Dream Big 15

Words and pictures by big dreamers Peita Vincent from Frank & Earnest and Jackie Cooper from PIEDESIGN

The Cootamundra Arts Centre provided the perfect setting for Dream Big, the Riverina’s annual arts and culture conference on Friday August 21. 

This once derelict factory complex was transformed into a multipurpose arts facility thanks to a small band of locals who dared to ‘dream big’ and stuck to their vision.

Conference goers were treated to a stirring welcome to country by Wiradjuri man Bob Glanville and his grandson Peter Beath, who greeted the group in both English and Wiradjuri.

First keynote speaker Lisa Havilah, Director of Carriageworks, warned against the click of the door counter being the only KPI measuring success. For Lisa, it is important to support artists to deliver art that is relevant to the location and has the involvement of community, for example through community curatoriums.

Known for her ambitious and risk-taking artistic programming, Lisa called for audiences to be given a less mediated experience of the arts. “Don’t aspire to be safe. Aspire to provide the space for intelligent, hardworking audiences to engage and reflect upon their own place in the world.”

Speaking on commercial partnerships, Lisa explained that what an organisation says no to is just as important as what it tries to do.

For the panel on the topic So you have a venue. Now what? Nikita Agzarian, Alicia Leggett and Elise McGrath gave insights from three very different arts venues.

General Manager of one of Sydney’s newest venues, Giant Dwarf, Nikita Agzarian said the demand for curated live events spaces in Sydney is growing, but such dedicated venues are few and far between. A venue that hosts events with low ticket prices to suit a younger audience was needed.

Enter Giant Dwarf, the brainchild of The Chaser team.

Seeing virtue in the way night clubs run, Nikita sought to create a venue that provided a middle ground of professional entertainment outside of a traditional, rigid theatre-going experience. Promoting shows only via social media and word of mouth, Giant Dwarf attracts big name talent as well as those seeking to perfect their craft.

Orana Arts Executive Officer, Alicia Leggett described the transformation of the old fire station in Dubbo to a multipurpose arts facility.

The fire station has been transformed into a full gallery with office, exhibition and studio spaces. The Old Fire Station Arts Centre has so far had four artists-in-residence, 24 exhibitions and two productions and is available for hire.

Art appreciation and Soup Sessions (where community members live crowd-fund selected arts projects) are helping to maintain community involvement. An artists’ exchange with Western Sydney arts centres is also planned.

Elisa McGrath, Operations Manager at the arts centre, Cootamundra described how the small core staff (1.5 positions) and volunteers turn their hands to lots of different things to keep the arts centre open seven days a week.

Along with building connections with other community groups and programming around their events, the arts centre also seeks several opportunities to engage with artists when they are in town to better defray costs.

Benefits to the community of having an arts centre like this include social cohesion, driving economic development, being able to “tell our own stories”, learning from visiting artists and building capacity in local artists.

Through the marvels of modern technology, NAVA Executive Director Tamara Winikoff was able to beam in to Dream Big 15 via Skype. Tamara shared some very practical tips for talking arts with politicians, borne of 30+ years in arts advocacy.

Describing her talk as a “consumer eye view”, Tamara first described how to secure a meeting with a politician (shoring up that 90 second elevator pitch), and then being:

1. Informed – know what you’re asking for and what it will mean to real people 
2. Purposeful – show what you want from the meeting, go in with a solution to the problem at hand (and be prepared to trade)
3. Anthropological – understand the nature of the person/people you’re meeting with to press their buttons and ignite their interest
4. Strategic – form alliances with organisations and individuals to add power to your case; employ petitions, hard copy letters and social media to get the point across
5. Enduring – be prepared to be in it for the long haul and never ever give up.

Tamara encouraged people to have a say in the cultural future of Australia by contacting NAVA and by following #freethearts.

Co-Artistic Director of Monkey Baa and one-time Cootamundra resident Tim McGarry reflected on his childhood and how he had been inspired to pursue a career in the arts.

This was the lens for a broader discussion on the need to support young people to play, create, fail and ultimately make sense of the world around them.

Whether it was seeing Pope Paul VI on a Papal visit to Sydney in the early 1970s and dressing up as the ‘Man in White’, or making a costume like The Flying Nun and attempting to catch a strong gust of wind in his suburban backyard to fly like Sr Bertrille, Tim had a person who allowed him to live out his big dreams – his Mum.

The role of parents and teachers in helping young people experience art is vital.

“When we started Monkey Baa, we had dreams, hopes and a passion to make a difference and bring quality theatre to young people and perhaps inspire them to follow their own creative dreams,” Tim said.

“Creativity can be taught and nurtured… We need to nurture creativity so young people can use their senses and express their emotions. It takes believing, encouragement and time. We have to instil in our young people that it’s ok to fail. The process is far more important than the end result.” 


What was meant to be the Fantastic Five soon became the Magnificent Seven as seven artists and community builders took to the stage to talk for seven minutes (no mean feat!) on their recent projects.

• Sarah Last, Wired Lab:  looking at the qualities of emergent, convergent and disruptive digital media, Sarah spoke about Temporary Amateur Radio Club which gave local artists a doorway into the unique and idiosyncratic world of ham radio operators.
• Gemma Meier: a big project in a small community, Gemma spoke about the Grong Grong Earth Park project, social licence and the need to get a small community involved. (Who else can still hear, “But who’s going to mow”?)

• Louise Cooper: exploring the value in the stories of our community elders, Louise spoke about the For Prosperity’s Sake project that gathered the life stories of 15 Leeton Shire residents.

• Victoria Lowe, Wagga Wagga City Council: recognising the need to take theatre experiences to outlying villages, the ‘Hall-a-Day Adventures’ program brings live performance to community halls. Key messages included ‘Dream big but start small’, conduct a cultural audit, and keep program design simple.

• Scott Howie, Eastern Riverina Arts: funded by Regional Arts NSW, Bold – Selfies by Oldies is a Creative Ageing Project that sought to subvert the genre of selfie and stereotypes about ageing. Scott called for those interested this project to touch base as other similar projects may be in the works.

• Greg Pritchard, Regional Arts NSW: Cultural Program Director, Artlands Dubbo 2016, Greg gave a brief insight into what audiences can expect from Artlands next year.
• Kylie Dunstan, REROC:  noting the importance of volunteers to the arts and the very fabric of our communities, Kylie spoke about the Take Charge and Volunteer website that helps match volunteers to the organisations that need them.

Conference goers then had a ‘choose your own adventure’ session.

Participants heard from Jeff McCann from Cardigan Threads Collective about the new world of workshops (the world of workshops is now more accessible to the broader community, not just the ‘creatives’), Vanessa Keenan from Comms & Co spoke about Instagram (there is a difference between tagging and hashtagging!), and Scott Howie from ERAP spoke on taking projects from thought bubble to project plan (it all starts with one idea).

Conference wrap-up was expertly handled by Tim Kurylowicz.

Quotable quotes:

• “Why can’t engaging with the arts be messy and slightly dangerous, as our lives are?” Lisa Havilah, Carriageworks
• “Young audiences are impossible to trick. You have to match or better the experiences you’ve sold them on.” Lisa Havilah, Carriageworks
• “You have to be open to the work processes of others, which leads to a bigger, more excellent result. It takes being open and open minded about constant change.” Lisa Havilah, Carriageworks
• “People want to see low cost, accessible entertainment.” Nikita Agzarian, Giant Dwarf
• “Everyone is important, from the big names right through to the cleaner.” Nikita Agzarian, Giant Dwarf
• “Having venues like Giant Dwarf is important in regional area for the kids who don’t do sport.” Nikita Agzarian, Giant Dwarf
• “It’s a huge asset to have the available space for the Orana Arts program. We wouldn’t be able to enter into so many ventures without it.” Alicia Leggett, Orana Arts Executive Officer discussing the Old Fire Station Arts Centre, Dubbo
• “Good administration has to be underpinned by professional staff who care greatly about the centre and the town.” Elise McGrath, the arts Centre, Cootamundra
• “Explain the problem and the solution. This is worth gold to a politician.” Tamara Winikoff, NAVA 
• “Don’t forget individual hard copy letters. Politicians read every letter like 100 people agree with it.” Tamara Winikoff, NAVA
• “My imagination had been well and truly awakened.” Tim McGarry, referencing The Flying Nun and living at the Globe Hotel, Cootamundra
• “I had a parent who let my imagination fly.” Tim McGarry, Monkey Baa
• “We need to capitalise on the intrinsically engaging nature of the arts and the sense of belonging you feel in a theatre space – we all love to pretend.” Tim McGarry, Money Baa
• “Check your hashtags thoroughly first before using them!” Vanessa Keenan, Comms & Co.

Dreaming bigger for Dream Big in 2015

Dream Big is the foremost conference for culture in our region. 

"It's a rewarding day of sharing stories with leading professionals and networking within the many artistic communities in the Riverina," said Derek Motion of Western Riverina Arts. 

"Who better to tell you about what’s local and special than local people?"

Click here to buy tickets

The conference is now in its fourth year and will be held in Cootamundra for the first time at their arts centre. 

“It’s exciting that local councils right across the Riverina have come on board to support this great initiative. Many are taking advantage of the group discounts for tickets to send staff.”

People attending the conference will come away with lots of ideas of how to add vitality to their events with an understanding of what funding is available to support their ideas. 

Once again the line-up feature arts professionals and artists speaking on how to grow the arts in our region through sharing skills and creating networks.

“This is a great opportunity for local festivals and artists to make connections and learn about possibilities.” 

As well as sharing their experiences, this conference provides an opportunity to pick the brains of people producing public art. 

It's designed to inform a diverse audience, from local government through to artists looking for commissions.

"Dream Big is a chance to ask questions of people with years of experience," said Motion. "It's great to see what is achievable and to provoke people to think how to take it further."

Councils and cultural organisations will hear about how to engage with their community and attract new audiences at this year’s Dream Big conference hosted by Eastern Riverina Arts and Western Riverina Arts. Click here for more.

Dream Big 2014: DIY Public Relations

Western Riverina Arts' communication officer Jason Richardson shared his experiences in public relations at Dream Big in 2014. Watch the video to hear his presentation and read more below.



Communications is a broad subject, today will focus mostly on public relations and a bit on marketing.

I have around 20 years experience in writing about the arts. My first articles were published in BMA Magazine in 1994, including reviews and interviews with my friends' bands.

One thing I like about my work promoting the arts in the Western Riverina is that it's a lot like the work I did for BMA. I speak with people about their enthusiasms and I think a key part of doing this is by conveying this enthusiasm.

PR is often disparaged, people think it's manipulative. I'm going to argue it's important for artists as much as anyone promoting their work or event.

Obviously it's a great tool for marketing but good PR changes perceptions. For artists, writers and anyone in a creative pursuit this is valuable.

The feedback I get from helping people see their story in the media is that they get a great response from family, friends and colleagues as a result.

This is great because it makes your creative pursuits more valuable. You're no longer nurturing a dream, you're living it. Recognition in the media is recognition that your investment in something you enjoy is valuable.

And as media organisations cut budgets for journalism, PR becomes a key part of producing news content.

It's estimated there are as many people working in public relations as journalists. Many media outlets run PR material as content.

A study in 2010 found around half of the content in newspapers was driven by PR, from 42% in Sydney Morning Herald to 70% in The Daily Telegraph.

In my view public relations is the skill of making media want to tell your story. There are many ways to do this and today I'll offer a few ideas on how to create a compelling narrative.

Storytelling is fundamental to this pursuit.

There's an apocryphal story that the popular author Stephen King knows what will excite audiences, what will make their hearts beat, because he keeps the heart of a child in a jar in the top drawer of his writing desk.

If this wasn't just a story, I'd guess that many journalists would keep a turd in the top drawer of their desk because anytime they're presented with a story idea one of the first questions they'd ask themselves is "do I give a shit?"

In fact, earlier this year I heard an editor who handles content for a few of Australia's leading youth media websites talk about rating stories on a "give-a-shit-o-meter".

There's no simple answer to give your story this element, which is also known as sticky-ness. Sorry, I realise that's not a great image at this point.

One method that's been good for me when I want to figure out what the key element of a story should be is to talk about it with a friend or write down dots points. Simple but both of these techniques change your relationship to facts as you start to arrange them to form a narrative.

Science shows that vocalising and writing activates different parts of the brain, so you're actually creating new connections in your brain.

Another is a form of market research, ask a friend or colleague what they think is distinctive in your work. You might be surprised at the perspectives.

Most people are resistant to categorisation but being able to quickly articulate your brand is key to communicating your work. When I was promoting local musicians it was essential to have three or four words that described their material.

And, or course, a simple shortcut to convey this character is comparison but I will say more about influences in a minute.

First, some encouragement.

You mightn't realise it but being a regional artist offers you a major advantage when promoting your work. Local media love stories about local people. They really do give a shit.

And, when you've had a story about your work, you can be pleasantly surprised by who else cares too.

When the media show an interest in your work, it legitmises it.

The challenge is to give them your information to journalists and editors in a way that they can see a story in it.

A media release is a good way to present information to the media and has become standard practice for good reason. It takes the format of a news story, presenting facts in an objective format and gives you some control over how these are presented.

A media release should convey five types of facts, which all start with the letter W: who, what, where, when and why.

If you've read a news story then you'd be familiar with the inverted pyramid model, which presents the key facts that support the story in the opening sentences. This would include the who, what, where and when. For example, Jason Richardson will lead a workshop at the library on Saturday.

You can see these facts, while important, are only a small part of a story.

It's the why aspect that follows is what I think provides the opportunity to share your shit.

Outlining previous successes will make your art seem important. If critics have said nice things or other artists have talked about you as inspiration, then that can be good material.

It's critical that you make it interesting because it's the chance to motivate people, but it's also a great spot to educate an audience about your work.

Discussing influences is a good subject because it provides context for your art. It doesn't need to feel like airing dirty laundry, it's about informing the audience. Share your inspiration. It can inspire others but it can also interest them in learning how you've responded.

I think it's a shame more artists don't acknowledge their influences and inspirations. There's an idea that one can "steal like an artist" but it baffles me that in almost every academic pursuit one is expected to reference the ideas and work that has informed a project, except in art.

Every superhero has an origin story that explains their superpowers and pursuit. It's no different if you want to create a compelling narrative.

Another feature of stories is a setback that offers and unexpected opportunity to enrich the hero. I'd argue that acknowledging your own narrative can benefit from sharing these lessons.

There are other angles and it can be surprising what gains traction.

One instructive experience for me was talking with an ABC Radio National producer last year about Western Riverina Arts' Reimagining the Murrumbidgee exhibition. We'd collected a group of innovative artists to create works responding to the River, which I thought would be of interest because of the uniqueness of the concept. The producer suggested it would be more interesting to her audience as a topic for talkback radio if we asked for people to share their experiences at rivers.

I was surprised because it looked for how to make the subject accessible rather than focusing on the material.

This lesson was one I applied recently when helping Leeton-based writer Melanie Ifield to reach an audience in Canberra. Mel has a book set in our national capital and I suggested we open a piece on her work by saying how misunderstood the city is because of the politicians with which it is most associated. It helped to make her story relevant to the audience.

Another lesson I learned through promoting Mel's books was timing. She'd published three books in 2013 and I thought this was newsworthy in itself. However the local newspaper sat on the story for more than a month and I realised it lacked a use-by date. The books weren't being launched, so there was no urgency for the editor to publish it.

Usually the time between sending a story to a local paper and being published varies between one to three weeks, so ensure you allow time.

And, if you can, include a good photograph as an image makes your story stand out on the page. They like a shot with the subject looking at the camera, and this makes sense as it engages a viewer.

If you can't write, don't be afraid to call and speak to a journalist directly but it helps to have your key points written down in front of you to help ensure you stay on topic.

Notes from Dream Big 2014

Dream Big, the Riverina's annual conference for arts and culture, returned to Narrandera in its third year.

Local Wiradjuri man Cedric Briggs provided a welcome to country which was followed by the first keynote speaker, Jacquie Riddell. Her career in marketing communications includes Australian cultural institutions SBS, Triple J and, presently, the Art Gallery of NSW.

"If you don't unerstand your audience it's like playing darts with a blindfold on," she said, outlining cheap methods of data collection such as exit surveys and website Survey Monkey, as well as listing organisations that share their data, such as Destination NSW, Australia Council and SBS.

Riddell presented that marketing is about building a community. "You need to know everyone individually. Take the relationship into your own hands. A modern cultural institution is connected to a community."

Penny Miles spoke on recent Australia Council survey findings. "85% of Australians think the arts make for a richer and more meaningful life." She enthused that attendances by regional audiences was ahead of those in cities, as well as echoing earlier comments about building a community. "To have a real relationship, you need to understand what they care about."

Hilary Glow of Deakin University's Arts Participation Incubator said that while the Australia Council's statistics were heartening, performing arts audiences were declining and for film too. "The view arts are good for us is an abstract notion. Most people don't attend regularly, aside from contemporary music."

She argued that the world is changing faster than the art community and that the role of the artistic director needed to be rethought. "They take a role like 'police' within organisations and contributed to creating a passive audience. Glow was also critical of inflating audience numbers, saying it was a short term strategy.

For the panel on the topic of capturing a community's imagination moderator Scott Howie, Regional Development Officer with Eastern Riverina Arts, drew responses from Vic McEwan, Casey Jenkins and Katherine McLean.

The opening question on whether art is a dirty word concluded resoundingly in the affirmative. Casey Jenkins opted for the term craft and Katherine McLean said her organisation CuriousWorks makes digtal media. "Males, from our experience, don't see art as something they can engage with," said Narrandera-based artist Vic McEwan. "Sometimes we hide the word" he added, acknowledging that sometimes they felt they had overstated art on their posters.

On the topic of community engagement McLean said that embracing opposing voices was important. "Articulating hate is the bed of transformation." She was critical of the announcement of cuts to ABS data on sport and the arts, "you value what you measure". Local artist McEwan estimated that his organisation The CAD Factory had contributed $250,000 to the Narrandera community in recent years.

After lunch Western Riverina Arts Communication Officer Jason Richardson outlined strategies for communicating the arts and called on the audience to help promote the benefits of engaging. He promoted the value in writing a media release as a way of storytelling, an effective method for communicating information, whether in print or via telephone or social media.

A good image will attract audience, a point reiterated by ABC Open's Riverina-based facilitator, Sonya Gee, relating the value in generating views with online video. She spoke of the value of storytelling and that "the Riverina had the most stories from any Open area screened on ABC TV."

Tim spoke on the value of experimenting with different techniques to generate interest in email newsletters. Scott Howie discussed ethical consent in arts projects.

Jeff McCann shared his experience with seeking crowdfunding via Pozible, outlining the value of both online video and making a good first impression by generating preliminary financial support from your immediate circle of friends before marketing more widely. His advice also included being clear about what you need the money to buy and offer rewards that were items as well as experiences, such as opening invites.

Bernadette Flynn from Griffith's Pioneer Park spoke on a project she'd managed online, which led her to conclude broadband was more important than running water. The experience had demonstrated that "Working in a distributed way worked better than face-to-face," although working in a coffee shop had also attracted others too. An extensive legal document had assisted in providing a statement on the seriousness of the project.

Claire Haris spoke on her work as creative producer at the Outback Theatre and how they ensure mutually beneficial relationships with councils, "often filling a big hole in their strategic plans". The value of communication was emphasised, particularly the potential of turning partners into advocates when a genuine partnership allows them to play a role.

Maz McGann introduced Creating Australia, the new national body for community arts and cultural development. Their website encourages artists to update their projects as a means of attracting resources to advocate for the arts and cultural development.

Brett Naseby spoke on developing an art gallery in Griffith and the impact it's had in promoting local artists. One artist "was literally in tears, thanking me for the opportunity to share his work". He later wrote "thanks for the opportunity, this has really given me wings". Naseby echoed Vic McEwan's earlier comment that the arts need more men involved.

Start dreaming BIG

Who better to tell you about what’s local and special than local people?

Councils and cultural organisations will hear about how to engage with their community and attract new audiences at this year’s Dream Big conference – hosted by Eastern Riverina Arts and Western Riverina Arts – in Narrandera this coming August.

Register now for Dream Big

Dream Big will be held at the CRC Plaza Theatre, Bolton St Narrandera, on Friday, 22 August 2014 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (EST).

Jacquie Riddell from the Art Gallery of NSW, will bring her experience of promoting and attracting new audiences to cultural initiatives.  Riddell’s 25-year marketing career extends across organisations such as SBS and Triple J.
“Anyone who is interested in community enhancement and development should attend Dream Big; whether you’re part of local council, a local community group, or have a great idea that needs support,” said Scott Howie, Regional Arts Development Officer for Eastern Riverina Arts. “This event will give you real take-away ideas to implement in order to engage better with your community.”

Registrations for Dream Big are now open!


Dream Big will be held at the CRC Plaza Theatre, Bolton St Narrandera, on Friday, 22 August 2014 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (EST).

Notes from Dream Big

Lockhart hosted the second annual Dream Big conference, organised by Eastern Riverina Arts and Western Riverina Arts.

The event's debut in Narrandera last year focused on festivals, with talks from artists, organisers and administrators. This year the focus was on public art.

After a welcome from Eastern Riverina Arts' Scott Howie, a welcome to country by Mark Saddler and another welcome from Lockhart Shire general manager Rod Shaw, renowned artist Fiona Foley presented the keynote address.

Foley discussed her formative experiences as an artist, beginning with an introduction to books on Australian Aboriginal history since European settlement that had influenced her. She recalled a critique of her graduating work while at the Sydney College of the Arts, a response to massacres at Queensland's Hervey Bay.

She mentioned criticisms from fellow students led to the development of self-belief in her work when the piece was bought by the National Museum of Australia. From here she skipped ahead to the 2009-10 retrospective held at the Melbourne Museum of Contemporary Art, which included work reflecting on the John Batman treaty that saw the Wurundjeri people transfer 600 acres of land where Melbourne now stands.

Foley said history texts provided the ideas she "crystallised in sculpture". Her work Dispersed was shown as an example, the letter D covered in bullets to comment on the euphemistic use of the word to describe the killing and displacement of indigenous Australians. (Image below courtesy of the artist.)

She outlined the process of developing and installing Witness To Silence, explaining the use of secrecy and subterfuge to see the work installed outside the Brisbane Magistrates Court.

In her initial statement she claimed it would memorialise fires and floods in Queensland townships. Three months after it was unveiled she revealed the 94 sites referenced within it were sites where massacres of Aboriginal people were known to have occurred.

"I like to put hidden histories into the public arena," Foley explained before discussing her works in the Queensland State Library which drew on the history of opium in the state. Her research found the little town of Marborough had three opium dens in the main street during the 19th Century. "Why? Because [the government of the day] wanted a cheap workforce," she claimed. (Image below courtesy of the artist.)

Similarly, Foley's $1.5 million commission in Mackay took inspiration from history. Her brief had been to enhance the river as the city had turned away from it. She researched the South Sea Islander workforce that had been imported to work in the canefields and developed sculptures based on sugarcubes. These featured the names of boats that had brought this human cargo as well as thumbprints from their descendants.

The local council were not impressed and a compromise was required for the project to proceed, where names of boats not involved in this trade were included. Foley said some of the councillors were descendants of the sugar farmers.

It was a provocative and interesting talk. One which Scott Howie said provided a "clear indication of the power of public art".

Wendy Hee, Cultural Development Officer with Waverley Council, introduced her talk on the economic benefits of public art with the well-known statue of the Dog on the Tuckerbox that is sited outside Gundagai. She outlined how this iconic piece stops traffic and creates jobs, although acknowledging the area has undergone some changes in recent years.

"Why have a park bench when you can have a work of art?" she asked, outlining pieces such as a mosaic bench that celebrates the meeting of the Bondi Life Saving Club in Gaza during the second world war.

"Public art commissions generate an economy of their own," she argued while outlining the materials and transport costs that feed into local economies. These activities can also serve to educate communities, such as Port Macquarie works that were funded by the State Emergency Service. "They walk passed it every day, so that reinforces the message" about flood markers.

Another example was an airport work that had been funded through a grant for security improvements. She described the process of the artist liaising with council staff in many departments.

"It's probably cheaper to be beautiful" said Wendy, contrasting the costs of buying council assets out of a catalogue versus employing artists to develop original works for the purpose.

Waverley Council are known for their annual Sculpture by the Sea event, which estimated to attract 1.5 million people over three weekends.

Local artist Vic McEwan asked a question about the process and whether friction between varying interests can create better results. Wendy replied that it was important to overcome resistance and fear with information.

Fiona Foley argued that it's important to maintain cultural integrity to the site. "It's an indictment on Australian society if we can't promote our own culture," she said. "We need to stop giving priority to overseas artists and start cultivating our own."

Wendy Hee concluded "It'd be a really good start for local councils to have a public art policy".

Wagga Wagga City Council Cultural Development Officer Tracie Miller spoke on her work in incorporating public art into planning processes, so that it's not just plonked down at the end.

She mentioned the challenges faced by the city due to rapid growth so the urban sprawl retains a sense of personality. "Public art fails not from negativity but from indifference" is a quote I've recorded but am not sure now whether she said it or quoted it.

One artist Tracie is working with is Col Henry, who has recently been awarded a commission for the city airport. "Public art requires all sorts of conversations," he said. "Everyone loves it -- especially after a year," he joked but acknowledged that installation can be "an intensive process".

"Everyone is an artist. My role is to get into people's heads so their ideas can be realised," said Col. Fiona Foley argued against this statement, saying that everyone has opinions but that doesn't necessarily lead to good art.

Penny Davies from Southwest Arts spoke on the Growing Our Place sculpture trail. "We wanted to nurture and support our local government areas to feel confident incorporating art into their works." She said that project management required being clear with councils and communities about the process and outcomes, outlining how a popular vote helped ensure support while councils auspiced their projects and participated in their commissioning.

John Wood was one artist involved in this project but he spoke more generally about his sculpture and experiences. "Making the break into public art can be a slow and deflating process but persevere," John said. "Remember it's a competitive process, so give it your best shot and it gets easier [to write proposals] the more you do."

"Research the brief and take time to talk to locals," he continued. "Have a realistic budget and timeframe."

Public art, John believes, gives a community a sense of place but he encouraged the use of interpretive panels to help them understand a piece. "Feedback is very useful to an artist," he concluded.

Ursula Jones, Tourism and Economic Development Officer at Lockhart Shire Council, spoke on the Spirit of the Land Festival which began in 2007 as a way of creating activity for farmers as "a distraction from the drought". The $10,000 acquisitive prize has the title National Farm Art Award and in 2013 it becomes a non-acquisitive prize to open the Festival to a wider group of artists. The event brings 5000 people each day.

Scott Howie spoke on the Animals on Bikes sculpture trail between Orange and Dubbo. 111 sculptures have been placed along roadsides to encourage tourism. "They're coming together to promote their towns and drive the dollar through," he said.

Linda Tillman from Riverina Regional Tourism spoke on their plan, which includes cultural tourism, as well as funding available through Destination NSW and hopes to double overnight visitation.

"They want to see local governments and industry working together to promote regional NSW," she said. Scott Howie observed this means promotional activities "become more sustainable because everyone has invested more into them".

The final part of the Dream Big conference was called Wisdom of the Crowd and invited local artists to pitch their dreams for audience comments.

Andrew Whitehead, a sculptor from Urana who had won the Spirit of the Land Festival a number of times, spoke first on his idea for a trail of his work through the region.

This would be akin to a solo show for an artist and Andrew argued he had a "proven track record in delivering popular art works". Col Henry suggested he should consider inviting other artists to be included, which lead to discussion of whether diversity or consistency would be selling points.

Vic McEwan of The CAD Factory spoke on his work rather than pitching a dream. "Art is about finding truths about ourselves" and "breaking down hierarchies," he said. The CAD Factory focus on creating temporary artworks with a view to embedding memories into the landscape which will encourage audiences to daydream. "There's poetry in all things," Vic concluded.

Poetry is the focus of Derek Motion's work and he talked on a project developed with Vic when they worked at Booranga Writers Centre and Wagga Wagga City Council respectively. Together they solicited poetry for installation in bus shelters. Derek said the "key thing isn't money" when developing art projects in local government, "it's a go-to person who will argue the case". He outlined his dream to project poetry onto the banks of the Murrumbidgee River.

The conference was an engaging event with interesting speakers talking on a variety of projects from their perspectives as artists and project managers

Community and culture come together to Dream Big in Lockhart

Fiona Foley, one of Australia's most accomplished and acclaimed public artists, will be keynote speaker at this year’s ‘Dream Big’ one-day conference on Friday 30 August in Lockhart. Foley will be speaking on her practice and role as a public artist.

Following a successful debut in Narrandera last year, the one-day conference will be hosted by the home of the Spirit of the Land Festival and National Farm Art Prize.

The collaboration between Western Riverina Arts and Eastern Riverina Arts, will feature a professional line-up of professionals and artists speaking on how to grow the arts in our region through sharing skills and creating networks.

Designed for anyone involved in cultural, community and economic development; for established and aspiring artists; tourism operators, progress associations, and community groups, ‘Dream Big’ is designed to inform a diverse audience, and encourage big ideas for public art projects and economic solutions.

An example of using public art as economic development is utilising council maintenance budgets to commission the creation of a sculpture or art piece seating arrangement, instead of simply purchasing a park bench.  Similar initiatives enhance cultural development, support local artists and can provide tourism opportunities.

Ganmain-based artist Patrick Ronald, who attended last year, said ‘Dream Big’ was a great chance to ask questions of people with years of experience and learn how to take your ideas further,  "I was able to learn more about funding opportunities and, if you've ever failed a grant application, you know these are the opportunities to ensure future success."

Registrations are now open at http://dreambigriverina.eventbrite.com.au

Fiona Foley, a contemporary Indigenous Australian artist from Badtjala, Fraser Island, Queensland has travelled as an artist internationally and to remote communities in Northern Territory.  She helped establish the Boomalli Aboriginal Arts Cooperative in Sydney along with a group of prominent and politically active Aboriginal artists.

In 2000, Foley's work was amongst that of eight individual and collaborative groups of Indigenous Australian artists shown in the prestigious Nicholas Hall at the Hermitage Museum in Russia.

Alongside Foley as keynote speaker, ‘Dream Big’ will also feature:
Wendy Hee, cultural officer with Waverley Council – responsible for adopting The Waverley Arts Plus Plan, a double finalist in the 2012 LGNSW Cultural Awards as well as coordinating council partnership with the popular Sculpture By the Sea public exhibition.

Kim Biggs, the driving force behind South West Arts’ Growing Our Place Public Arts Initiative, which oversaw the creation of five new public art works in with five local councils.

John Woods, one of the artists involved in Growing Our Place and has also completed commissions both small and large for a number of Councils in the region

Tracie Miller, Cultural Officer at Wagga Wagga City Council - oversees Councils Public Art Policy and Plan. Currently she is managing two major commissions for Public Art at the Wagga Airport.

Col Henry, artist awarded one of the Wagga Airport Public Art commissions and will provide insights into making the leap into public art.

Don’t just dream, come to Dream Big and learn how to make it happen. Dream Big will be held at Lockhart Memorial Hall, Green St 
Lockhart, on Friday, 30 August 2013 from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM (EST).

Dream Big Conference for Riverina

Narrandera will host the inaugural Dream Big Conference in July.

A partnership between Western Riverina Arts and Eastern Riverina Arts, the conference is about raising the bar for local festivals. They have collected together a field of inspirational speakers including Junction Festival (TAS) director Ian Pidd, Perth Festival key designer Joey Ruigrok, Deni Ute Muster’s John Harvie, Anna Loewendahl from the Royal Melbourne Children’s Hospital’s Festival of Healthy Living and Gabrielle Eade (ArtsNSW). After a morning of inspiring talks and lunch, there will be a workshop in which ideas are matched to possible funding sources.

“People attending the conference will come away with lots of ideas of how to add vitality to their festivals, and with and understanding of what funding is available for these ideas," said co-convenor Dr Greg Pritchard.

Eastern Riverina Arts’ Scott Howie suggests there “great discounts for volunteers and artists”.

The one day conference will run at Narrandera’s CRC Plaza Theatre on July 27th 2012.

“This is a great opportunity for local festivals and artists to make connections and learn about possibilities,” said Dr Pritchard.

“It’s exciting that local councils right across the Riverina have come on board to support this great initiative.”

Registrations are open at http://dreambigconf-estw.eventbrite.com.au

For more details visit http://dreambigconf.blogspot.com