CORPORATE SERVICES MANAGER – Applications have now closed for this position, thank you

We are seeking an experienced Manager to join our Executive Team.

The Corporate Services Manager primary role is to organise the resources of the business, improve its performance and ensure operations run smoothly while upholding the organisation’s strategic objectives.

We are looking for a person with high level experience and knowledge in financial management, compliance and statutory duties, risk management, policies and procedures and administration.  The successful applicant will have experience in the not for profit sector and be a great fit with our values, workplace culture and cohesive small team.

The position is full time for a period of 12 months with the possibility of extension. The base salary is $65,000.  Aboriginality is desirable but not essential.

If you have a strong desire to work with an innovative Aboriginal corporation, please contact the SWFW office on 02 6658 1315 for a position description and more information on how to apply.

Closing date for applications Friday 4 May 2012

ABORIGINAL EVENT COORDINATOR – APPLICATIONS CLOSED FOR THIS POSITION THANK YOU

We are seeking a motivated and organised Aboriginal person to join our team.

The Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance Aboriginal Corporation is a regional body for Aboriginal arts and culture on the Mid North Coast of NSW based at the Coffs Harbour Education Campus.

The Aboriginal Event Coordinator’s primary role will be to assist with the successful delivery of cultural events including the Saltwater Freshwater Festival on Australia Day.

We are looking for a person with experience in event management and sound knowledge of the production, administration and technical processes of events.  Ideally, the successful applicant will be a hard worker and a great fit with our values, workplace culture and cohesive small team.

The position is full time for a period of 12 months with the possibility of extension. The base salary is $44,928.00.

If you have a strong desire for a career in the arts and event industry, please contact the SWFW office on 02 6658 1315 for a position description and more information on how to apply.

APPLICATIONS CLOSED 27 APRIL 2012.

Tania Major, GenerationOne spokesperson and Young Australian of the Year

Today, GenerationOne announces its major sponsorship of the 2011 Saltwater Freshwater Festival to be held on Australia Day in Port Macquarie.  Following this week’s research findings by RMIT University, that cultural festivals improve the wellbeing of Aboriginal Australian communities, the partnership makes good sense.

Last year’s inaugural festival exceeded all expectations with over 12,000 people in attendance. Tania Major, GenerationOne spokesperson and Young Australian of the Year is looking forward to attending the Festival and meeting with locals, especially young people.

“This festival is so important for the GenerationOne movement, to not only engage and empower Australians but to promote and support the local businesses, schools and the Festival itself which is a celebration of the local community and culture.”

GenerationOne is a grass roots movement to bring all Australians together to end the disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in one generation – this generation.  One of the key benefits of the Saltwater Freshwater Festival, which celebrates the Aboriginal communities of the mid north coast of NSW, is not just the celebration of culture with the wider community but the opportunities it affords the Aboriginal communities.

“At the inaugural Saltwater Freshwater Festival held in Coffs Harbour this year, we showcased 50 Aboriginal performers and artists, over 30 Aboriginal market stalls and 20% of our volunteer team were Aboriginal,” said Alison Page, Festival Director. “And this was to the 12,000 people who celebrated Australia Day with us.”

“We are looking to grow our organisation, the Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance Aboriginal Corporation, which is governed by a board of CEO representatives from ten Local Aboriginal Land Councils on the Mid North Coast, so that we can mentor and provide employment opportunities for our Aboriginal communities,” said Alison.

Increasing employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians is a key goal of GenerationOne, who together with the Australian Employment Covenant (AEC) aim to create the demand for 50,000 sustainable jobs for Indigenous Australians by working with employers and employment providers.

The RMIT University study Indigenous Cultural Festivals and Community Wellbeing in Australia, revealed festivals promote an experience of social inclusion, positive institutional engagement and broadened opportunities for Indigenous Australians including renewing Aboriginal culture and opportunities for employment and small business development.

Jo-Anne Kelly, Chair of the Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance said, “Our aim is to position Aboriginal art and culture as the foundation for the long-term social, economic and environmental development of the region’s Aboriginal communities.  We commend GenerationOne’s practical approach to improving the lives of this and future generations and look forward to working with them.”

The Saltwater Freshwater Festival kicks off at 11am at Westport Park in Port Macquarie and closes with the GenerationOne Sunset Concert featuring Neil Murray and Troy Cassar-Daley.  For the full Festival program, check out the website www.saltwaterfreshwaterfestival.com.au.

–End

Contact for further information:

Alison Page, Festival Director

Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance Aboriginal Corporation

Mob: 0422 187 602

Kate Sutton, Director of Communications

GenerationOne

Mob: 0409 671 716

Troy Cassar Daley

The much anticipated line-up for the 2011 Saltwater Freshwater Festival at Westport Park, Port Macquarie on Australia Day has been confirmed.  With two stages of entertainment – one for fresh and funky talent, the other for all the family – there will be something to please all ages.

The day kicks off at 11.00am, with acts such as Troy Cassar-Daley, Nathan Foley and Shellie Morris plus many more on the Saltwater Stage. The unstoppable hip hop act, Street Warriors and local funksters, Slychology will be rocking out with plenty of local & imported talent on the Freshwater stage. The Freshwater Stage will also feature Saltwater Freshwater Unearthed, a showcase of emerging talent from across the Mid North Coast.

“This Festival is an awesome opportunity for emerging talent to share the stage with the greats. Who knows, we may discover the next Troy Cassar-Daley!” says Festival Director Alison Page, who urges any local talent to contact the Festival for the chance to perform.

Neil Murray

A highlight of the program will be a special sunset concert featuring Neil Murray, who first appeared in the early eighties as a founding member and songwriter of the ground breaking Warumpi Band, which over three albums and twenty years in the Australian music business helped to make contemporary Indigenous music heard in mainstream Australia and yielded such classic songs as “My Island Home” and “Blackfella Whitefella”.

There will be plenty of other entertainment throughout the day, with hands-on-cultural experiences including weaving, dance, didgeridoo workshops and an area dedicated to children’s activities; something for all the family!

For 2011 we are excited to introduce the Yarn tent featuring a range of high profile and community leaders throughout the day, giving insightful presentations and participating in panel discussions. The Yarn Tent will also feature a bush food cooking demonstration and will be a chance to reflect on the meaning of Australia Day.

Street Warriors

“Because we are incorporating the Council’s Citizenship Ceremony into the program, we love the idea of prominent Australians talking about reconciliation with the community, which is what Yarn Tent is all about” says Alison Page.

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The financial backing for the Port Macquarie Festival from both the public and private sector has been excellent, and it is because of this support that the festival is able to be a Gold-coin entry event.

Current sponsors include:

• Port Macquarie Hastings Council
• Country Energy
• National Australia Bank
• Indigenous Business Australia

Funders include:

• Community Services, Department of Human Services NSW
• Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
• Aboriginal Affairs NSW
• Festivals Australia

Media Partners include:

• Southern Cross Ten
• Port Macquarie Independent

…with more to be announced!

Jess Beck

Country Energy’s regional general manager, Brian Mclean said Country Energy was delighted to again be involved in the festival.

“Following the success of last year’s event in Coffs Harbour Country Energy we’re keen to come on board in 2011 as the supporter of the event in Port Macquarie.

“The day promises to be a fantastic event for all members of the family while also providing some great entertainment for the local residents to celebrate Australia Day,” Brian said.

For more details on the program – or if you want to get involved, check out the website www.saltwaterfreshwaterfestival.com.au

–End

Contact for further information:

Alison Page, Festival Director

Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance Aboriginal Corporation

Mob: 0422 187 602

Sharna St Leon, Festival Producer

Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance Aboriginal Corporation

Mob: 0412 733 214

High resolution images available on request

Confirming the rumours that have been circulating since the beginning of the year, Port Macquarie has been confirmed as the host town for the 2011 Saltwater Freshwater Festival. The Festival will be held on Australia Day (Wed 26 January 2011) at Westport

Park on Birpai Aboriginal land. “With ten Local Aboriginal Land Council regions to choose from, Port Macquarie was selected because of its attractiveness to tourists, its excellent infrastructure and capacity for large crowds and the support shown by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council” said Barry Ford, Chair of the newly formed Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance Aboriginal Corporation.

With over 12,000 people attending the inaugural festival held in Coffs Harbour on Australia Day this year, next year’s festival is shaping up to be a mammoth event with nationally renowned and local Aboriginal talent, workshops and markets. “The 2011 Saltwater Freshwater Festival will run from 10am into the night, with a special sunset concert closing the day” said Festival Director, Alison Page.

The Festival is the brainchild of the Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance Aboriginal Corporation, which is made up of the ten Local Aboriginal Land Councils from Karuah to Coffs Harbour. The Festival is nomadic and will be hosted in a different community each year. Local Birpai Elder Bill O’Brien said “The Festival in 2011 on the Hastings River here in Port will have a distinct Birpai flavour”. Alison adds that the nomadic nature of the Festival is a great way for people in the Mid North Coast to get to know their region. “Because entry to the Festival is only a gold coin donation, it is affordable to travel and stay overnight for a unique family holiday”.

This year’s event is made even more special by the fact that the Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance has incorporated and is now a peak Aboriginal cultural organisation in the Mid North Coast. It has been born out of the Foundations of our Future program, initiated by Arts Mid North Coast who will continue to work in partnership with the new Corporation to help get it off the ground.

The organisation works all year on programs that culminate at the Festival. This year will see an exhibition of baskets produced at weaving master-classes held in ten communities and will celebrate the launch of Saltwater Freshwater Arts, a publication showcasing 40 Aboriginal Artists from the Mid North Coast. Cultural Camps, Aboriginal design and recording stories are also programs being developed by the organisation.

Support from sponsors and funding partners is key to the success of the Festival, which has received support from Country Energy and the Port Macquarie Hastings Council.

Mark Ella, the Sports and Event Manager at Port Macquarie Hastings Council believes that the event will have a lasting positive impact on Australia Day celebrations in Port Macquarie. “We are excited to be incorporating our Citizenship Ceremony into next year’s Festival as it will add to the special symbolism of the day”. Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance is now seeking other corporate sponsors for the event.

Media are invited to attend the: Saltwater Freshwater Festival Announcement Event 11.30am – 12.30pm Birpai Local Aboriginal Land Council 33 Aston St Port Macquarie

There will be a performance by the Badu Dance Group at midday.

Mark Ella (Port Macquarie Hastings Council), Alison Page (Festival Director) and Barry Ford (Chairperson – Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance Aboriginal; Corporation) will be available for interviews with the media.

For more information, contact Alison Page on 02 6658 1315 and 0422 187 602.

Weaving our way through the Mid North Coast…

The newly formed Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance Aboriginal Corporation, supported by Arts Mid North Coast, is excited to announce a series of two-day Weaving Master Classes across nine Local Aboriginal Land Council communities on the Mid North Coast throughout July and August.

The Weaving Master Classes are continuing on from the one-day Weaving Workshops held last year, and the purpose is to ‘teach the teacher’, so that Aboriginal people in the four language areas of Worimi, Birpai, Thunggutti and Gumbaynggirr nations that traditionally make up the Mid North Coast are able to teach weaving within their communities and beyond, contributing to the long-term cultural, social and economic development of the region’s Aboriginal communities.

The aim of the workshops is to provide skills development opportunities for Aboriginal community members interested in expanding their artistic skills and training to include weaving. Participants at the workshop will learn about appropriate fibres for weaving and weaving techniques and will have the opportunity to produce their own personal piece of weaving art. Workshops are facilitated by the talented Boolarng Nangamai Artists from the South Coast, with the aim of producing a group of Mid North Coast Weavers to continue on in our local region. Kelli Ryan of Boolarng Nangamai says “There is something really special about local artists teaching local traditional art forms, and that is why we are bringing our expertise to the Aboriginal people of the Mid North Coast, so that they are then empowered to continue on this tradition in their communities”. Weaving was a major attraction at the inaugural Saltwater Freshwater Festival, held inCoffs Harbour on Australia Day this year, where participants, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal learned the art and origins of weaving – a practice traditional to the East Coast of Australia, a fact that the majority of community are unaware. “It’s about breathing life back into a beautiful form of traditional art, which is different and unique to painting” said Alison Page, TV personality and Program Manager of Saltwater

Freshwater Arts.

These series of workshops are made even more special by the fact that the Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance has incorporated and is now a peak Aboriginal cultural organisation in the Mid North Coast, governed by 10 Local Aboriginal Land Councils. It has been born out of the Foundations of our Future program, initiated by Arts Mid North

Coast who will continue to work in partnership with the new Corporation to help get it off the ground.

SALTWATER FRESHWATER ARTS ALLIANCE ABORIGINAL CORPORATION ABN: 53 897 846 826

Coffs Harbour Education Campus, Hogbin Drive, Coffs Harbour 2457, Ph:02 66581315 Fax: 02 66589411

Email: racdo@artsmidnorthcoast.org

SUPPORTED BY THE FOLLOWING LOCAL ABORIGINAL LAND COUNCILS

Karuah | Forster | Purfleet Taree | Birpai | Bunyah | Kempsey | Thungutti | Unkya | Bowraville | Coffs Harbour

AND

Department of Environment, Water Heritage and the Arts | Indigenous Coordination Centre Coffs Harbour

The two-day Weaving Master Classes are currently underway, and off to a roaring start.

Cost of the Workshops has been heavily subsidised, and participants will only need to

pay $20, which covers materials, tuition and lunch on both days. Registration forms are

available from Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALC’S) below and from Saltwater

Freshwater Arts by calling (02) 6658 1315 or email lisa@saltwaterfreshwater.com.au

Forster (completed) 19th-20th July Forster LALC

Taree (completed) 21st-22nd July Purfleet Taree LALC

Port Macquarie (completed) 23rd-24th July Birpai LALC

Wauchope (completed) 26th-27th July Bunyah LALC

Kempsey 28th-29th July Kempsey LALC

Bellbrook 30th-31st July Thunggutti LALC

Macksville 2nd-3rd Aug Unkya LALC

Bowraville 4th-5th Aug Bowraville LALC

Coffs Harbour 6th-7th Aug Coffs Harbour LALC

Giinagay…

Since the last newsletter in April, we have incorporated to become the Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance Aboriginal Corporation. We would like to thank and acknowledge Arts Mid North Coast for having the vision to establish a dedicated Aboriginal strategy and our Alliance of Local Aboriginal Land Councils whose leadership gave birth to this new organisation.  We would also like to acknowledge our key funding body, the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts Indigenous Cultural Support Program.

The new organisation is governed by a Board made up of CEO representatives from ten Local Aboriginal Land Councils, including Karuah, Forster, Purfleet-Taree, Bunyah, Birpai, Kempsey, Thungutti, Unkya, Bowraville and Coffs Harbour, covering the Worimi, Birpai, Dunghutti and Gumbaynggirr nations.

Our purpose is to position Aboriginal Art & Culture as the foundation for the long-term social, economic and environmental development of the region’s Aboriginal communities.

At the heart of all our projects is the saltwater freshwater branding, which represents what is unique to our region; the meeting of the saltwater and the freshwater from the Pacific Ocean to the Great Dividing Range.  It is symbolic of the coming together of the saltwater and freshwater communities to strengthen the cultural identity of the 11,000 Aboriginal people in this region.

SALTWATER FRESHWATER FESTIVAL

The 2011 Festival will be held at Westport Park in Port Macquarie on Australia Day. We have employed a Festival Producer, leading events manager Sharna St Leon, and are now looking for local talent and vendors to provide food, produce, arts & crafts and other merchandise to the expected 10,000 people attending the Festival.

If you are interested in taking part in the Festival, either as a Vendor, a performer or a Volunteer, please contact Sharna on 6658 5995.

We are currently firming up funding for the Festival and are pleased to announce the following support: a triennial Community Builders Grant and sponsorship from Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, Country Energy, the NAB and media partner Southern Cross Ten.  Stay tuned to the Festival website for more partner news: www.saltwaterfreshwaterfestival.com.au

PROJECT UPDATE

The 12-week Stitching Memories quilting project is now complete with programs being delivered in 8 Aboriginal communities; the Weaving Master Class with the Boolarng Nangamai artists was delivered in July/August for over 50 participants in 8 communities; and the Saltwater Freshwater Art publication, featuring 39 emerging and established visual artists from the Mid North Coast, is well underway. The publication will be launched at the Saltwater Freshwater Festival. We are just seeing the results from the Certificate IV in Aboriginal Design TAFE courses from Forster and Lismore with some amazing work being produced.  The twelve best students are about to embark on a two week study tour to Vietnam visiting local factories, manufacturers and artists.

We are also in discussions with tourism bodies from the Pacific Coast Tourist Route about including Aboriginal signage and stories in their various products.  To kick this off, we will be working with our LALCs to record local Traditional stories so stay in touch with your local Land Council office if you would like to participate.  This could be the basis of many other exciting projects, like children’s books and iphone applications.  Yaarri yarraang!

Talk again soon..

Alison  Page