The Northern Territory Department of Tourism and Culture is investing $90,000 in the Creative in Residence Program to support and develop local Territory artists.

The three residencies will receive up to $30, 000 per residency to create and present new artistic work at the Araluen Cultural Precinct (Alice Springs), Northern Territory Library (Darwin) and Northern Territory Archives Service (Darwin).

The program is a partnership between Department of Tourism and Culture and the cultural venues to offer artists a residency opportunity to develop new work in response to the venue and the collections.

The Department of Tourism and Culture, Community Participation, Sport and the Arts Executive Director Phillip Leslie, said the program offers Territory artists professional development and showcasing opportunities to raise awareness of the Territory’s cultural venues and rich and comprehensive collections.

“The breadth and quality of information, objects and cultural material that the Northern Territory Library, the Northern Territory Archives and the Araluen Cultural Precinct hold within their collections is extensive.

“The collections belong to the people, the landscape and the culture of the Territory and provide an understanding of the NT’s unique lifestyle and diverse communities.

“The Northern Territory differs in many ways from other areas in Australia and to bring out aspects of NT’s history and distinctiveness in artistic ways is a great way to share and showcase this to locals and visitors,” said Mr Leslie.

Last year artists Sarah Pirrie, Huni Bolliger and Jennifer Taylor embarked on their journey to research parts of our history and culture and to respond in their own artistic ways.

Visual artist Sarah Pirrie has since completed her residency and produced a limited edition book Coastal Links: Darwin Coastal Companion Guide, works on paper Macrotidal Quadrat Series that were exhibited in the Library and event based artwork Rocksitting Place-mats.

“The residency at the Northern Territory Library gave me the opportunity to access some of the treasures held there and has consolidated my creative practice to continue ongoing research into social, cultural and environmental interactions with the coastal intertidal zone” says Sarah Pirrie.

“The collections are NT specific and offer Territory artists a rich resource from histories, identities and discoveries.”

Multimedia artist Huni Bolliger has spent her residency at the Northern Territory Archives to research three historical figures who spent some time in the Fannie Bay Gaol and will present her works in April 2018.

Alice Springs artist Jennifer Taylor worked with Tangentyere Artists and the Batchelor Institute to reinterpret the perception of home, which will be presented in an exhibition at the Araluen Arts Centre in July 2018.

Territory artists and creative practitioners interested in the Creative in Residence Program are invited to attend one of the following information sessions:

• 20 March, 5.30pm at the Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs

• 21 March, 5.30pm at the Northern Territory Library, Parliament House in Darwin

• 22 March, 5.30pm at the Northern Territory Archives Centre, Kelsey Crescent in Millner, Darwin.
  

To apply to the Creative in Residence Program visit www.nt.gov.au (https://nt.gov.au/leisure/arts-culture-heritage/arts-funding-and-grants/creative-in-residence-program).

Applications can be submitted online until 16 April 2018.

ENDS 

Media Contact: Department of Tourism and Culture Media Manager: 0476844832