LOCAL GIANTS IS AN AMBITIOUS PROGRAM WITH A LONG-TERM APPROACH TO BUILD RESILIENCE, SUSTAINABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, DIVERSITY AND VIBRANCY

Local Giants is brought to you through a partnership between Performing Arts Connections Australia, Performing Lines and Regional Arts Australia.

The Program consists of several intersecting parts including a Regional Producers Career Development Program, Regional Artist Residencies, and New Regional Work Co-Commissions. It will enable regional performing arts centres across Australia to act as cultural connectors within their communities and explore new co-commissioning, co-producing and investment models.

It is a multi-tiered creative project which aims to provide regional practitioners with supportive pathways that connect artist residencies and producer training with creative development, presentation of new work and short form touring.

With support from the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund—an Australian Government initiative, the Australian Government through the Regional Arts Fund, and the NSW Government through Create NSW, Local Giants will be delivered across 2021 – 2023 in partnership with Country Arts SA in South Australia, Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre in New South Wales and a yet to be announced venue in Queensland.

Brought to you through a partnership between Performing Arts Connections Australia, Performing Lines and Regional Arts Australia, Local Giants is an ambitious new program with a long-term approach to build resilience, sustainability, accessibility, diversity and vibrancy.

REGIONAL PRODUCERS CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Local Giants is thrilled to announce the 2022 cohort taking part in the Regional Producers Platform, a skills development program led by Performing Lines that takes participants through a practical, industry-led capacity-building program in producing, culminating in an in-person gathering at APAX 2022. The cohort was chosen from a list of 76 applicants, demonstrating the necessity for investment in regional arts infrastructure.

The participants are:

Aimee Grey | QLD

Amber Grossman | QLD

Anna Thomson | NT

Claire Chapman | NSW

Craig Bary | NSW

Danelle Degrassi | TAS

Georgia Deguara | WA – Supported by Circuit West

Jade Ranson | SA

Natasha Shimpf | NSW – Supported by Eastern Riverina Arts through the Renew Wagga project, in partnership with the NSW Government

Rebekah Gibbs |VIC – Supported by Flying Fruit Fly Circus

Rosie Sitorus | WA

Sarah Reuben | NT

Sinsa Mansell | TAS - Supported by Performing Lines TAS

Sky River | WA

Tracey Skinner | VIC

From June to September, these practitioners will engage in weekly lectures and tutorials, coming together over Zoom to work through the various stages of producing live work, deep dive into individual project ideas, as well as explore sustainable models relevant to their regional context particularly for presentation and touring.

Our heartfelt congratulations to all producers selected for the Regional Producers Platform. We look forward to seeing the connections and works that will come to life through this experience.

The Producer Platform is one part of Local Giants, the ambitious new capacity-building program born of a partnership between Regional Arts Australia, PAC Australia and Performing Lines, which seeks to unlock the cultural ambition and potential of regional Australia.

In addition to the Producer Platform the program includes regional artist residencies in South Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland, as well as new regional work co-commissions.

REGIONAL ARTIST RESIDENCIES

In partnership with Cairns Council and Performing Lines, we are pleased to announce a residency opportunity for Far North Queensland performing arts practitioners.

The participants are:

Catherine Hassall with Miyako Masaki

Melania Jack with Patty Preece

Amber Grossmann with Julia Fosberg

Russell Milledge with Rebecca Youdel

Ashleigh Lawrence with Garth Edwards

Naomi Jean

Avril Duck with Julia Hoolia

Natalia Mann

Liz Christensen

Sara Isherwood

Zane Saunders

Naomi McGravie