Strong preference for 355 Committee.
Notes courtesy of Rebecca Fenson:
Agreed that the arts community is lacking support.
Allan Spencer addressed the group and talked about initiatives being held and being involved in: Chamber Orchestra ‘Germany’, Art Concerts, Flute Concerts, Cafe Music, Sweeny Todd Musical by Monaro High.
Large and small music festivals were discussed. Put in the effort to run a ‘good’ festival, to make it memorable and more people will want to attend the next one and will encourage professional artists to want to participate.
What can we do in Cooma (what if)
Community, school, church choirs
Aboriginal events, talent
Choir competitions
Paid musicians / professionals to draw in crowds.
Get sponsors – non profit through the community or get a business to sponsor: banks, snowy hydro etc.
Hold a cooma national coral festival.
Venues – use halls, schools, snowy hydro, snowy river, Dalgety river, hotels, train performance, St Pauls Hall, showgrounds, multi function centre.
Brainstorm: What do we need to do?
-Give focus to a first class component. Support large events but give some support to the smaller local groups.
– Lack of funding for costumes for the dance company. Would like to know what grants to use and/or apply for
– Involvement from the service clubs
– Use contacts from the ANU School of Music. Offer scholarships, borrow professional talent to teach
– Recognising connections, people with expertise. Identify existing talent
– Need funding to pay for conductors, staff, teachers, publicity
– Does not want to see a committee dominate but support local groups
– Keep politics out of it.
-Encourage more artistic workshops to promote that particular artform
– Access to artists is restricted. Make people aware of performances. Take artforms to schools.
– Use retired artists 1hr a day to teach or demonstrate to youth, elderly, hospitals etc.
Type of committee
Types of committees explained by Peter Smith. It was decided that a 355 or a Community Committee would be the most beneficial for this group.
Show of hands – majority revealed 355 committee
Show of hands – small show of hands for a community committee.
It was agreed that this sort of committee needed structure and the support of Council and a 355 offers that.
Majority show of hands agreed yes.
Would like to see a Council initiative in creating a database of all artistic pieces, lighting, venues, artists etc.
Would like to see Council inform the proposed committee of what grants are available
Would like to see a committee that facilitates and promotes and is not used for personal or political gain.
Would like to see a cultural development officer within Council.
Representation on Committee
Feeling that every group should be represented or a mixture of.
Group size of approx 6-9, no more than 9.
The committee would need to ensure it has a mixture of representatives who have contacts throughout the whole of the arts groups.
Suggested and agreed by many that 2 nominees from each of the 4 ‘points of energy’ be elected.
Points raised:
-Collaboration required. Would like to see different arts coming together to talk, collaborate and utilise each others skills.
-Funding and access to grants is a big hurdle and groups find it difficult to navigate.
-Challenge in finding suitable venues due to cost. The Committee would provide ideas on where to hold events, how to keep costs down and use the cost savings to promote the event.
-Concern that young local talent is not being retained. They’re leaving for the cities.
-Proposed conservatorium in Bega and the proposed UC Campus. Can they be incorporated?
– Seats, sculptures, art works etc running down Cooma walkways and paths, beautify the streets. Hold art shows on the streets.
– Get Cooma on the Travelling film festival.
– Build or re-buy the town hall
– Smaller organisations could grow but don’t have the resources or finances
– Smaller organisations are very segregated. Need to get them more involved within all communities. Get a circuit or collaboration of arts communities happening.
– Separate attitude within the arts community groups. Need to get them to co-operate
– Put a calendar of events onto Councils website (already on the visitors centres website)
– Committee to combine events on an email list / directory
– To make it easier for visiting musicians, list on a website who to contact, where to find venues (or use contact to find venues for you), who to contact for advertising etc.
– ‘Arts Summer School’ for youth. Incorporate dance, acting, singing for youth. Musicals are popular at the moment
– Bangalo Festival – bring in 9,000 visitors and is held in a paddock. Can we use that sort of idea here?
Consider a nomination process run on a 12mth election basis. Would ensure those that nominated and missed out have a chance at representation at a later stage.
How often we should meet was not discussed.
Questions?
Whats wrong with the multi function centre? (Dean Lynch)
– Bad acoustics (but could be fixed)
– too expensive for what it is
– Bad lighting
– no raised seating
Title: Canberra Concerto Orchestra – Sunday 2 October 2011
