Three Territory artists have been announced as Creative in Residence to take part in a new program that will produce exciting art works in collaboration with some of the Territory’s most iconic cultural venues.

The artists include Jennifer Taylor at the Araluen Cultural Centre, Sarah Pirrie at the Northern Territory Library, and Huni Bolliger at the NT Archives. The program provides close to $90,000 in funding to support the artists during the residency as they explore the cultural venues and their collections to create new work and experiences.

As part of the program, the successful artists will be given direct access to these NT Government’s cultural venues over six months.

Director for Arts NT Angela Hill said she was pleased to see the commencement of this new initiative developed by Arts NT in partnership with the cultural venues.

“I congratulate all our recipients, Jennifer Taylor in Alice Springs, Sarah Pirrie and Huni Bolliger in Darwin. This is an exciting opportunity for our local artists to work closely with our cultural institutions, explore their collections and gain inspiration to produce new art works for public enjoyment.

“It is an innovative way to offer professional development and showcasing opportunities to Territory artists and to raise the profile and grow audiences for our cultural venues and collections.”

The three residency hosts will work with the selected artists to see first-hand how cultural collections can inspire new art works and experiences for visitors.

Visual artist Sarah Pirrie has set her eyes on developing a companion guide for Darwin’s coastline by researching and interweaving personal narratives, historical events, places and ecological phenomena at the Northern Territory Library.

Multimedia artist Huni Bolliger will source images, stories, and oral histories from the NT Archives to create short animated documentary style films and multimedia installations that tell the story of three historical figures who spent some time in the Fannie Bay Gaol.

Visual artist Jennifer Taylor will spend a month at the brand new artist studio at the Araluen Cultural Centre to work with artists from Tangentyere Artists, and the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education to study and reinterpret works by Noel McKenna, Ken Whisson and Albert Namatjira.

The Araluen Cultural Precinct is home to some of the most significant artistic, cultural and historical experiences in Alice Springs and the successful artist will have access to a newly created artist studio on site.

The Northern Territory Library will support Ms Pirrie to interpret and present the Library’s Northern Territory Collection in an innovative way.

While the third venue, the Northern Territory Archives Service, will provide Ms Bolliger with the opportunity to interact first hand with primary resource materials and present this material in a new way to raise the profile of the Northern Territory’s history.

All residences will occur at different times and the public will have an opportunity to see the works in progress.

The outcomes of the Northern Library and NT Archives residency will be shown towards the end of the year, with the Araluen Arts Centre showcase exhibiting in 2018.

“The Northern Territory Government recognises the crucial role arts and culture plays in the Northern Territory,” Ms Hill said

“The Creative in Residence program will foster the development of new art works which can be viewed by locals and tourists alike. It’s all a part of our plan to build a strong cultural economy here in the Northern Territory and celebrate our artists,” she said.

For more information visit www.nt.gov.au/creativeinresidence