Culture, Art and Heritage
Regional Goal
Protect, promote, revitalise and maintain Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal traditions and cultural heritage.
Programme Goal
The Culture, Art and Heritage Programme component objectives are:
- Strong, supported and respected Ailan Kastom
- Active and sustainable arts and craft industry.
Programme Objectives
The Culture, Art and Heritage Programme component will:
- protect culturally significant sites and artefacts to ensure their longevity
- revitalise and maintain traditional cultural practices (art, dance, language, story-telling) throughout the Torres Strait and Aboriginal communities in the region.
Programme Deliverables
- Increased number of professionally active Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal artists and active art centres in the region.
- Increased capacity and capability to facilitate cultural initiatives and projects.
- Increased profile of Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal arts and culture.
- Increased community involvement in the preservation of cultural heritage.
Programme Expenditure 2013 - 2014
Table 2-3 Culture, Art and Heritage Programme Expenditure 2013 - 2014 (unaudited)
| Budget $'000 | Actual $'000 | Variance $'000 |
|---|---|---|
| 4,353 | 4,209 | 144 |
Torres Strait Development Plan Outcomes
- Strong, supported and respected Ailan Kastom.
- Active and sustainable arts and craft industry.
Figure 2-2 Culture, Art and Heritage Programme Map
| Culture, Art and Heritage Programme projects and achievements |
| Project Name: Cultural maintenance |
Project purpose To support the cultural development and maintenance of Torres Strait Islanders and Aboriginal people residing within the Torres Strait. To embed the TSRA cultural policy within all TSRA administrative and service delivery processes. |
Achievements for 2013 - 2014 The Culture, Art and Heritage Programme managed 19 successful grant applications for projects focused on arts development activities and a range of cultural maintenance projects relating to music, dance and language. Six of the grants were co-funded in partnership with the Queensland Government's Indigenous Regional Arts Development Fund. Stage four of the music and dance audit continued documenting and recording traditional and contemporary music and dance across the region. The Mer and St Pauls communities were included in this stage of the audit. The St Pauls community launched their CD and DVD package with traditional celebrations in January 2014. To date, 11 Torres Strait communities have participated in this audit project, the communities of Kubin and Masig are currently in production and four other community audits are yet to be started. The Torres Strait dance strategy has supported two dance teams to attend major cultural events. The Arpaka Dance Company from the St Pauls community was chosen to participate in the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair in July 2013 and in August 2013 the Urab and Zogo Tudi Dance Team, which includes dancers from both Warraber and Poruma communities, were selected to perform at the 2014 Darwin Festival. The community cultural planning project continued in 2013 - 2014. The aim of the project is to engage with communities to develop a clear action plan that assists in achieving the community's cultural and artistic goals. Erub was the first community nominated to be part of the project. Consultations commenced in mid-2012, the final plan was updated in June 2014 and the new action plan will be completed in July 2014. |
Project Name: Arts development |
Project purpose To implement the Torres Strait Islander arts development plan to achieve:
|
Achievements for 2013 - 2014 The Gab Titui Cultural Centre assisted three Torres Strait art centres to visit the Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute in September 2013. The three Torres Strait art centres, Erub Erwer Meta (Erub), Ngalmun Lagau Minaral (Moa) and Badhulgaw Kuthinaw Mudh (Badu), presented a comprehensive display of artwork from the region. It was a great success on many levels and provided valuable professional development to art centre staff and artists whilst promoting Torres Strait art and culture on a national stage. The sixth Gab Titui Indigenous Art Awards programme was held on 23 July 2013. The theme was 'Ailan Style', to communicate the unique stories, designs and ways of Torres Strait communities. The 2013 event received 77 entries from 17 communities, with works ranging from prints, paintings, artefacts and sculptures to multimedia. The seventh Gab Titui Indigenous Art Awards programme was held on 16 April 2014 to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Gab Titui Cultural Centre. The 2014 theme was 'Ailan Legends', inviting artists to create works that explore the mythology that has influenced Ailan life as well as 'living legends' and contemporary influences in the Torres Strait. The 2014 event received 45 entries from 13 communities. Twice during 2013 - 2014, arts skills development workshops were undertaken to support the development and maintenance of traditional arts and crafts, including drum making, weaving and carving and jewellery making, with most workshops being offered during the re-opening of the Gab Titui Cultural Centre during July 2013. |
| Culture, Art and Heritage Programme projects and achievements |
| Project Name: Gateway / Hub for the presentation, preservation, promotion and education of Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal culture and arts |
Project purpose To present, preserve, and promote Torres Strait and Aboriginal culture and provide education about the history of the region, its people and its culture, and a point of sale for art and craft. |
Achievements for 2013 - 2014 A seven-month renovation project was completed in July 2013. The renovations incorporate air-conditioning throughout the gallery, purpose-built performance areas and improved access for disabled persons. The Gab Titui Cultural Centre reopened with a three-day programme of celebrations including public art and crafts workshops. The opening ceremony was presided over by the Chairperson of the TSRA, Mr Joseph Elu, AO. Honoured guests included Senator the Hon Nigel Scullion; the Hon Warren Entsch MP; Mr David Kempton MP; and representatives from the National Museum of Australia, the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, the National Film and Sound Archive and Torres Strait organisations and businesses. The programme included performances by Torres Strait Islander musicians and dance teams, the opening of the annual Gab Titui Indigenous Art Award, and the launch of the Ailan Kastom documentary. Public workshops in weaving, carving, comb making, jewellery, and drum making were conducted. The biography of Aria Award winning performer Seaman Dan was also launched at this event. On 30 July 2013 the Gab Titui Cultural Centre welcomed the Hon Dame Quentin Bryce, the then Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, who toured the facilities. |
Project Name: Cultural heritage management |
Project purpose To develop strategies to support community-owned cultural heritage mapping to record cultural and sacred sites, artefacts, stories and histories. To establish cultural heritage bodies. |
Achievements for 2013 - 2014 A TSRA cultural policy and cultural protocols guide was produced and promoted to ensure that the TSRA is engaging with people in the region in a culturally appropriate way. The Culture, Art and Heritage Programme also works with the Environmental Management Programme on the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) pilot project. The TEK pilot project is being delivered on Boigu, Badu, Mabuiag and Moa Islands. The TSRA has built effective relationships with the State Library of Queensland's Indigenous Knowledge Centre to assist communities to document their heritage. The TSRA also assists Prescribed Bodies Corporate in the region to prepare to register as cultural heritage bodies under the Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage Act 2003 (Qld). |
Delivery of Benefits: Torres Strait Development Plan
Professional artists
The TSRA provided funding to the three art centres through a tripartite arrangement with the Australian Government's Arts Ministry and the Queensland Government's Arts Queensland Indigenous Art Centre Funding: Erub Erwer Meta (on Erub Island), Ngalmun Lagau Minaral (on Moa Island) and Badhulgaw Kuthinaw Mudh (on Badu Island). The centres have been in operation for five years. During this time the TSRA, in addition to the operational support, has assisted these art centres with governance training, art centre management training, arts skills development and opportunities for touring and promotion. As a result there has been a significant increase in the production and quality of artworks with some artists being presented at prestigious awards.
| Short-term benefit description Increased number of:
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Benefit target | Progress | COAG target |
| 15 applications for funding supported through the Culture, Art and Heritage (CAH) Programme this year. Three art centres were established as at June 2011. | The TSRA received 35 grant applications across two Common Funding Rounds. Thirteen grants were approved under the CAH grant programme and a further six applications were supported through co-funding arrangements with the Queensland Government's, Indigenous Regional Arts Development Fund. The 2014 annual Gab Titui Indigenous Art Awards attracted 45 artist entries from 13 communities. Fifty-five artists and arts workers were brought together at an artists' forum over two days at the Gab Titui Cultural Centre in June 2014 (see the CAH case study). There are 140 active artists engaged with the Gab Titui Cultural Centre. This number includes dance and music practitioners as well as visual artists. The TSRA continues to work in partnership with My Pathway and TAFE to provide training and support to 23 arts workers in the region who are engaged in the transition arts worker project funded through the Ministry for the Arts. The TSRA, in partnership with the Queensland Government and the Australian Government, continued to provide operational funding for the three art centres: Erub Erwer Meta (on Erub Island), Ngalmun Lagau Minaral (on Moa Island) and Badhulgaw Kuthinaw Mudh (on Badu Island). | Strong culture and respect of Ailan Kastom underpins the achievement of all the Closing the Gap targets. |
Cultural maintenance
The TSRA, through the Culture, Art and Heritage Programme, works closely with all communities in the region to deliver cultural maintenance benefits. This is done through three avenues:
- Community cultural plans. These plans have assisted Poruma and Erub communities to identify their cultural strengths and to build on their cultural capacity to develop enterprises, support the Torres Strait arts industry and maintain cultural objects and traditions.
- Language strategy. This involves developing a strategy to address the critical status of Torres Strait languages in the region. Stage one has been completed and a culture and language symposium is planned for November 2014.
- Traditional crafts. This involves working with key cultural leaders and craftspeople to maintain and teach craft skills in drum making, comb making, weaving and carving to ensure that Torres Strait culture and art can be preserved and continue to contribute to a stronger cultural identity whilst ensuring the unique artwork of the Torres Strait is maintained.
| Short-term benefit description Increased capacity and capability to facilitate cultural initiatives and projects. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Benefit target | Progress | COAG target |
| Increase display area. | Major renovations at the Gab Titui Cultural Centre have been completed - the official re-opening was held on 23 July 2013. | Strong culture and respect of Ailan Kastom underpins the achievement of all the Closing the Gap targets. |
| Develop two external partnerships for display by 1 July 2010. | Torres Strait culture and art were presented at the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair in August 2013. Torres Strait art centres toured to Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute in South Australia. | |
Arts development
The promotion of Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal arts and culture continues to be a core activity of the TSRA through the Culture, Art and Heritage Programme and the Gab Titui Cultural Centre. Exhibitions, ongoing displays of works, events, tours and attendance at art fairs all contribute to raising the profile of the arts and culture of the region. Networking with tourism operators and promotion of activities through industry publications and the Gab Titui Cultural Centre website all contribute to increasing the number of visitors seeking information about Torres Strait culture and the arts, artists and art centres in the region.
| Short-term benefit description Increased profile of Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal arts and culture. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Benefit target | Progress | COAG target |
| 14,000 visitors to Gab Titui Cultural Centre in 2010 - 2011. $240,000 generated through retail and activities in 2011 - 2012. | 10,863 visitors recorded as at 30 June 2014. $231,108 was generated through retail activities as at 30 June 2014, most of which was return for artists' work sold through the Centre. | Strong culture and respect of Ailan Kastom underpins the achievement of all the Closing the Gap targets. |
| 20,000 hits on Gab Titui Cultural Centre website. | 66,509 hits recorded at 30 June 2014. | |
Cultural heritage
This benefit is jointly shared between the Culture, Art and Heritage, Environmental Management, and Native Title Programmes. The Culture, Art and Heritage Programme supports and funds grants for community-based cultural heritage projects; develops partnerships with communities for cultural maintenance and heritage projects through its cultural maintenance exhibition programme at the Gab Titui Cultural Centre; and works with communities on a broad range of opportunities with external parties. It also works with the Environmental Management Programme on the TEK project as an important cultural heritage management initiative.
| Short-term benefit description Increased community involvement in the preservation of cultural heritage. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Benefit target | Progress | COAG target |
| One cultural heritage activity undertaken in 2013 - 2014. | The TEK pilot project is being delivered on Boigu, Badu, Mabuiag and Moa islands. This knowledge will assist the TSRA's Ranger Programme in natural resource management, cultural heritage mapping and maintenance. The Gab Titui Cultural Centre worked closely with communities to source and loan artworks and artefacts that are currently part of the major display in the Ephraim Bani Gallery, the keeping place for Torres Strait culture within the Gab Titui Cultural Centre. | Strong culture and respect of Ailan Kastom underpins the achievement of all the Closing the Gap targets. |
Gab Titui Cultural Centre Art Gallery – Apu and Kazi Dhangal woodwork by Marcfarlane Bowie.
Case Study: Inaugural Arts Industry Forum, 2014
An arts industry forum was held on 18 and 19 June 2014. The forum was staged to provide an opportunity for artists, arts workers and arts and cultural industry specialists to come together and network at, as well as gain updated information from, the Gab Titui Cultural Centre and the TSRA's Culture, Art and Heritage (CAH) Programme. The Programme also included opportunities for the TSRA to inform participants of the culture, art and heritage services available to them in the region. The forum provided an opportunity for participants to provide feedback to the CAH Programme and contribute to the development of the Torres Strait Indigenous Arts Development Plan (2015 - 2018).
There were 36 artists from 11 communities and 19 arts workers from eight communities from across the region. The programme included panel discussions, presentations and specialty workshops. The Arts Law Centre of Australia presented a session on intellectual property and artistic and cultural copyright and other related matters and also offered one-on-one sessions for artists who wanted to discuss their particular issues. Savvy Events' Melissa Robertson spoke about art project planning and gave tips to local artists on effective art project report and grant submissions writing. UMI Arts, Cairns, presented on their work supporting individual artists and offered support and guidance for mounting exhibition ready artwork.
There was a session about the performing arts led by Aaron Fa'aoso, who talked about the opportunities in the film industry. Breakout sessions provided access to some of the more established artists' advice and insights about their journey in the arts industry and issues related to adherence to cultural protocols in the process of producing art. The three established art centres in the communities of Badu, Moa and Erub shared information about their development story.
Feedback forms were received from 32 of the participants and the overall response was very positive, not only about the event, but also about the services that the CAH Programme and the Gab Titui Cultural Centre provided generally. One of the strongest recommendations to come from the group was the recognition that Torres Strait art needed to have a stronger identity and to be branded differently from mainland Aboriginal art. This recommendation will be implemented in collaboration with the art centres and the CAH Programme.
Rosie Ware (left) displaying necklaces by Laura Mooka (right).
This event has strengthened the Torres Strait artistic community and created a stronger bond between the CAH Programme and the Torres Strait arts industry.