visit artlands.com.au to find out more.
