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ArtsMildura 2013-2017 Business Plan
Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival
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Murray River International Music Festival Mildura Writers Festival Mildura Palimpsest Biennale Jazz Food & Wine Festival Wallflower Photomedia Gallery
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CONTENTS !
Message from ArtsMildura Board Chairman, Ross Lake ArtsMildura: A Creative Past — An Inspiring Future
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Mildura Writers Festival Palimpsest Murray River International Music Festival Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival Mildura Jazz Food & Wine Festival Wallflower Photomedia Gallery
2013-2017 Strategic Context
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Marketing Sponsorship Management
2013-2017 Financial Planning & Budgets The Future of ArtsMildura
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All images in this document represent the history, programming, and artistic direction and community impact of ArtsMildura. Care has been taken to utilise only images commissioned by Arts Mildura Inc for the various festivals. Below: The annual River Party at Nowingi Place, a tradition that opens the MIldura Wentworth Arts Festival, brings
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“Mildura understands, as do many other towns battling climate change, drought, and an embattled global economy, that art is not a dispensable item in the survival pack. This town is providing an essential model for the role of art—not only in isolated regional centres—but for the whole of the country. When times are tough, the soul needs art even more—and I’m not talking just about entertainment. I’m talking about the Arts.” Robyn Archer, 2009 Manning Clarke Lecture
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MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR !! !!
With this our 19th year of operation ArtsMildura is approaching a few important milestones. I can well recall when this March Festival was the sum of our operations, but today it forms only one of five major festivals and ancillary events that ArtsMildura create, promote and facilitate.
This document represents a timely reconsideration of our goals and purpose across those five festivals and our newly created Wallflower gallery. I believe the arts play an important role in creating communities which are proud, aspirational and achieving.
Our enduring sponsors, staff and volunteers continue to amaze me with their vigor and enthusiasm to keep this organisation running—adding to Mildura's rich current and past engagement with art in all its forms.
This five year strategy document continues the tradition of long-term planning that allows us to reconsider and review the operations, cast some indicative budgets of our organisation, and hopefully envisage events that have a bit of everything for anyone. So if you want to get out in the balmy late summer for our March festival or sit and enjoy the Writers Festival in the depths of winter—listening to and chatting with visiting international and well known Australian authors and poets—you can.
I was particularly pleased to see some emphasis on Wentworth this year, as this community—and in particular the Community Bank at Wentworth—have been strong long term supporters of ArtsMildura.
Our continuing collaborations with Mildura Arts Centre and a wealth of Mildura-based creative community partnerships is also pleasing to see. The brand new performing arts centre (now home to Australia’s youngest 21st century proscenium theatre) is a fabulous addition to the arts infrastructure in the Mallee.
As we look ahead, ArtsMildura gives thanks to our major sponsors—Mildura Rural City Council, LaTrobe University and Arts Victoria—without whose consistent support our festivals, exhibitions and programming would not be possible.
IN closing, I invite you—friends and family both near and far—to join us for many more years of wonderful cultural events, free performances and creative experiences, and community opportunities available nowhere else in Australia.
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Ross Lake, Chairman ArtsMildura Board of Directors
“ArtsMildura is a vital thread binding our community together. It engages people of all ages through a wonderful range of events enriching our lives”.
Ron Povey
! “The 2012 Jazz Food & Wine Festival was the biggest crowd we have ever had for live music. It was a brilliant night, as Langtree Avenue came alive with the arts—yet another sign that ArtsMildura is helping revitalise the town!”
Joseph Carrazza The Pizza Café
ARTS MILDURA !
A !! Creative Past — An Inspiring Future ! Our Mission: to explore and celebrate our unique regional identity through the provision of diverse arts experiences.
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Our Vision: To develop unique arts programs that engage our community in cultural experiences across all art forms and to ensure opportunities for creative growth that enrich individual lives, the future of the region and create a perception of the uniqueness and diversity of rural and regional Victoria.
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Robyn Archer, in her 2009 Manning Clark Address, said of ArtsMildura that our organisation and its work “demonstrates the key role of the arts, not as a luxury sideline, but as a pursuit that is central to life.”
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And we take that to heart. ArtsMildura is an important asset in the fabric of our community and the quality of life in Northwest Victoria. Our festivals, programs and events have become anticipated highlights, well supported by locals and visitors alike, demonstrating the role that art and cultural experiences play in communities. As it looks ahead, ArtsMildura will ensure this tradition continues,
and our board, staff, artists and partners will expand the ways we come together to celebrate, encourage creativity, build resilience and a sense of community, showcase the best of regional Victoria and generate new opportunities for economic growth.
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In looking ahead at the next five years, ArtsMildura sees great new potential for the creative life of our community —a genuine role for the Arts to act as an engine for renewal. We see opportunities for engagement with global networks that reduce isolation and the tyranny of distance, and foster sense of place.
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At our core, more than 150 arts events are delivered each year, enhanced by an ongoing program of workshops and master-classes with internationally renowned artists, musicians, writers and performers.
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We are proud of our history of promoting opportunities for local and regional artists, delivering quality cultural events, and attracting high calibre creative producers to engage with this region, ArtsMildura, over the next five years, will help define resilience in regional Victoria.
As part of the 2013 Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival, ArtsMildura partnered with Melbourne’s Syzygy Ensemble to invite local musicians to perform on stage at the new Mildura Arts Centre theatre. Dozens answered the call, and following a series of workshops and masterclasses, Australia’s newest performing arts venue was filled with contemporary music.
! “Arts Mildura is a creative, professional and enthusiastic group who work with volunteers and interested community and business people to source and promote a broad range of extraordinary events in our region throughout the year” Anne Hederics Artback Australia!
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ArtsMildura actively engages hundreds of artists, musicians, writers and performers from diverse backgrounds each year. Commissioned site specific works and public creativity—all based on the unique qualities of life in our region—promote regional Victoria as a centre of expression and innovation. More than 500 new works across all art forms have been created by ArtsMildura as the result of its festivals and programming. Many of the new works created have achieved an international profile—and poets, sculptors, choreographers and media artists continue to find inspiration and cultural import in the artistic support and creative platforms we provide.
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Our audience, drawn from three states and a vast and remote geographic area, has grown and diversified— thanks to our ongoing efforts to engage the community, media, and new audiences. Many events now experience capacity crowds—with more than half the audience drawn from outside the region.
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The 2012 Jazz Food and Wine Festival, under the helm of new ArtsMildura Executive Director Paul Lambeth, had the strongest audience participation in recent years, with
more than 3,000 people attending its twenty-six separate events. Innovative creative outreach projects, such as the the Syzygy master-classes and community orchestra workshops for the 2013 Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival, brought hundreds of new people into the fold.
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The previous ArtsMildura five year plan saw a strong focus on organisational capacity, establishing a strong governance framework, and further developing sponsorships and funding opportunities with key partners. It placed a focus on consolidating the ArtsMildura corporate brand as one entity underpinning our five festivals and programming. We’ll continue this integration and refine our collective identity over the next five years— solidifying ArtsMildura as Australia’s most dynamic, diverse, and interesting regional arts organisation.
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With strong governance and good management in place, and a diverse funding now base providing important annual operating and program resources, ArtsMildura is well placed to build on its strengths over the coming years. Our board, staff, and partners will continue to develop creative outreach, new programming, and audience engagement efforts to maximise our identity as a creative hub for regional Victoria.
A recent installation for Palimpsest by Victorian artist Anthony Pelchen
! “As an artist working in a regional area, ArtsMildura is a vital connector in the arts network both state and nationwide. It provides encouragement, opportunity, stimulating programming and good conversation when the studio becomes isolating.�
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Filomena Coppola Visual Artist!
! ! !! New Directions for the Future !
ARTS MILDURA In 2012 ArtsMildura entered a new phase with the appointment of a new Executive Director, Paul Lambeth. Since then—with careful board and staff development— exciting new developments have been added to our calendar, and interesting new partnerships have been forged for our future. These will continue to strengthen our programing, expand our capacity for innovation, and broaden our community engagement.
In developing a long-term plan for the future, our board and new director have placed a distinct focus on the strength of the organisation’s creative profile, the ability for the arts to drive economic development, and the increasing need for social sustainability. In addition, we’ve identified five key strategic focus areas for ArtsMildura’s next five years:
The most recent addition to ArtsMildura’s creative programming has been the 2012 establishment of Wallflower Photomedia Gallery. In its first year Wallflower staged ten exhibitions with more than 20 regional, national and international artists taking part.
I. celebrating the unique strengths of our artistic heritage and regional location
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II. reaffirming the vibrancy, intimacy and depth of our festival programming which set them apart from larger metropolitan extravaganzas
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III. developing strategic alliances and partnerships with national and international organisations to increase our capacity, relevance and reach nationally and internationally
The appointment of Paul Lambeth, has also provided an opportunity to review the core business of ArtsMildura, our strengths and weaknesses, and refocus the organisation on new opportunities for the future. ArtsMildura will continue the organisational principles of continuous improvement and excellence, to build on the strengths of existing arts programs, to innovate and extend creative engagement with the arts, and to further establish Mildura as a cultural hub in regional Victoria.
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Innovation around a core set of highly successful established events, creating new opportunities, and forging sustainability through new partnerships has been the hall-mark of 2012 and will continue to be key themes in the next five years.
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IV. expanding opportunities for community engagement, renewal and capacity building through the arts in our broader regional community
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V. developing and diversifying our audiences regionally, nationally and internationally by taking advantage of new technologies and growing trends in eco and arts tourism.
Mildura’s main restaurant district, Langtree Avenue it overtaken annual for the Feast Street Party, a regular aspects of Arts Mildura’s Jazz Food and Wine Festival. The 2012 installment was the largest gathering yet, as the reputation continues to grow across the region and country. Above right: Marli Wilde, lead singer of the Sydney-based band, Beaten Bodies, thrills the festival crowd.
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ARTS MILDURA ArtsMildura creates and delivers a diverse annual arts program across five major festivals and continues to develop a range of ongoing outreach and audience engagement projects.
Murray River International Music Festival (January/February) – classical music
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Since its inception in 1994, ArtsMildura has grown from one small weekend arts festival, to an annual suite of major cultural celebrations across all art forms. And in 2012, we added added the Wallflower Photomedia Gallery as a year-round site for exhibition programming.
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With such a breadth of activity, our mission in the next five year period is to remain focussed on these core events, while creating new arts experiences that are engaging, entertaining, meaningful and transformative. Going forward ArtsMildura will build on the strengths of our five festivals and new gallery space, develop sustainable models for program delivery, and ensure that the quality and diversity of arts experiences attracts regional, national and international attention.
Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival (March) – performing arts, youth music, community arts Mildura Writers Festival (July) - poets, writers, and literary artists Mildura Palimpsest Biennale (September/October) – visual site specific arts Mildura Jazz Food and Wine Festival (November) – traditional jazz and live music Wallflower Photomedia Gallery (year round) – monthly exhibitions of global digital media art, in the heart of Mildura’s downtown
! ! ! ArtsMildura’s approach is based on creatively transforming challenges into strengths. Our greatest challenge is remote location and geographic isolation. Based in the far north west of Victoria, ArtsMildur’s production costs are higher, with less choice, than those in urban communities. Remoteness limits resources and can cause inward looking communities to be unresponsive to the pace of change in contemporary Australia. Often, our work helps to highlight critical new ideas, forms of expression and the use of technology. Over the next five years, we will actively use the arts to provide a powerful tonic of ideas, creative solutions and fresh energy in support of the future of our region.
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Remoteness is also our strength. The region and its creative reputation holds a strong attraction for artists and creative people—and our aim is to build on this strength to create unique arts experiences that intrigue regional, national and international audiences and artists alike. ArtsMildura festivals and events have grown to world-wide acclaim, attracting renowned creatives such as Clive James (UK), Interpretti Veneziani (Italy), Stelarc (Australia/international), Kate Jennings (Australia/US), Paul Carter (Australia), Domenico de Clario (Australia) Chim↑Pom (Japan) and many others.
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In the next five year period, ArtsMildura will focus on building new partnerships nationally and internationally to develop audiences with strong loyalty and engagement with our programs. And we will forge dynamic new connections between artists and our remote sense of place in rural Victoria.
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Benefits to Regional Victoria It is estimated that the five ArtsMildura festivals contribute over $8 million to the Mildura region, and the Victorian economy, each year.
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Promotion of ArtsMildura events throughout the year— through our active media and promotions campaigns— helps raise the profile and desirability of our community as a creative place and a distinctive destination for visitors from near and far.
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Tourism and hospitality providers are direct beneficiaries of a thriving Festival scene, as are local businesses that supply services and venues to our many events. The flow on effect of this additional income, which is spread across a very broad cross-section of the community, is difficult to fully estimate.
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With its ambitious slate of festivals and events, ArtsMildura is actively building community capacity, creating employment and career development opportunities, and offering world class educational programs for our youth. Most of these opportunities would be otherwise unavailable in our region and are outlined in more detail under the Strategic Context section.
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Environmental factors such as drought, floods and locusts have created great hardship in our agricultural economy. Yet the community remains strong and firmly committed to a thriving involvement with the arts. This social benefit should not be underestimated, as it is part of the glue that keeps our region connected and together.
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Program Quality and Experience Each of our five arts festivals is linked by the common threads of program excellence, community participation and innovation in the arts. Each is presented in spectacular natural environments, accompanied by warm country hospitality and outstanding regional food and wine. This regional flavour and the sense of place we give our audiences, combines with nationally and internationally acclaimed artists to create the unique and intimate arts experiences that only ArtsMildura can offer.
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Writers Festival
The Mildura Writers Festival, with celebrated Australian poet Les Murray as its patron, has become known as one of the nation’s most enjoyable literary events. Each season is renowned for its literary pleasures, the talent it attracts, and an atmosphere of spirited conviviality. Held during the mild provincial Victorian winter, with late night discussions around wood fires, the atmosphere is conducive to conversation and to showcasing the best of Victoria’s regional food and wine. The festival is timed to address a gap in the region’s tourism trade and has strong support from local traders and restaurateurs. The audience of up to 2,500 people is equally divided between members of the regional community and attendees traveling from the cities of Adelaide, Melbourne, Bendigo, Ballarat and Sydney.
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In 2012 ArtsMildura built on the existing partnership with Vassar College in the United States to bring emerging American writer Liz Moore to Mildura (with generous assistance from the U.S. Embassy). This exchange proved fruitful for audiences and VCE students at Mildura Senior Secondary College, who enjoyed workshops with talented established writers. In 2013 we will again invite an emerging American writer to be a cornerstone of the
season, and have begun the process of extending this trans-pacific friendship to other festivals in our calendar.
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Mildura Writers Festival Program Overview Annual Audiences: Over 2,500 Annual Production Budget: $51,000 Number of events: 18
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Artistic Direction: Professor Paul Kane, Vassar College 2013 Participating Artists: Frank Moorhouse, Les Murray, Jane Smiley (USA) Don Watson, Chloe Hooper, Lisa Jacobson, Michele Leggott (NZ), Craig Sherborne
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Major Sponsors: Arts Victoria, Australian Government, La Trobe University, Sunraysia Institute of TAFE and Mildura Rural City Council.
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Future Program Dates 18th - 21st July 2013 (confirmed) 17th - 20th July 2014 16th - 19th July 2015 14th - 17th July 2016 20th - 23rd July 2017
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Mildura Palimpsest Biennale Mildura Palimpsest Biennale is the most important and innovative visual arts event in regional Australia. Our exhibitions of site specific works represent the highest standard of artistic excellence, created to reflect on the cultural and natural environment of this region. These installations, intimately based on the land, promote regional Victoria as a centre of creativity and continue a tradition of contemporary art-making in our region.
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Over its history, Mildura’s Palimpsest Biennale has involved more than 400 artists to make work about our unique sense of place—often addressing environment and social sustainability. Staff and participants work closely with the region’s indigenous community, particularly through Indigenous Park Officers and the Elders Council of Lake Mungo National Park.
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Over the past 20 years, Palimpsest has gained a national reputation and an international stature with artists and visual arts institutions. This coming season, Professor Yutaka Kobayashi, an internationally acclaimed environmental artist, will undertake a 12 month residency with ArtsMildura, in order to create a community based, site-specific work for Palimpsest #10. A local sponsor has been secured to provide housing and studio for Professor Kobayashi and his family during his residency in rural Victoria.
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For Palimpsest #9 in late 2013, Los Angeles-based curator Shamim Momin (former co-curator of the Whitney Biennial in New York) has been invited as keynote speaker. Her presence will begin new connections with international artists and curators, helping ArtsMildura establish stronger links to the international arts community.
! Mildura Palimpsest Biennale Program Overview Annual Audiences: Over 2,900 Annual Production Budget: $93,900 Number of events: 40-100
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Curator: Helen Vivian Assistant Curator (student mentorship), Rohan Morris 2013 Participating Artists: Miska Henner, (UK, Brussels) Juan Ford (Aust), Ash Keating (Aust), Filomena Coppola (Aust), Bindi Cole (Aust), Lena Obergfell (Germany, Aust), Domenico de Clario (Italy, Aust) Christopher Williams (Aust), Fabrice de Nola (Italy), Chaco Kato (Aust, Japan), Shamim Momin (USA), Yutaka Kobayashi (Japan) and many local and regional artists.
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Primary Event Venues: Various site specific venues. Major Sponsors / Arts Victoria, Australian Government, La Trobe University, Sunraysia Institute of TAFE and Mildura Rural City Council.
Five-year strategies include international promotion, in hopes of capturing the growing art-tourism market. Networking with international biennales will be another focus, and we’ll continue our exploration of technology and digital tools for artists and audiences.
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For the first time during Palimpsest #8, all participating local and regional artists were paid a professional artist’s fee (as opposed to the earlier practice of paying only visiting artists). A student mentorship program was introduced in 2011, and has been expanded in 2013 with an Assistant Curator role. Leading Australian art schools also nominate a promising postgraduate student to take part in Palimpsest—resulting in strong partnerships with Australian Universities.
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Future Program Dates 4th - 7th October 2013, Palimpsest #9, (confirmed) September/ October 2015, Palimpsest #10 September/October 2017, Palimpsest #11
! “Mildura Palimpsest is a unique Biennale distinct from all others, full of surprises and depth. Mildura is such a beautiful location, it has a powerful sense of place and an important artistic and indigenous history.�
Professor Maudie Palmer AO former inaugural Director Tarrawarra Museum of Art and Heide Museum of Modern Art
Murray River International Music Festival ! ! !
The Murray River International Music Festival presents beautiful music in heavenly locations. ArtsMildura partnered with artistic director Sergio de Pieri in 2003 to build on a strong regional connection between Mildura and Italy. The fine music festival was created with internationally renowned Italian and Australian classical musicians traveling to audiences in remote locations along the Murray River. Each day of the three week program provides for world class performances combined with master-classes, VCE workshops and school visits. ArtsMildura partners with the Ballarat Organs of Goldfields, Brunswick Festival and St Johns Adelaide Festival, allowing the four festivals to share the costs of hosting world-class musicians thus allowing the effective programming and budgeting of this event as well as its ongoing viability.
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Festival Program Overview Annual Audiences: Over 2,500 Annual Production Budget: $50,000 Number of events: 16-20
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Artistic Direction: Sergio di Pieri, Domenico di Pieri 2013 Participating Artists: Luigi Fracasso, Claudia Lopez, Gianfranco Bortolato, Michele Benuzzi, Luca Magni, Simone Valeri, Miwako Abe, Anthony Halliday.
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Primary Event Venues: Various indoor and outdoor regional venues. Major Sponsors: Arts Victoria, Australian Government, La Trobe University and Sunraysia Institute of TAFE. Future Program Dates 21st January - 3rd February 2013 (confirmed) 20th January - 2nd February 2014 19th January - 1st February 2015 18th January - 31st January 2016 23rd January - 5th February 2017
A promotional image from the 2009 Murray River International Music Festival. The annual multi-site season, directed by Maestro Sergio di Pieri, brings together some of the world’s best classical musicians, who share their brilliant artistry with communities from Ouyen to Swan Hill.
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Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival ! ! !
The Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival is one of Australia’s leading regional arts festivals and has been recognised with Major Festival Status and three year funding by both Arts Victoria and Mildura Rural City Council. The festival offers a rich and vibrant program for the whole community including performing arts, youth concerts, visual arts exhibitions, workshops, theatre, Big Screen outdoor cinema, music, fashion, street art, and comedy – all in a diverse range of venues showcasing the unique landscapes, natural beauty and rich heritage of the Mildura district and regional Victoria. Including ticketed and free events and a program with a broad appeal to all age groups and socio-economic and cultural groups, the festival has a broad audience drawn mainly from regional Victoria. The festival provides the opportunity for local talent to perform and engage with international and national performers and artists and conducts a variety or music, performance, dance and composition workshops in local schools. The festival celebrates our community and generates pride, provides challenging and uplifting art experiences and contributes considerably to the regional economy from visitors.
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Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival Program Overview Annual Audiences: Over 15,000 Annual Production Budget: $110,000 Number of events: 40
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Artistic Direction: Kim Chalmers 2013 Participating Artists: SYZYGY, Fleur Elise Noble, Kevin Kropinyeri, Legends of Kung Fu, Tristan Louth Robbins, Saskwatch, Anita Laurence, Geoffrey Ricardo, Filomena Coppola, Georgia Metaxis, Juhani Koivumaski, Lisa Miller Band, Raymond Crowe, The Welders Dog, Sweet Jean, Kelly Menhennett, Sidonie Henbest, Lily & The Drum and The Birds and the Boys.
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Primary Event Venues include: Nowingi Place, Wharf lawns Wentworth, Mildura Arts Centre, Old Mildura Homestead lawns and the Brewery Club Theatre.
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Major Sponsors: Arts Victoria, La Trobe University, Sunraysia TAFE, Mildura Rural City Council, Wentworth Shire Council, Wentworth and District Bendigo Bank and Besen Family Foundation.
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Future Program Dates 28th February - 17th March 2013 (confirmed) 27th February - 10th March 2014 26th February - 9th March 2015 3rd March - 14th March 2016 4th March - 13th March 2017
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The Perry Sandhills outdoor event, part of the Wentworth-based programming of Arts Mildura’s March Festival, takes over the iconic landscape and brings families and music-lovers together for one of the region’s largest cultural events.
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“Arts Mildura has proven itself to be the cultural engine of the Loddon Mallee region�
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Jan van Schaik MvS Architects
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Mildura Jazz Food & Wine Festival The Mildura Jazz Food and Wine Festival, one of the oldest in Australia, celebrated its 33rd year in 2012. With its well-established traditional audience now aging, the challenge for ArtsMildura is to reinvigorate the programming and outreach. The inclusion of emerging, nine-piece, Wollongong band, Beaten Bodies, in 2012 drew a much younger crowd, and began our new efforts to innovate in this direction.
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With our Jazz Food and Wine audiences growing, ArtsMildura will build on this trend over the next five years. Our programming will explore the diverse roots of traditional Jazz (particularly in America) and contemporary jazz developments (particularly in Japan), and continue to diversify audiences. The aim is to create a festival with an authentic heart of traditional jazz and an intense celebration of the diversity of sound that has developed from it.
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With venues including Langtree Avenue’s Feast Street, several local wineries and a host of city based and riverside venues, the music is complemented by regional produce, gourmet food and local wines.
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To expand our music outreach efforts—and continue to build young audiences—jazz workshops covering a range of instruments are conducted at regional schools.
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Jazz, Food & Wine Festival Program Overview Annual Audiences: Over 10,000 Annual Production Budget: $50,000 Number of events: 26, in addition to workshops
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Artistic Direction: ArtsMildura and the River City Jazz Club 2012 Participating Musicans: Maryborough Traditional Jazz Ensemble, Royal Garden Jazz Band, Sam Leske Trio, Lazy Eye, Shirazz, Dixie Street Jazz Band, Don Mayne Trio, Beaten Bodies and Jan Preston.
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Major Sponsors: Arts Victoria, La Trobe University, Sunraysia TAFE, Mildura Rural City Council and PRIME 7.
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Future Program Dates 1st November - 5th November 2013 (confirmed) 31st October - 4th November 2014 30th October - 3rd November 2015 27th October - 1st November 2016 2nd November - 7th November 2017
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Wallflower Photomedia Gallery ! ! ! !
Wallflower Photomedia Gallery at 41 Deakin Avenue, was established in 2012, to establish connections between regional artists and artists from all over the world; build international audiences through connections with international artists and the world wide web; provide networking and career opportunities for local artists; provide world class experiences of global culture every day in our remote corner of the world; and create an open door to ArtsMildura to engage more directly with our community.
New York and was loaned to Melbourne’s Centre for Contemporary Photography by ArtsMildura. Wallflower Photomedia Gallery Program Overview
Wallflower takes advantage of local expertise in this field (curator and digital media artist Kristian Haggblom), and the relative portability of digital media to provide year round exhibitions of digital media arts from all over the world. The artists exhibiting at Wallflower Gallery are selected from international, national and local photographers. The Gallery works closely with La Trobe University Fine Arts program, with students participating in the functioning of the gallery.
International artists: Tomoaki Makino (Japan), Shigeru Takato (USA), Tuomas Laitinen (Finland), Juhani Koivumaki (Finland), Amir Zaki (Germany), Robert Canali (Canada), Geoffrey Pugen (Canada) Australian Artists: John A. Douglas (Sydney) Victorian Artists: Siri Hayes, Christopher Koller, Warwick Baker, Louis Porter, Thomas Breakwell, Katrin Koenning, Sanja Pahoki, Paul Batt and Georgia Metaxas (all Melbourne) Regional Victorian Artists: Kerryn Sylvia, Kirbi Kennewell, Luisa Falivene, Clare Harrison, Laura Freitag, Heather Lee (all Mildura)
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Wallflower presented ten exhibitions in its first year. including the ‘Lost and Found – Memory Project’ an exhibition of photographs collected from the Fukashima ruins following the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan. The exhibition came from Japan via the Magnum Gallery in
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Annual Audiences: Over 2,000 Number of annual exhibitions: 10-12 Curator: Kristian Haggblom Recent Participating Artists
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Major Sponsors: Arts Mildura and Tasco-Inland Australia Future Program Dates
Sin, Juhani Koiumaki, digital video! Opposite page: Mourners #6, by Georgia Metaxas! on view during March 2013!
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STRATEGIC CONTEXT !! !Regional Environment !
Mildura understands, as do many other towns battling climate change, drought, stuff-ups with water and an embattled global economy, that art is not a dispensable item in the survival pack. This town is providing an essential model for the role of art—not only in battling isolated regional centres, but for the whole of the country. When times are tough, the soul needs Art even more—and I’m not talking just about entertainment. I’m talking about the Arts. Why on earth are the arts flourishing in Mildura? —Robyn Archer, 2009 Manning Clarke Lecture The Mildura region extends both sides of the Murray River and incorporates both the Mildura and Wentworth Council Areas. It is a region of geographical diversity and changing landscapes encompassing an immense expanse of inland Australia. From the Murray River to the Mallee national parks and dry land farming districts as well as significant natural assets such as Hattah National Park and the World Heritage listed Willandra Lakes and Mungo National Park.
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With the Murray River at the confluence with the Darling as its border, Mildura provides close access to far West New South Wales and the Riverland regions of South Australia. However, it is a vast and isolated region which in recent years has undergone significant economic hardship. The district produces hundreds of millions of dollars in export revenue through wheat farming and horticultural commodities including dried fruits, olives, grains, vegetables, citrus, table grapes and wine. Positioned near the borders of Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, on the crossroads of transport links between three capital cities and the meeting point of Australia’s two great rivers, the region’s strategic location continues to aid development and provides a distinctive regional flavour. Despite the remote nature of the region, there are significant education and health services including a University and TAFE Institute and a number of hospitals and medical services. The people in our region are culturally diverse, bringing a vibrant street life, with quality local produce and a strong arts contingent, this community presents a unique cosmopolitan feel. The Mildura region’s climate is sunny all year around with mild winters and warm summers.
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! “The energy generated by engagement with the arts promotes leadership and continues to feed the immense social capital which has been built by Arts Mildura. In the midst of great hardship the community continues to look for creative solutions. In doing so we define ourselves differently, asserting our spirit and courage in the face of adversity.�
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Stefano de Pieri
!STRATEGIC
CONTEXT
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Economic Environment While this region’s unique and vast landscape offers an array of settings and opportunities for unique arts experiences it also presents significant challenges, namely additional costs and reduced audiences due to isolation. Distance means significants costs are incurred when traveling and accommodating artists from out of the region for ArtsMildura events. Accommodation, travel, meals and the additional time that is involved in travel, often amounts to as much as 30% of a festival or event’s entire budget. Arts organisations in major urban centres, or close to cities such as Melbourne, Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong, are more accessible and able to attract large metropolitan audiences to support their events and festivals. Financially their events have lower overheads and ticket sales are stronger. They also receive far more state and federal funding which is often based on audience size rather than the number of events or qualitative impacts. Ultimately ArtsMildura cannot expect to match audience numbers in larger populations. Local infrastructure can also be a limiting factor with most hotel beds and all caravan parks fully booked since early April for the first weekend of October and Palimpsest #9.
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High value visitors are attracted to ArtsMildura events but the benefits to ArtsMildura are limited as most of our events are free or priced to promote access and equity in the local market. However, significant value flows to our regional community from these visiting arts tourists.
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Small local businesses have been particularly generous supporters of ArtsMildura, but with severe economic hardship affecting the region in recent years, ArtsMildura must contain costs, diversify funding sources and maximise the efficiency of its scarce resources.
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Costs are contained through deployment of an army of skilled volunteers, in-kind contributions from local design, printing and accommodation partners and other measures. However, in the current regional economic climate, our fundraising efforts from state, federal, and external commercial and philanthropic sectors will need to exceed past targets significantly if the current level of quality and activity is to be maintained.
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The challenge for ArtsMildura is to source new avenues of funding and to build audiences based on our unique strengths, offering experiences that are not available in larger places. Over the next five years ArtsMildura will work to retain and increase the operational funding necessary for the maintenance of the festival program, develop audiences, engage further with the regional community and develop the external market while continuing to innovate and evolve in a way that is relevant, challenging and fresh.
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Murray River International Music Festival, at the unique festival site of Ampleon Gardens, has a tradition of nurturing young local talent and supporting the appreciation of classical and contemporary music in the Mallee.
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Mildura is one of the fastest growing towns in regional Victoria, and also the most remote. The region supports a vibrant and diverse community with some 52 officially recognised ethnic communities. While it has a rich and proud Italian heritage, other well established communities including the Tongan, Irish, Turkish and Filipino have made their mark. More recently, Mildura has identified as a key location for the resettlement of humanitarian refugees, including those from Sudan, Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Characterised by networks of small agricultural and horticultural dependent communities the area has suffered through ten years of drought followed by locusts and floods, impacting on primary producers, businesses and communities alike.
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Research, undertaken by Professor Tony Vinson, shows that “Mildura’s Social Indicators demonstrate growing social and household distress and accumulated disadvantage for many in our community.” Mildura’s social indicators (which include household income, completion of secondary school, child maltreatment, prison admissions, and psychiatric admissions) compare poorly both to other regional and metropolitan areas of Victoria. This presents enormous challenges for ArtsMildura if it is to be a responsive, relevant, regional organisation. Despite the extreme weather conditions suffered in recent years, ArtsMildura events have continued to grow in popularity among both local and external audiences. The last twelve months have seen local attendance skyrocket at larger scale, community driven, free events. In response ArtsMildura will endeavour to create sustainable models for delivery of free or low cost events.
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As with many rural communities, access to arts experiences such as visual and performing arts, play an important role in the growth and development of communities and individuals. Such opportunities offering a range of health and wellbeing benefits, including increased self-esteem and sense of achievement, increased confidence, connection with community, reduced social isolation and decreased anti-social behaviours.
Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival’s outdoor events at Perry Sandhills, Music Under The Stars, is a signature event that brings together audiences from three states.
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Social Benefits
ArtsMildura builds community capacity, creates employment and career development opportunities, and delivers world class educational programs for our youth. Most of these opportunities would be otherwise unavailable in our region. Some of the social benefits that have been made possible or advanced by ArtsMildura include the following: w Direct mentorship programs for visual artists, graphic designers, event managers and curators are integral to many of our programs – such as the curatorial and visual arts student mentorship program uniVARS in the Mildura Palimpsest Biennale, which is supported by five leading Australian Universities.
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w A range of commissions, community workshops and master classes with internationally acclaimed artists, musicians, performers and writers, provide invaluable educational programs and professional development and have resulted in our youth taking the stage in programs as diverse as Opera (alongside David Hobson and Marina Pryor), dance, visual arts and contemporary music.
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w In the 2013 Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival, local musicians took part in music and composition master-classes culminating in a performance of Terry Riley’s ‘In C’ (a seminal work of 20th Century composition), alongside the Syzygy Ensemble.
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w In the 2013 Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival, ArtsMildura commissioned a new work ‘Conflux,’ composed by local musician Kim Chalmers and choreographed by local dancer Sally Hederics, which premiered during the Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival. Conflux will be performed next by a group of young local dancers at the Canberra Centenary Celebrations.
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w Access to arts and culture is critical to the community at this point in time, and provides an important point of difference as we look to new ways to encourage creativity, develop new practices, build resilience and generate new opportunities for economic growth. w Creating Community cohesion and celebrating our community - Events and festivals are developed to cater for all members of the community regardless of age, education, socio-economic levels and cultural backgrounds —with a range of free (or gold coin entry) entertainment from film screenings, music productions, workshops, exhibitions and theatre.
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ArtsMildura provides an array of opportunities to involve local artists and community members at a range of levels including production, event management, marketing and volunteering. The events provide locals with valuable opportunities for exposure to the arts and artists and for professional development as well as providing a positive and challenging environment that encourages the exploration of ideas and critical thinking across all sectors of the community.
“The welcome we received from the Indigenous community and the generosity of spirit of everyone at Arts Mildura, enabled us to mount our very challenging installation and begin a conversation crossing cultures and worlds from yesterday to tomorrow.”
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Jim Everett (Puralia Meenamatta)
! ! ! Economic Benefits !
It is estimated that the five ArtsMildura Festivals contribute over 8 million dollars to the Mildura region each year. Anecdotal evidence from key retailers (cafes, restaurants, high end accommodation etc.) suggests an overall increase in sales during the festivals of more than 100% in some cases. All festivals have shown growth in audience numbers and economic benefit to the community over the past three years. Visitors during these festivals are often predominantly ‘high spend’ visitors, choosing to make the most of their stay in Mildura, staying in quality accommodation, purchasing artwork from the galleries, eating at quality restaurants and visiting the regions iconic environmental assets such as the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area and Mungo National Park. These festivals are important to the local economy not only because of the amount of tourism income, but also because of employment of teams and individuals from regional based businesses and individuals including event managers, sound engineers, equipment hire, ticketing, graphic design, printing, accommodation, catering, advertising and venues. In recognition of the significant value of the festivals to the region’s economy ArtsMildura aims to increase visitor numbers across all events in general by 5% each year. The ability to generate social and economic benefit is central to ArtsMildura’s programming across all events, engaging a wide cross section of the community with arts experiences, building capacity and resilience and driving economic opportunity and growth. Some of the many economic benefits that have been attributed to the work of ArtsMildura include the following:
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w Increased tourism to the region. w Educational opportunities for young people including workshops with international artists, writers, performers and musicians. w Career development opportunities for regional artists, writers, performers and musicians who are showcased alongside internationally famous artists improving their professional networks and adding significant standing to their CVs.
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w Providing increased business opportunities to local businesses that provide venues and services to our events. Showcasing regional Victoria as a vibrant and creative place to live. w Promoting regional Victoria to high value sectors of the Australian and International community. w Forging strong partnerships between our community and leading Australian institutions and individuals. w Actively fostering supportive social relationships across all age groups, socio-economic and cultural divides. w Providing a range of free and low cost entertainment and popular social outlets for locals who enjoy picnics with friends and family at outdoor events and the experience of something different and challenging. w Showcasing regional artists alongside their nationally and internationally renowned peers. w Showcasing extraordinary natural environments and quality cultural venues, along with regional produce. w Creating a better urban environment through events such as the Festival Lounge and Street Art, which reclaimed our Back Lanes as safe and entertaining places. w Building cultural capital, resilience and innovative thinking in regional Victoria.
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! ! ! 2013-2017 Leadership and Direction !!! !
ARTS MILDURA
Mildura Arts Festival Incorporated, now trading as ArtsMildura, began in 1994 as a local initiative of Stefano di Pieri and friends. Today, with strong board management and festival direction, along with the support of a diverse range of partners, ArtsMildura has become a leading not-for-profit multi-arts organisation in Victoria. It has secured both deductible gift recipient status and tax charity concession status through the Australian Tax Office enabling it to receive donations and funds as a charitable institution. A status further supported by its listing with the Government’s Register of Cultural Organisations (ROCO). ArtsMildura engages both local community and visiting audiences through an annual program of arts events encompassing fine music, contemporary visual arts, theatre performance, street theatre, cinema, comedy, literature, classical music and opera, popular music, jazz, street and parades through the following five festivals and a new gallery.
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At a strategic level, ArtsMildura is driven by a community based Board of Management. The board consists of 10 volunteers and a Council representative from both Mildura Rural City Council and Wentworth Shire Council. The governance structure remains unchanged with the ArtsMildura board meeting monthly on average, maintaining a strong strategic governance role of the organisation. The executive director and artistic directors report directly to the Board through these meetings.
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Revitalising the Organisational Environment In 2012, a new executive director was appointed, ArtsMildura established itself in a new office location with high public visibility and established the Wallflower Photo Media Gallery.
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On his appointment the new executive director, Paul Lambeth, was introduced to key stakeholders at a function organised to facilitate his relationships with audiences, committees, sponsors, volunteers, funding bodies, the media and artists. A very positive response has been received from stakeholders to the new look ArtsMildura. The change of management has brought a number of exciting developmens to arts Mildura. Most importantly, new management has seen the introduction of new Artistic Directors for each festival, rather than one as it was in the past. This has enabled Artistic Directors to have more time for program development and has resulted in many innovations in artistic direction and programming in the past year. Creative programming is the core strength of this organisation and revitalisation of programming is an important milestone for our future.
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The five festival committees have also been revitalised, their roles expanded, and many now include experts from outside this region in an advisory capacity. For example, in 2013 the Mildura Palimpsest Biennale Committee welcomed new members - Domenico de Clario (artist and former Director of the Australian Experimental Art Foundation), award winning architect Jan Van Schaik, Eric Hollowacz (former Director of the Mildura Arts Centre) and Dr Vivian Gerrand. The volunteer festival committees, under the direction of the Artistic Director and Chair, carry out a great deal of the festival planning and contribute enormously to the functioning of ArtsMildura.
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The change of management has also allowed a period of reflection on the organisation’s strength and weaknesses and a commitment to building on our unique strategic advantages, particularly our diverse multicultural community, our ancient Indigenous heritage, our reputation for excellence and our outback environment at the location of the mighty Murray and Darling Rivers and on the edge of the desert and riverine environment. The intimacy of our festivals provides opportunities for meaningful involvement and interaction between artists and audiences and this is one of our great strengths.
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With robust management structures, policies and procedures now in place, and the opportunity for world class expertise in artistic direction ArtsMildura is poised to move to a new and exciting phase of growth and excellence in arts development and delivery.
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! ARTS MILDURA ! ! Development Staff !
2013-2017
ArtsMildura is managed by executive director, Paul Lambeth with staff Kerry Thompson (Marketing/Admin) Danielle Hanifin (Logistics) and Bek Ayres (Events/ Projects). Under the management of Paul Lambeth, the current team will continue to develop the current suite of five festivals, maintaining and enhancing the high standard of arts activity ArtsMildura is recognised for.
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Future Positioning Guided by its mission, to explore and celebrate our unique regional identity through the provision of diverse arts experiences, ArtsMildura presents an innovative and challenging annual program of cultural events in Northwest Victoria.
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The ArtsMildura model is based on similar lines to an arts council, offering a year round program of events across almost all artistic disciplines. Much of our work, particularly the planning stages, involves advising and collaborating, and connecting creative people to resources and support. The activities, events and festivals showcase the region’s array of natural, outdoor and indoor venues, matching events with settings which will enhance and add to the audiences’ experience. Venues cater for audiences of various scale, from 40-50 people for specialised educational master classes, hundreds of people for symposia, public lectures and exhibitions, to thousands of people attending the Mardi Gras street parade/River Party, headline concerts, film festival events, and Opera by the Lock.
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Pricing and Market Considerations All ArtsMildura events offer a range of price strategies with a large number of free events. All festivals include a range of low cost events ensuring community events are accessible, often providing free access to secondary students as well as distribution of passes to low income groups through the Rural Counselling Service, TAFE and La Trobe University Students and Indigenous elders.
! ! ! Organisational Goals ! ArtsMildura has identified seven major goals and eight key strategies which set out the roadmap to grow ArtsMildura in terms of the artistic and community value, audience and business value. Our 2013-2017 organisational goals are:
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w to explore and celebrate our unique regional identity through the provision of diverse arts experiences w to develop diverse arts programs that engage our community in cultural experiences across all art forms
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w to build on the unique strengths of our artistic heritage and regional location w to develop the vibrancy, intimacy and depth of our festival programming which set them apart from larger metropolitan extravaganzas w to develop strategic alliances and partnerships with national and international organisations which increase our capacity, relevance and reach nationally and internationally w to create opportunities for community renewal and capacity building through the arts in our broader regional community w to develop and diversify our audiences regionally, nationally and internationally to take advantage of new technologies and growing trends in eco and arts tourism These goals and strategies are informed by ongoing community consultation and involvement, alongside key Victorian Government policy set out in Creative Capacity+, Growing Victoria Together, A Fairer Victoria, the Victorian State Disability Plan 2002-2012, the Victorian Multicultural Act 2004 and the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006. The ArtsMildura goals have also been developed in reference to local research, plans and policies including the Mildura’s Social Indicators Report (Professor Tony Vinson, 2010), Mildura Tourism Strategic Plan, Mildura Art Centre Arts and Culture Strategy, and the Mildura Rural City Council Community Engagement Framework.
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ArtsMildura sees great new potential for the Arts in our community to act as an engine for renewal and for engagement with global networks that reduce isolation and the tyranny of distance. We aim to create opportunities for creative growth that enrich individual lives, the future of the region and create a perception of the uniqueness and diversity of rural and regional Victoria.
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To accomplish these goals, our board and staff will develop the following key strategies over the next five years: w Utilising the unique geographic positioning of Mildura in artistic development and programming, to ensure our events are relevant to regional audiences and to maximise marketing opportunities. w Breaking down barriers to engagement with the Arts by siting art events in the natural environment, public places and other informal venues to broaden pre-conceived ideas about the arts and to encourage access by new audiences. This is also a key marketing tool in differentiating our events from others at both a state and national level.
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w Commissioning artists, performers and writers to create relevant and engaging site specific which promote our region and Victoria as a centre of creativity and innovation to the world have a longevity that surpasses all else.
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! “What a sensational night it was for Wentworth and Sunraysia in general. To get 4000 people out on Sunday night, in spite of the economic doom and gloom, speaks volumes for the spirit of the community.� Daryl Wescombe Branch Manager Wentworth & District Community Bank!
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MILDURA 2013-2017
w Maintaining a fresh and challenging artistic program remains essential to the ongoing recognition and growth of ArtsMildura events. w Engaging high profile regional, metropolitan and international artists to stimulate broad interest in ArtsMildura events and provide remote communities with access to new experiences and ideas. w Involving, educating and mentoring local talent in the development of arts programs to build community support, creativity and capacity. w Ensuring ArtsMildura maintains the highest standards of programming and event management and presents outstanding arts programs throughout the year through mentorship of our artistic directors by highly acclaimed professionals such as Domenico de Clario and Robyn Archer. These relationship have proven to be invaluable to the artistic integrity of all events and have produced better, more thoughtful programs as well as partnerships with other Australian Festivals.
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w Broadening and developing our audiences through a diverse range of strategies as outlined in the Audience Development strategy below.
Audience Development ArtsMildura operates within a broad geographic region encompassing three states. Based in the rural city of Mildura on the Victorian/New South Wales border and no more than 100km from the South Australian border its influence extends well beyond the Mildura - Wentworth region.
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It’s unique tri-state position means that ArtsMildura provides arts experiences to a vast geographical area drawing audiences from a 400km radius, from the Mallee and Wimmera to Swan Hill and Echuca (northern Victoria), and as far afield as the Riverland (South Australia), Broken Hill and Balranald (N.S.W.) a true hinterland of arts in Victoria. For many regional patrons ArtsMildura provides the only accessible arts experience in their locality.
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Bendigo, Ballarat and Castlemaine audiences, who have easy access to metropolitan arts programs, also attend many of our festivals. Distance impacts Arts Mildura’s audience numbers, and hence financial capacity through ticket sales, but strong efforts are made to overcome this barrier by actively fostering sponsors, donors and project partners.
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Regional audiences account for the majority attendance at many ArtsMildura events. However, the Jazz, Writers and Palimpsest Festivals, which are gaining more significance and currency, have over 50% of their audience drawn from outside the region. The future potential to draw international online and actual audiences and promote ArtsMildura and regional Victoria as a creative hub and a tourism destination has not yet been fully developed and will be a key focus in the next five years.
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Many communities within the ArtsMildura catchment are on the front line of Australia’s environmental challenges and have faced devastating periods of drought and equally devastating policy changes with serious implications for their future. Changes to farming industries have a flow on effect to many other related industries that support the economy of this region. The ripple effect of such change on social networks and individual households has forced socio-economic challenges upon communities and individuals often ill-equipped to adapt to swift change.
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As communities look to other economic options, event driven tourism is seen as a dynamic alternative economic contributor. ArtsMildura has a strong track record in bringing high spend visitors to the region and in the future will focus on building the arts and eco- tourism market.
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! “As Chair of the Australia Council I get invited to many wonderful events but the work I have seen here today will certainly carry the message of Mildura Palimpsest around the world. Ken and Julia Yonetani’s extraordinary salt sculpture exhibited poignantly in this Rio Vista House with so much history surrounding it, and the installation by local artist Filomena Coppola just downstairs, I am truly delighted to have had this opportunity.”
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James Strong former Chairman Australia Council for the Arts
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MILDURA 2013-2017
Yet even during times of adversity there are many examples of sell-out events within our festivals, which contradict the region’s economic and social indicators. The strength of the arts in Mildura is a key factor in the communities resilience and ability to adapt and to grow, with Mildura one of the fastest growing regional towns in Victoria (outside the big three).
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Whilst audience commitment to ArtsMildura events is strong, to be sustainable Arts Mildura needs to develop its Victorian audiences and diversify by adding national and international arts and eco tourists into the audience mix. Events such as Mildura Palimpsest Biennale which partner with the indigenous community and feature the world heritage Lake Mungo National Park provide strong opportunities to achieve this goal.
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ArtsMildura’s 2013-2017 audience building and diversification strategies, and key focus areas, include: w Encouraging community engagement by programing performances and exhibitions with strong local content; providing workshops and master classes for schools; and providing strong community based events like the River Party, Wenty Day, Feast Street, the Pearl Award (International Women’s Day) the Festival Lounge and Street Art projects.
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w Engaging youth through master-classes and assessable creative projects which count towards their studies. For example through a partnership with Sunraysia Institute of TAFE photography students in 2013 were engaged to document events at the Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival. Their work will be assessed as part of their coursework. Inclusion of young artists in festivals with a traditionally older demographic. For example Beaten Bodies played to capacity crowds during the 2012 Mildura Jazz Food and Wine Festival, breaking down the stereotypical assumption that Jazz is for the oldies. ArtsMildura discovered this innovative young band just before their national debut on radio station JJJ.
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w Creative programming with a broad demographic and strong family appeal. For example, the Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival directly engages with ethnic communities, refugees, farmers, retailers, pre-schoolers and many other community groups. In 2013 ArtsMildura added a historic polo event which featured poetry, visual arts and music in the township of Wentworth, a relatively under-developed audience location.
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w Engaging Indigenous communities through direct partnerships in festivals such as the Mildura Palimpsest Biennale and through involvement in performances and workshops that take place throughout the year round cycle of events.
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w Art in public places captures non-arts audiences through a diverse program ranging from chamber music to comedy, film, and youth concerts such as Saskwatch in 2013, all free events in public spaces.
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MILDURA 2013-2017
w Creating a new Photomedia Gallery, Wallflower, to engage with artists from all over the world (Germany, Canada, USA, Japan, Finland), to build international audiences through the world wide web; provide networking and career opportunities for local artists; and to provide world class experiences of global culture every day in our remote corner of the world.
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w Developing active partnerships with other arts organisations such as the Australian Experimental Art Foundation, and teaching institutions such as La Trobe University which broadens our networks and creates stakeholder commitment to our events. New partnerships have been developed in 2013 with Monash University, Melbourne University’s VCA, University of N.S.W College of Fine Arts and South Australia School of Arts, which allow us to draw on a wide range of creative expertise, keep abreast of the most recent developments, develop national networks and reach a national audience for our programs.
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w Inclusion of highly diverse elements in our programs to create a ‘threshold’ experience for people who might not normally engage in arts events, for example the Polo Match in 2013 and a week long program of meditation, chanting, performance and sand painting led by Buddhist Monks during Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival 2012. Free family friendly events such as the River Party, Mardi Gras and Feast Street Jazz Food and Wine Street Party attract audiences of 3,000 to 5,000 for each event from across the region and build audience awareness of ArtsMildura events through our website and online booking service.
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w Providing unique arts experiences in magnificent regional settings to attract the growing international arts and eco -tourism market to Mildura. Events, like the Murray River International Music Festival and the Mildura Palimpsest Biennale continue to grow in stature and reputation and make a significant contribution to the Victorian cultural landscape.
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w Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of past programming and marketing of arts Mildura events and working to enhance future programming and promotion. For example, budgetary constraints forced a reduction in paid advertising for the Mildura Jazz, Food and Wine Festival 2012. However, through niche marketing and creative use of established networks audience numbers were increased for this festival.
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w Increasing visibility and reach through strong relationships with national media. In 2011 SBS television covered the Mildura Palimpsest Biennale for the first time. They will be back in 2013 and efforts are also in train to attract ABC arts programs to our festivals. The Writers Festival and the Mildura Palimpsest Biennale have also received extensive editorial coverage in national journals The Monthly, Artlink and Artmonthly which has proved highly effective. Future priorities include marketing the full suite of festivals to the appropriate journals, such as jazz and classical music magazines and club newsletters.
! ! ! Our Recent Organisational Successes !!! !
ARTS MILDURA
w Secured triennial operations funding from Arts Victoria enabling ArtsMildura to build upon excellent programming, artistic quality and organisational capacity.
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w Secured triennial operations funding from Mildura Rural City Council for the Arts and Jazz festivals. w Secured Deductible Gift Recipient status from the ATO w Engaged more deeply with our community through workshops and Master-classes conducted by visiting artists to all of our five festivals and through major community events such as the River Party, Feast Street, the Mardi Gras Parade, Wenty Day and the Wharf Party.
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w Increased overall audience numbers, for example ArtsMildura has doubled Mildura Jazz Food and Wine Festival attendance numbers since it took over the event in 2007, and in 2012 had the highest numbers in recent years. w Developed critical new partnerships with ABC Radio (across all events), The Wheeler Centre (Mildura Writers’ Festival), the Adelaide Fringe Festival and Next Wave Festival (Mildura Wentworth Arts festival), the Royal Australian Institute of Science, the Australian Network for Art and Technology, the Australian Experimental Arts Foundation and leading Australian Universities – La Trobe, Monash, Melbourne, South Australia, and New South Wales, (Palimpsest) which has significantly raised the profile of ArtsMildura events.
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w Renewed strategic partnership with La Trobe University, Mildura campus as ArtsMildura’s Education Partner, credited with increasing the number of student enrolment into visual arts and fine arts courses. w Improved financial sustainability – including through the development of major local, regional and national corporate and philanthropic partnerships. w Established Wallflower Gallery and the new ArtsMildura office to reach a broader audience. w Improved event impact data collection including the use of live and online ticket sales to identify purchaser postcode; surveying of key businesses and major partners to better assess event impacts on economic growth and community outcomes.
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w Continued positive connections with local organisations such as the Mildura Eisteddfod, (introduced an annual ArtsMildura scholarship for a young musician), Mildura Arts Centre, Secondary Schools Music Programs and the Principles Network.
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w Built upon the new ArtsMildura brand and attained a strong reputation nationally for high quality marketing collateral (including iconic photography for program covers) which has provided much positive feedback by audiences, partners, national media, tourism organisations and arts bodies, changing local and external perceptions of the quality and professionalism of ArtsMildura events.
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w Supported the 0ngoing support of major arts development initiatives within the region, including the establishment of the Mildura District Orchestra and showcasing Mildura Arts Centre and its Steinway piano in festival programming.
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w Increased the patron program to support key events within the annual ArtsMildura program. w Provided governance and strategic planning training to Board members via a Board Connect workshop facilitated by Arts Victoria.
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w Increased youth participation in festivals through programming youth events, mentoring, workshops, master-classes and school visits. w Introduction of the Friends of the Festival program to develop loyalty, contributing to the sustainability of our annual events With solid and diversified funding in place, and a track record of successful multi-disciplinary arts production, ArtsMildura feels secure going forward. Our 2013-2017 strategic direction, management and governance will preserve those aspects and focus on enhancing the organisation by:
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w Developing a strategic plan and alliances to lobby the Australia Council for the Arts with the aim of attracting Community Partnership multi-year funding for the future. w Building more diverse audiences, particularly from national and international markets. w Increasing the engagement of younger people (14-21 years old) in arts organisation and participation—and by programming youth events such as the Festival Lounge, Street Arts and younger bands during MWAF and MJFWF.
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w Embracing new technologies and social media to enhance arts experience and marketing. A new website is under construction and expected to be in operation late 2013. Maintaining regular updates on our Facebook page. The Wallflower blog spot has been underway for nearly a year.
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w Safeguarding financial stability through maintaining existing partnerships and identifying and securing sponsors and development opportunities.
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w Improving financial sustainability through the development of major local, regional and national corporate and philanthropic partnerships. New sponsorships include the Besen Foundation, Caltex Australia, UniGas, and Price Waterhouse Coopers.
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w Further developing succession plans to ensure next generation of arts workers/managers are engaged and included in decision making and programming. w Supporting community development projects to continue to engage with the local community and ensure sustained positive outcomes. w Continuing to build audience numbers – especially external audiences linking with Mildura’s cultural tourism strategy to generate positive regional economic growth. w Expanding existing and new partnerships, to significantly raise the profile of ArtsMildura events. w Improving data collection and impact evaluation practices to better assess event impacts on economic growth and community outcomes.
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"I have worked with arts and culture all over the country, and I've found no organisation like Arts Mildura. As producer of five diverse arts festivals, with a small but amazing staff and board, they create something magical for rural Victoria, and they do it over and over again.”
Domenico de Clario
MARKETING !! Branding
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In 2008 ArtsMildura drew all five festivals under one banner, developing a visual image that is now both well recognised and well regarded. Under ArtsMildura’s marketing strategy each event captures market attention all year round by cross promoting between all five festivals. Each of the festivals is advertised in sister festival programs and where possible in other print advertising.  Not only does this benefit the individual festivals, it also delivers a strong message that Mildura is a regional hub of entertainment, cultural, artistic and culinary excellence with tremendous environmental assets to enjoy, all of which translate into increased external
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visitation, dollar spend, ongoing economic benefit and a sense of community pride. Â With its brand now well established locally, ArtsMildura has now shifted its focus to promoting and marketing its events and festivals to external markets, to attract audiences from outside the region. ArtsMildura works closely with key event partners - Australian Music Events, the Australian National Film and Sound Archive, BigART, Melbourne Comedy Festival, Adelaide Fridge, La Mama Theatre, VicHealth, Wheeler Centre and La Trobe University Thesis 11 and other Australian Universities, to ensure the optimal programming package that will draw audiences from beyond the region and/or first time visitors.
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ArtsMildura’s marketing campaign and audience development strategies for the next five years reflects the organisation’s artistic vision to nurture a culture of contemporary ideas and arts practice across five events. In addition to cross promoting across all five festivals, the marketing plan encourages collaboration with other local events and tourism operators in order to promote all events and maximise advertising campaigns. For example metropolitan advertising and publicity work continually lists ArtsMildura event dates and through the link to the website draws attention to all events under the ArtsMildura banner, thereby promoting to new and niche targets markets across a calendar year. Recent years has seen ArtsMildura develop a strong reputation for publishing professional attractive marketing material. This focus will continue, with an updated website to be completed in 2013. ArtsMildura will continue to work with outstanding local graphic designers to create engaging imagery reflecting the brand and strategic intent of the organisation.
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ArtsMildura has identified a broad target market including: • • • • • • • • • •
Local Community Families Children Students and Young Adults The Australian arts community National and international Arts and eco tourists Indigenous Groups Community Groups – including special needs and disability organisations Multicultural Groups Remote area patrons
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Media partnerships have been negotiated with local media outlets including Sunraysia Daily, SunFM, ABC Mildura-Swan Hill, StarFM, Admedia and Prime TV. These partners promote each of the festivals locally through newsprint – editorial and advertising, Radio – interviews and advertising, Television – high saturation 30 second advertisements broadcast through central Victoria, Bendigo, Shepparton and Ballarat and to Mildura and surrounding regions.
Each Festival marketing plan targets specific and appropriate external television, magazines, websites and newspapers to promote each festival. Over the last few years ArtsMildura has developed a strong relationship with many media outlets and is often able to source discounted or free advertising.
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SBS television partnered with ArtsMildura for the first time for Palimpsest #8 and will be back for Palimpsest #9. The two Studio TV documentaries made by SBS are still live on You Tube and the SBS site two years later.
! Key Messages !
Alongside consistent highlighting of the new brand, the name and market place image, there are five key messages delivered across marketing activities:
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Mildura in regional Victoria is an exciting place to visit and to live Mildura has a lively culture of contemporary and challenging ideas Mildura provides unique arts experiences and regional audiences engage strongly with the arts Mildura is the gateway to the unique environment of the Murray Darling tri-state region and our world heritage areas
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Mildura supports the work of a new generation of Australian and International artists and is powerfully connected to innovative arts communities globally
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A common challenge faced by all regional events is the difficulty in gaining state and national exposure in the press. To address this ArtsMildura has identified high profile champions as patrons such as Robin Archer, Les Murray Domenico de Clario and Jan van Schaick, and worked closely with key stakeholders nation-wide to promote the five major festivals. Increasingly our festivals attract high profile international artists, with subsequent positive impact on our profile and media exposure. As a result, attendance figures have shown significant increase in visitor numbers. For example, surveys taken at recent Mildura Jazz Food and Wine Festival indicated that 35.63 % of attendees were local and 64.37% were visitors.
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DEVELOPMENT !! Diversified Funding
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Currently ArtsMildura receives approximately 25% of its funding from the Victorian State Government, 30% from corporate sponsorships, 20% from philanthropic and federal government sources combined, and one quarter from ticket sales, donations and other income. ArtsMildura maintains the continuity of contribution to the region by maintaining its core funding. The core funding of ArtsMildura is provided by Arts Victoria, Mildura Rural City Council, and La Trobe Univserity. To maximise benefits from a strong brand,
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ArtsMildura needs to maintain funding for core operations. The festivals, under which hundreds of events, workshops and seminars are delivered each year are founded on the strategic and operational function of the brand.
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ArtsMildura currently enjoys the support of 13 major sponsors – i.e. sponsors who have committed to a long term strategic relationship with the organisation. In each case, ArtsMildura works with the sponsor to tailor a specific sponsorship package that delivers farreaching benefits to both parties, beyond logo
Above left: Donata Carraza introduces the 2012 Mildura Writers Festival, and begins another season of readings, panel discussions, and friendly conversations about poets, writers, and literary ideas. Above bottom: Two unique local participants in the Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival’s Mardi Gras Parade.
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exposure. Sponsors are also regularly informed on sponsorship progress and media exposure relating to the festival and organisation activity. ArtsMildura has established a number of productive and critical partnerships over recent years which underpin the strategic foundations of the organisation. ArtsMildura is continuing to nurture existing relationships, in addition to developing new partnerships with government, philanthropic and private sectors. By developing and maintaining strong relationships between creators, organisations, and communities, ArtsMildura sets out to promote the exchange of skills and sense of involvement and ownership of our programs in the community.
! Sourcing Sponsorship and Funding !
ArtsMildura has significantly broadened its financial foundation, with new national corporate sponsors and funds contributed by individuals and business. ArtsMildura has been recognised as one of Victoria’s leading regional arts organisations. As such, funding and sponsorship applications are often combined across all five festivals.
! Connecting with New Partners !
ArtsMildura is aware of the value in diversifying its sources of funding. The reach into the regions business community provided by the Board is intrinsic to building connections with new partners.
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Alongside relationships with the commercial sector, ArtsMildura continues to develop relationships with the community. Most recently forging relationships with individual secondary schools, with the regions Principals Association and the Sunraysia Mallee Ethnic Communities Council, (SMECC).
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Patron program and donations ArtsMildura now has Deductible Gift Recipient status from the ATO to attract donations for the five festivals. The Patron program launched in 2010 and continued in 2011 attracts over $3000 per year. The Friends of the Festival program launched during the Murray River International Music Festival in 2013 has generated $2500.
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ArtsMildura Support Base
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Government Partners Arts Victoria Mildura Rural City Council Wentworth Shire Council Tourism Victoria Australia Council for the Arts Festivals Australia NSW Tourism
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Arts Partners Mildura Arts Centre Artback Australia The Sound Trap
The Wheeler Centre The Art Vault
Sunraysia Daily ABC Mildura Swan Hill Avanti Italy
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Media Partners Prime TV 3MA/Star FM Sun/Star FM Radio
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Corporate Partners Tasco-Inland Australia Sunnyland Press Mildura City Heart Saunders Design Group Caltex Australia Price Waterhouse Coopers
Admedia Chalmers Wines Collins Book Store Devilees Mildura UniGas
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Financial Services Partners Wentworth Community Bank Shugg (SED) Consulting
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Accommodation Partners Quality Hotel Mildura Grand
Sunraysia TAFE
Travel Partners Hertz
Qantaslink
Hospitality Partners Stefano’s Cafe and Gallery 25 Stefano’s Restaurant Pizza Café at the Grand Seasons / Spanish Bar and Grill The Mildura Brewery
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Philanthropic Partners Besen Family Foundation United States Consulate
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Education Partners La Trobe University Sunraysia Institute of TAFE Sunraysia Principals Association Mildura & District Educational Council (MADEC)
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MANAGEMENT
"Arts Mildura is, without a doubt, the leading force in reimagining the Mallee as a creative region."
Paul Carter
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MANAGEMENT ! !! Board and Staff !! !!
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Ross Lake, OAM - Chair Arts Mildura Board
Role of Board and Governance
Ross Lake is a Mildura based business operator, wine grower, community activist and arts impresario with a long-standing interest in Murray River water management and water politics. Ross trained as a lawyer, an economist and a teacher, but is now an “accidental capitalist.” As Managing Director of Tasco Inland Australia P/L, a large fuel distribution and retail company,
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Ross has grown his businesses from a local to a tristate operation and is one of the most successful fuel distribution businesses in Australia. Ross is a stalwart chairperson, board member and supporter of many community and cultural organisations, including Mallee Family Care and SunRISE21, the Sunraysia Initiative for a Sustainable Economy. Ross has been one of the main drivers in developing ambitious and far-reaching cultural programs in his region, many of which connect directly to underlying economic and environmental agendas.
The ArtsMildura board consists of one patron, an executive director, eight board positions and observer positions from Mildura Rural City Council and Wentworth Shire Council. The board meets on a monthly basis and provides strategic planning to ensure that programming achieves the following objectives, to;
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Paul Lambeth – Executive Director While a background is in arts practice, education and arts management aligns the executive directors skills and experience with the intent of ArtsMildura, there is an over-riding criteria, one of aligned philosophies. “The activity generated by ArtsMildura is a striking example of how arts change communities, ArtsMildura as an organisation is putting into practice what many successful and dynamic communities across the world know, a vibrant arts community stimulates the economy and strengthens community”.
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Danielle Hanifin - Logistics With key responsibility for festival logistics, Danielle’s contribution is central to the smooth function of the organisation.
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Kerry Thompson - Administration/Marketing Recently joining the team, Kerry brings solid administrative skills in addition to a keen sense of the function of marketing to an organisation.
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Rebecca Ayres - Event Projects Rebecca contributes energy, clarity and a great team spirit to the dynamic team at ArtsMildura.
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produce a distinct and vibrant arts program engage our diverse community bring economic growth to the region improve access to arts bring world class events to our region
! ! ! Current Board of Directors
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Name Cr Jill Jocelyn Cr Melissa Hederics Dean Worthington Geoff Brown Helen Pisconeri Kim Chalmers Neil Fettling Philip Shugg Ross Lake Vacant Win Scott
Backgr MRCC Councillor Wentworth Shire Councillor Melb Fashion Week Artist, Latrobe University Marketing Composer, Wine Maker Campus Manager LaTrobe Uni Accountant, Shugg Consulting CEO TASCO Inland Australia Student CEO Sunraysia TAFE
Years on Board Observer Observer Board Member Board Member Secretary Board Member Board Member Treasurer Chairperson Board Member Board Member
Board Sub-committees
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The ArtsMildura board has five sub-committees to work specifically in the areas of:
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Finance Sponsorship Community Development Marketing Risk management
Each event also has its own subcommittee and artistic director or artistic advisory board.
1 3 1 4 4 2 1 3 6 0 5
Term Ends 2014 2014 2014 2014 2014 2014 2014 2014 2014 2014
! ! ! Volunteers
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ArtsMildura currently has approximately 75 volunteers working across all events. Volunteers perform a wide range of roles including, stage management, information tent, surveys, poster and program distribution, selling merchandise, bump-in and bump out.
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Over the last two years, ArtsMildura has revitalised its volunteer program and the volunteer training manual created. Additionally, the volunteer database is regularly updated.
! Succession Planning !
ArtsMildura succession planning for board members and volunteers develops a balance between group representation, skills, experience, cultural background, age and gender.
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In order to facilitate successful succession planning for voluntary and board positions as well as employees, the following goals have been established;
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Processes established and documented to ensure that valuable corporate and organisational information is passed on to new staff, board and volunteer members
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Development of a systematic method of recruitment for new people on a regular basis
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Induction of Volunteers, board and staff members
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Development of detailed position descriptions for major staff, board and voluntary positions
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Provision of mentoring and coaching by departing employees
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FINANCIAL PLANNING ! ! !
For two decades, ArtsMildura has built cultural capital in the Mildura community, underpinned by a sound financial foundation. With good governance, management and with community and business support ArtsMildura continues to deliver quality cultural, economic and social benefits to Mildura and surrounding regions. In addition to making positive contribution to our local region, ArtsMildura delivers benefits to the wider economy and social fabric of our nation through quality arts events staged in this region.
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ArtsMildura is cognisant of the value of succession planning for board members and volunteers. As such, the Board actively recruits for broad skills, experience, cultural background, age and gender.
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Operational knowledge of ArtsMildura is held within the board, committees and staff. While ArtsMildura is continuing to evolve, the model has proven itself as maintaining its vitality and remain sustainable.
2013-2017 BUDGETS ! !!
ARTS MILDURA FY2013-2017 PROJECTED OPERATING BUDGETS
Fiscal Year is 1 January to 31 December


FY2013: Projected Budget
INCOME
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GRANTS Direct Funding: Operational Direct Funding: Writers Festival Direct Funding: Jazz Food & Wine Direct Funding: Palimpsest Direct Funding: Music Festival Direct Funding: Arts Festival Direct Funding: Wallflower Gallery Other: Special Projects Subtotal
SPONSORSHIP Sponsorship: Operational Sponsorship: Writers Festival Sponsorship: Jazz Food & Wine Sponsorship: Palimpsest Sponsorship: Music Festival Sponsorship: Arts Festival Sponsorship: Wallflower Gallery Other: Special Projects Subtotal OTHER INCOME Memberships Patrons Interest Subtotal EVENT INCOME Writers Festival Jazz Food & Wine Palimpsest Music Festival Arts Festival Wallflower Gallery Other: Special Projects Subtotal
TOTAL INCOME
ADMINISTRATION / OPERATIONS Rent / Utilities Full-time Staffing Seasonal Staffing Materials / Supplies Other Subtotal MARKETING Print Advertising Radio Advertising TV Advertising Other Promotions Website Printing / Posters Subtotal PROGRAM COSTS Writers Festival Jazz Food & Wine Palimpsest Music Festival Arts Festival Wallflower Gallery Special Events Other Subtotal
SURPLUS / DEFICIT
FY2015: Projected Budget
FY2016 Projected Budget
FY2017: Projected Budget
120,733 23100 25300 20000 7500 21900 2500 5000
122000 24000 25000 20000 10000 22000 2500 5000
122000 24000 25300 25000 12000 23000 2500 5000
125000 25000 25000 20000 15000 24000 2500 5000
125000 25000 25300 25000 15000 25000 2500 7500
$226,033
$230,500
$238,800
$241,500
$250,300
45000 5000 5000 50000 5000 15000 2500 5000
35000 2500 2500 10000 5000 15000 1000 1000
35000 3000 3500 50000 7000 15000 1000 1000
40000 4000 4500 10000 7500 18500 1000 1000
40000 5000 5000 55000 7500 20000 1000 1000
$132,500
$72,000
$115,500
$86,500
$134,500
12000 10000 1000
10000 5000 1000
10000 5000 1000
10500 5000 1000
11000 5000 1000
$23,000
$16,000
$16,000
$16,500
$17,000
22000 18000 7500 24000 16000 0 10000
15000 15000 0 20000 15000 0 5000
16500 16000 6500 22000 15000 0 5000
17000 17500 0 23000 16000 0 6000
18000 17500 7500 24000 17000 0 7500
$97,500
$70,000
$81,000
$79,500
$91,500
$479,033
$388,500
$451,300
$424,000
$493,300
FY2013: Projected Budget
EXPENSES
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
FY2014: Projected Budget
FY2014: Projected Budget
FY2015: Projected Budget
FY2016 Projected Budget
FY2017: Projected Budget
54800 102000 23000 7000 11883
55500 105000 25000 8000 12000
52000 106000 25000 7000 9000
54500 115000 28000 9000 13000
58000 125000 28000 10000 14000
$198,683
$205,500
$199,000
$219,500
$235,000
15000 6000 10000 20000 3000 5000
14000 5000 8000 17800 2000 5000
14000 5000 8000 16000 2000 5000
15000 6000 9000 17000 4000 6000
16000 6000 8000 16000 2000 6000
$59,000
$51,800
$50,000
$57,000
$54,000
42000 30000 94000 25000 19000 3500 2500 5350
38000 28000 18000 25000 15500 2500 2500 1700
36000 26500 96000 22500 15500 2500 2500 800
39500 28000 20000 28000 19500 3500 7500 1500
36500 27500 96000 22500 15500 2500 2500 1300
$221,350
$131,200
$202,300
$147,500
$204,300
$479,033
$388,500
$451,300
$424,000
$493,300
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
THE FUTURE ! After 19 years of activity ArtsMildura is a well established arts organisation in North Western Victoria. The following is a summary of the strengths and future potential of ArtsMildura:
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w Incorporation of five festivals within one brand consolidates skills and energies w Re-locating to a high visibility premises contributes to the formation of an ‘Arts Precinct’ in Mildura, alongside The Art Vault and Gallery 25 w Appointment of a full-time executive director maintains stability w A strategic approach to Board membership consistent with good goverance w Active festival committees maintain reach into the diverse communities in the region w Professional artistic direction and curatorial contribution maintains high quality programming w Further strengthening relationships with stakeholders with cultural, commercial and/or community interest builds capability
w Maintenance of free or low cost events in festival programming ensures accessibility to participate for all w Further building on relationships with existing community and government organisations within the region, Sunraysia Mallee Ethnic Communities Council, Principals Association, Progress Groups, Mildura Arts Centre, Vision Australia, Sunraysia Disability Resource Centre, Mallee Family Care.
! Note from the Executive Director ArtsMildura has a proud history with deep connection in this community. In my relatively short period of time in this region, I am amazed and impressed by the level of commitment to the organisation, shown by a broad range of individuals. Commitment is expressed in many ways, from small acts of generosity during the intensity of delivering a festival, to well considered participation as active members on the Board and Festival Committees, contributing time and skills. Organisations such as ArtsMildura thrive on a collective belief in the organisation’s value to the community. This community understands the value of ArtsMildura.
! “I’ve worked with festivals and cultural production all over the world, but there’s something truly special, unique, and rare happening in this corner of rural Victoria. Arts Mildura is fearlessly rejuvenating the creative soul of the Mallee. Their events and festival are bringing people together, month after month. They are providing a full spectrum of music, food, literature, visual arts, and contemporary forms of expression to people’s lives—enriching us all.” Eric Holowacz Cultural Producer!
! Arts Mildura ! 41 Deakin Avenue Mildura Victoria Australia 3500
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PO Box 1982 Mildura Victoria Australia 3502
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03 50229542 info@ArtsMildura.com.au www.ArtsMildura.com.au
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“The Arts Mildura Festivals add to our Culture and livability. The whole spectrum of events held throughout the year engages so many different people in diverse ways—and strengthens their ties with each other.” Peter Crisp, MP Member for Mildura
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