ACCOMPLICE Annual Review 2018

2018

ACCOMPLICE Annual review

ACCOMPLICE would like to acknowledge the Larrakia Traditional Owners of the land on which we create, and pay our respects to Elders past, present and future.

We would also like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Elders past, present and future from across the Northern Territory where we spend time creating, developing and sharing.

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An epic journey to find our voice

Creative Director 2018 will always be the year when ACCOMPLICE found its voice in the Territory.

It has been epic and in many ways beyond my wildest dreams.

The opportunity to travel the NT for

belief in accomplices, just with a new

the NTTFF was both a personal and

found collection of questions and

professional highlight, which I will hold

processes in order to make sure we

on to for a lifetime. It reinforced to

are all genuinely listening to each other

me what can be achieved with sheer

and can share the role of driving the

determination, creativity, positivity and

project forward, or down a dirt road as

right accomplices. It also provided

required.

me with the time to reflect deeply on my practice and to undertake deep

I am proud of the 2018 programs

listening with the artists, communities

and one off event for their strong

and audiences I work in the

resonance with the landscape, history

partnership with.

and culture of the Northern Territory.

ACCOMPLICE holds no place for silos

I undertook an intensive period of

of separate art practices, or a fourth

professional development this year

wall between artists, audiences and

with a focus on partnership brokerage.

communities, rather the very nature

It taught me a lot about the Territory,

of the work is inherently committed

the people and organisations I work

to collaboration, cross cultural

with and my own strengths and

communication and partnerships.

limitations. It was neither an easy

Work was always created alongside

process, nor at times an enjoyable

and in partnership with Indigenous

one as it asked me to genuinely

artists and elders, local creatives

question my role as a partner and a

and communities. Establishing new

partnership broker. I learnt some hard

contemporary ways of creating,

truths about myself, my capacity and

making and presenting that embrace

my work but this led me back to my

our unique regional context.

2018 Annual Review

Britt Guy

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What Drives Us ACCOMPLICE is a nimble, responsive and culturally trusted creative company that is focused on creating high quality arts and cultural experiences in the Northern Territory that showcase and build capacity in our community, audiences and arts and cultural practitioners.

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Connecting Northern Australia

Community Capacity Building

We draw influence, energy and identity from Australia’s regions, providing space and time for community to cultivate cultural connections.

We cultivate a depth and breadth of sustainable cultural experiences and infrastructure for diverse communities to connect with.

Developing art with artists and audience

Cross Cultural Collaboration

We provide opportunities for professional artists to develop and produce work within a regional context.

We build on cultural, geographic and social ties with Asian, Pacific and regional Australian practitioners, organisations and networks sustaining long-term relationships.

ACCOMPLICE is committed to maintaining: • An artistically sustainable program

allow us to share, experience, and

that provides authentic space for

collaborate in new ways, dedicated

development, sharing, presentation

to creating outcomes that have real

and evaluation.

impact, measured through:

• A financially sustainable • Agile business model that allows for

harnessing commercial opportunities

instinctual business growth, so that

to sustain the core operations,

projects involving considered risk

and drawing together business

can be undertaken to continue to

and not-for-profit partnerships and

grow and respond,

funding to build large-scale projects.

• Innovative ways of working – we

ACCOMPLICE employs staff on a

regularly ask why and how we do

project basis to access the best skills

what we do,

and experience for the job, while also

practices for creating environments that can disrupt the norms, and

organisation.

We operate as a cultural enterprise,

ACCOMPLICE is interested in the best

• Boundary crossing programming

Dedicated to creating outcomes that have real impact, measured through: • Qualitative artist and audience feedback, • Quantitative collection of key statistics, • Partnership brokerage mapping of development and maintenance of

committed to bridging experience

that captures current needs and

partnerships and relationships with

gaps for creatives living in the regions

utilises emerging and future

a focus on deep listening and long-

and those in cities looking to gain

partnerships.

term partnership growth.

experience in a regional context.

2018 Annual Review

ACCOMPLICE was born out of a desire to reimagine the structure of cultural organisations, moving away from the traditional format.

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Singapore Pushkar

Programs and Projects Northern Territory Travelling Film Festival (the appear in order) Garrmalang/Darwin, Rockhole, Ntaria, Areyonga, Mparntwe/Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Elliott, Borroloola, Beswick, Nitmiluk National Park, Minyerri, Ngukurr, Kakadu National Park – Jabiru, Gunbulyana, Palmerston, Nhulunbuy

Nona and Me Garrmalang/Darwin, Sydney, Yirrkala

Tropical Kitchen Kunnurra, Melbourne, Singapore, Melbourne, Cairns, Garrmalang/Darwin

Pub Choir Brisbane, Garrmalang/Darwin

Residencies Weniki Residency Garrmalang/Darwin and Melbourne

Raju Residency Pushkar and Garrmalang/Darwin

Matthew Residency Amsterdam and Garrmalang/Darwin

Holly Residency Melbourne, Mparntwe/Alice springs, Katherine, Garrmalang/Darwin

Ben Residency Garrmalang/Darwin, Wurrumiyanga (Nguiu), Sydney, Melbourne

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Amsterdam

Wurrumiyanga (Nguiu)

Nitmiluk Katherine Minyerri

Nhulunbuy Gunbulyana Palmerston Jabiru, Kakadu Beswick Ngukurr Borroloola

Kunnanara

Cairns elliot Tennant Creek Garrmalang/Darwin Ntaria

Mparntwe/Alice spring

Areyonga

Brisbane

Sydney

2018 Annual Review

Melbourne

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Connecting with Northern Australia Northern Territory cultural experience should be as unique as the people, culture and landscapes that make up the place!

The most powerful thing about the

Holly Macdonald has been visiting the

boundaries. The outcome was Finding

Northern Territory Film Festival is

Territory for the last three years to visit

North a transitory residency over

that the inimitable stories of NT

her sister who works as a linguist in

three months spending time with

people, landscapes and places are

the remote central desert community

Watch This Space in Mpartnwe/Alice

shared, with those who the stories

Yuendumu. In 2017, she undertook a

Springs, Katherine Regional Arts in

are about. Territorians get to see

10-day residency with ACCOMPLICE

Katherine, and ACCOMPLICE Arts

themselves reflected back to them on

Art Space delivering a two-day public

Space in Darwin.

the big screen. In the inaugural year,

workshop and begun the exploration of

remote Aboriginal communities and

a new body of work.

an event that has quickly become

Audiences imaginations were

Through this ACCOMPLICE Creative

a national treasure to Garrmalang/

captured by the festival; building on

Director, Britt Guy, and Holly began

Darwin in July. An audience of 800

the NT fables of the adventures that

to explore the notion of creating a

sung their hearts out under a sky of

awaits out bush while building a more

body of work that responded to the

stars at the iconic Ski Club. This event

nuanced story of Aboriginal culture,

contemporary landscape of the NT

had a quintessential local vibe and

connection to country and the diverse

with a focus on sharing practice

was a great chance for ACCOMPLICE

people that make up the NT.

across social, locality and cultural

to extend its community reach.

“My experience at ACCOMPLICE allowed me to share my emerging practice in a safe and nurtured way. I loved that I could include my family in the process and share the tastes of my ancestors with the Darwin community.”

Resident artist – Lia Pa’apa’a

2018 Annual Review

tourists alike celebrated the program.

ACCOMPLICE brought Pub Choir

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There is a filmmaking fervour in Ngukurr and it’s being sparked by the big screen magic of the NTTFF.Stories from community told by community in the languages of community in a cinema under the stars – it’s majestic.

Courtney Collins - Ngukurr Story Projects

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Community Capacity Building Desired new skills and experiences

Creative Director, Britt Guy, curated

Highly successful writing group Write

are identified within three key groups

and presented on a panel as part of

Now delivered in partnership with

– emerging filmmakers, established

national regional arts conference

StoryProjects and NT Writers Centre

filmmakers and young people; current

Artlands. The panel: Contemporary

was in 2018, creatively producer by

local equipment is audited and existing

Best Practice in the Remote explored

Shele Parker which saw in 2018, the

internal or external desired film

the juxtaposition between the concept

program employ a local writer to host

professional development facilitator

of the remote and contemporary arts

the monthly session providing insight

identified. Based on this a bespoke

practice through case studies from

into their practice and kicking off the

program of workshops, industry

WA artist Alana Hunt, NT curator Britt

session with writing tasks. This group

knowledge sharing and masterclasses

Guy, NT dance artist Frankie Snowdon

continues to grow and has become an

are created and delivered in the lead

and NSW artist Holly Macdonald. The

invaluable part of the creative ecology

up to the festival. The outcomes are

panel’s conversation focused on the

for artists and community.

then screened on the big screen at the

highly innovative way that art is being

NT Travelling Film Festival and were a

conceived, made and presented in a

highlight of the program.

remote context.

2018 Annual Review

The Northern Territory Travelling Film Festival’s community workshop program is uniquely designed in each community in partnership with key local arts and community organisations, local filmmakers and schools.

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Developing art with audiences and artists ACCOMPLICE’s yearly program varies but its desire to connect audiences and artists never waivers. Into 2018 we delivered public workshops throughout the year with visiting, local and resident artists in Darwin/Garrmalang and across the NT. We delivered 30 workshops with 450 participants with 90% of workshops fully booked.

Our residency program grew this

artists and collaborator. The residency

cultures. This project was grown out

year, with funding through Australia

culminated in a weeklong evolving

of a desire to produce and tour work

Council, a program of local and visiting

exhibition and artist talk.

uniquely created for Northern Territory remote venues and audiences,

projects over two to three week periods.

We also began the development of

particular young people. ACCOMPLICE

Weniki Hensch Residency – Unpeeling

award winning young adults book

seeks to create high quality work for

Perceptions explored the theme

Nona and Me by Clare Atkins into a

NT young people that speaks to them,

of adoption. Weniki was adopted,

performance work. Nona and Me is

and reflects back their stories, while

virtually at birth, from one culture into

set in Yirrkala and is about Nona, an

at the same time creating a magical

another. Though she physically left her

Aboriginal teenager and her childhood

theatrical experience that develop their

birthplace and home of her ancestors,

friend Rosa, a non Aboriginal teenager

relationship with art.

spiritually it remained with her. Friend

growing up with the political backdrop

and fellow artist Lisa Waup joined her

of the intervention, and the personal

for part of this residency as a co-

back drop of coming of age across two

“Our discussions manifested into visual pieces of connection – the more we learnt about each other, the greater the visual interconnections.”

Resident artist – Lisa Waup

2018 Annual Review

residencies researched and developed

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“Darwin itself offered up no shortage of subject matter to inspire my object making and extend research into how specific objects mediate an experience and understanding of place.

A faded blue water tower, voluptuous salmon gum leaves, a fire work burst of colour in an orange blossom, insistent gusts of wind animating the pleats of fanning palm fronds in all shades of green. These are some of the objects, colours and gestures that have stayed with me long after and far away from my residency at ACCOMPLICE.�

Holly Macdonald Transitory Residency Artist

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“The technique is very detailed. It’s amazing the way the different designs overlay onto each other, and everybody using the same few blocks and four colours have made something completely different,”

2018 Annual Review

Traditional Indian Block Print Workshop Participant – Sarah Smith

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Cross Cultural Collaboration Ben Graetz is a local Garrmalang/

community conversations, and

Raju Rathi, a textile artist and small

Darwin man and is a descendant of

general community conversations.

business owner from Pushkar, India

the Iwaidja and Malak Malak Clans

These activities culminated in a

also undertook a residency this

in the Northern Territory and of Badu

week at Wurrumiyanga/Nguiu on

year, exploring traditional textiles

Island on the Torres Strait Islands of

Bathurst Island, part of the Tiwi

methods. Meeting with Aboriginal

Australia. He undertook a residency

Island screening the film about

artists and art centres in the Top

with key collaborators Tiwi Sista Girls

Miss First Nations – Black Divazs,

End. As part of his time in residency

- Shaun aka Shaniqua Kerinaiua and

a night of Drag Bingo and the first

he presented Traditional Indian

Crystal Love which began to explore

Tiwi Sista Gals show at the Nguiu

Block Print workshops, which saw

the lived experience of Indigenous

Club. This project will continue

participant create their own fabric

LGBTIQA+ people, particularly those

over coming years continuing to

using traditional methods and

living in remote NT communities.

create opportunities for Indigenous

handcrafted wooden blocks. This

This project in 2018 saw the team

LGBTIQA+ to explore their identity,

special opportunity to share unique

undertake filmed interviews, elder

share their stories and connect with

cultural skills with local artists and

consultation, development of

their families, communities and

the general public has become part of

performance numbers, LGBTIQA+

multicultural Australia.

what ACCOMPLICE is known for.

2018 Annual Review

ACCOMPLICE draws inspiration and collaborations from neighbouring Asian countries and from remote Aboriginal communities across the NT.

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Hills Hoist Studios This year we ran our program from

The space morphed regularly to

Bank Masterclass by Adam Seymour,

95 Gardens Road, behind the iconic

support the needs of creative ideas

international premiere of durational

Mayfair Gallery managed by the equally

from independent artists and creatives.

reading of social commentary work

iconic David Collins. Having a pre-

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Cup of Nun Chai by Alana Hunt plus

Cyclone Tracy elevated home to share

A highlight of the 2018 program was a

a program of workshops and talks

with local and visiting artists was a

reimagining of one of ACCOMPLICE’s

in partnership with Charles Darwin

very special way to create a uniquely

key programs - Tropical Kitchen. This

Universities Science at Sunset program.

Garrmalang/Darwin space for research,

year it became a ten-day curated

This event transported Garrmalang/

creation and many a welcome meal.

program of events during Darwin

Darwin locals into a casual world of

Fringe Festival. The program included

food, drinks and culture throughout the

Hills Hoist Studios was formed

two residencies with food artists

fringe. Creating an ephemeral space for

mid-year to support and manage the

Sam Chablani and Lia Pa’apa’a,

the growing culture and thinking around

range of artists, projects and creative

presentation of internationally

food and place.

companies that call the space home.

renowned performance work Wank

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2018 Annual Review

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timeline February Autobiographical Stories of the Tummy Workshop

March NT Travelling Film Festival Launch Ben Graetz’s Indigenous LGBTIQA+ Residency

May Traditional Textiles Residency and Hand Block Printing Workshop Story of My Life Documentary Photography Workshop Smack Attack - Wish Upon a Jellyfish Weaving Workshop

February-March Weniki Hensch's Unpeeling Perceptions - Work in Progress Showing exploring Adoption Residency and Artist Talk

April Become a Pickle Master Workshop Become a BBQ Legend Workshop Ben Graetz’s Indigenous LGBTIQA+ Residency

May-June Finding North Transitory Residency and Clay Body - Ceramic Jewellery Workshop

NT Travelling Film Festival Launch Tour and Workshop program

July

darwin fringe festival

Hills Hoist Studio Launch

Cups of Nun Chai Durational Reading

Ben Graetz’s Indigenous LGBTIQA+ Residency

Wild Remembering Performance and Installation

Pub Choir

W@nk Bank Masterclass Performance

September Artlands Panel - Contemporary Best Practice in the Remote

Science at Sunset Conversation: Catch, Cook, Experiment with sustainable seafood Science at Sunset Conversation: In the Hands of Women

Polymer Jewellery Workshop

Tropical Kitchen: Plant Based Native Residency

Matthew Day Choreographic Residency

Tropical Kitchen: Singapore BBQ Residency

Ben Graetz’s Indigenous LGBTIQA+ Residency “Ben Graetz’s Indigenous LGBTIQA+ Tiwi Program including Black Divas Screening, Drag Queen Bingo, and Cabaret Performance”

October

November

Nona & Me Development

Stitched Drawing Workshop

Ongoing Write Now

2018 Annual Review

Screen Printing Workshop and Pattern School

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Looking Forward In 2018 we were very proud of the work we made in partnership with artists, communities and organisations.

We honed in on our expertise, values

For children and young people we are

and where we found real joy in

planning a program that celebrates the

the work we do. We are excited to

imagination of young people and the

show these off as we partner with

unique outdoor spaces that make up our

local companies Party Passport

tropical home.

and Darwin Production Services to produce the Opening and Closing

For the over 16+ an idiosyncratic

Celebrations of the locally loved

program is imagined which will celebrate

Arafura Games.

the Build Up our awkwardly sweaty but for locals a well loved change in not only

As we look to 2019 we will continue to build depth into our established residency program and

NT Travelling Film Festival will grow to

produced work by creating uniquely

visit more remote audiences and build

Garrmalang/Darwin opportunities

multi day programs at iconic tourist

to share research, development and

sites, which include exciting NT features.

outcomes with our audiences.

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the weather but the pace of the year.

Accomplices Partners and Funders Airnorth Alice City Council Artback NT Australia Council for the Arts Bains Freight Barkly Regional Arts Barkly Regional Council Borroloola School Browns Mart Theatre Central Cars Rental City of Darwin City of Palmerston Colemans Printing Darwin Film Society Darwin Fringe Festival Darwin Production Services Darwin Waterfront Darwin Film Society Deckchair Cinema Djilpin Arts Dreamedia Food not Bombs Gilbert Freights

Gove Film Society Hermannsburg Potters Aboriginal Cooperation Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel Kakadu Tourism Katherine Regional Arts Live Arts Mpartnwe/Alice Macdonnell Regional Council Areyonga Ngukurr Arts Centre Ngukurr Language Centre Ngukurr Story Projects Nitmiluk Tours Northline NT Airport NT Major Events Corporation NT News NT Tourism NT Writers Centre Ntaria Youth Centre Off the Leash Office Gossip Palmerston City Council

Party Passport Power and Water Semi Pro Brewing Co Screen Territory Skinnyfish/Barunga Festival StoryProjects Tangentyere Artists Tennant Creek High School Tennant Creek Primary School The Gove Arts Theatre Tiwi Council Waralungku Arts Centre Watch This Space West Arnhem Regional Council Gunbalanya Wgularr School

Creatives and Collaborators Jamie Lewis Jett Street Jill Pope Johanna Bell Julie Blyth Karunika Premaratne Kat Byron Lara Davis and Jess Wright HOMEWORK Lia Pa’apa’a - Plant Based Native Lisa Pellegrino aka Pina Marina and Rocky Lisa Waup Lloyd Beck Maria Reynolds, Lee Frank and Lured team Matt Garrick, Mark Roy and Sumatra team Matthew Day Matthew Van Roden Meg Bartholomew Meg Nicolson Mike Hilburger - Picklehead Pickles and Shank Brothers Molly Coombs Marr Naina Sen Nathaniel Kelly and After Tracy team Nik Lachajczak and Bakala team

Phil Dean Walford Rachal Van Wyk Rachael Wellisch Raju Nitmla Rathi Robert Smith Sam Chablani Sandar Tun Shane Phillips Shaun Kerinaiu aka Shaniqua Shele Parker Tamara Howie Tara Hobbs Terrah Guymala and The Greedy Emu team Waveney Yasso Weniki Hensch White Cockatoo Dancers Will Tinapple and Snowdrops team Yvette Brady

2018 Annual Review

Adam Seymour - Rural Ranga Adele Pedder Alana Hunt Aly De Groot Amy Hetherington Astrid Jorgensen Ben Graetz aka Miss Elaneous Bernd Neumann Crystal Love David Collins Danielle Maclean and Carry the Flag team Duane Preston Dylan River and Finding Maawirrangga and Nulla Nulla teams Elizabeth Martin Emma Lupin - Taste of the Top End Emma Gardner Frankie Snowdon Gavin Shephard Georgia Beach Helen Orr HotLips Tipungwuti Holly Macdonald Jane Fox Jane Hampson, Dixi Joy Bankier and Deadline team

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