Fringe World is coming to Hopetoun!

Friday 27th January 2017, Hopetoun Community Centre.

Perth’s largest and most popular Festival is touring to our South Coast with a Circus Spectacular show in Hopetoun. This variety show will feature over an hour of the wonderful young Canberra-based troupe Poncho Circus.

Poncho Circus’s 2017 Tour
Canberra - Esperance - Hopetoun - Northam - Perth

HOPETOUN COMMUNITY CENTRE DOORS & BAR FACILITIES OPEN 6PM,

DINNER AVAILABLE FROM 6.30PM – AYU’S INDONESIAN CUISINE

SHOW BEGINS AT 7.30PM

 

Bookings: show tickets & bus tickets available at;

HOPETOUN COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRE

(08) 9838 3062 | 46 Veal Street

RAVENSTHORPE COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRE – credit card facilities available

(08) 9838 1340 | 28 Dunn Street

Tickets $25, Concession $20 | This is a 15+ show (minors must be accompanied by an adult please).

Bus tickets $5 (all aboard the circus bus, Ravensthorpe CRC carpark 6pm sharp, return after the show).

The lines of reality and imagination are blurred for two office workers as the daily grind is interrupted by the unexpected. Bad goes to worse for these desk jockeys, as they are forced to make the most of tough situation. Following the instructions of their insensitive employer this work day feels like it will never end. A hilarious new show of slapstick, satire and physical comedy by Poncho Circus. A space that is often boring and unimaginative is filled with unexpected surprises, office supplies like never before and spectacular circus!

FRINGE WORLD is proudly Westralian and since the first Festival in 2011, FRINGE WORLD has carved an enviable reputation for not only providing a platform for local acts and artists to present their works in their hometown, but also for bringing the best from around the country and the world to WA’s fabulous shores.

Get your tickets now at Ravensthorpe or Hopetoun Community Resource Centres and sample the delights of Perth’s FRINGE FESTIVAL in your very own backyard.

 

A Love Affair with Dance.

Hopetoun Dance Group 2016.

For the third year running, 2016 saw Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council partner with Hopetoun Dance Group to bring children's dance classes to a remote regional area.

Classes were varied and included Mini Movers, Jazz Ballet, Jazz Funk, and 3 Acrobatics Classes, with around 50 children aged 2 - 12 years enrolled in the program each school term. The classes were held weekly at the Hopetoun Primary School, engaged by the dance teacher who travelled from Esperance.

With limited opportunities in remote regions, parents look for quality activities to enchant their children. The obvious benefit of dance; a fun source of exercise leading to a healthy balanced lifestyle, but dance is also a creative outlet. Being able to release creativity is just as important as exercising and maintaining a healthy diet because of the skills they can learn. Dancing can make a person feel physically refreshed and improve their mood. Who hasn't danced around the kitchen once in a while with a glass of, errr... organic soy milk, in hand?

Additionally, through dance, children acquire a greater range of movement whilst developing the ability to work within different spaces. They learn to interpret the effect their movement has on the world around them. Dancing also improves a child's coordination, vital to developing skills in other parts of life such as riding a bike and multi tasking. Dance and movement patterns also develop memory, strength and endurance from an early age, creating a solid platform for the child's physical development. What's not to love about dance??!!

Parents watched as their little cherubs blossomed throughout the annual dance program. Some children took on the challenge of wiggling their bots in time with the music and others practiced back flips after dance class in their back yards!

One thing is for sure, it was a proud parent moment come the end of year concert. Held at the Hopetoun Community Centre with over 100 audience members the kids really strutted their stuff. Move aside Beyoncé, back away Circ De Soleil, Hopetoun kids have some savvy skills and they're not afraid to use them.

Along with RRAC, Hopetoun Dance Group was supported by the Shire of Ravensthorpe, First Quantum Minerals, Hopetoun Primary School, Little Barrens Early Learning Centre, and last but not least the dedicated Parents who made the commitment to ferry their darlings to dance classes every week.

RRAC looks forward to watching Hopetoun Dance Groups program bloom again in 2017, bringing joy to little faces (and to big faces too).

Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council receives core funding from Country Arts WA, which receives funding from the State Government through the Department of Culture and the Arts and Lotterywest.

What an Artistic Year

2016

RRAC’s artistic annual program for 2016 began with a writer inspired workshop hosted by the Southern Scribes, and a pirate infused performance by Fringe World.

Beck and Kirsty, bonnet ahem 'beauties'.

Jerdacuttup Hall became the venue for a garage sale with outrageously overpriced vintage goods (including home-made rabbit skin bonnets, yuk), and members of the Hopetoun Men in Sheds (and other great company) were miraculously transformed into sculptors of fine mallee-wood carvings and…… very fanciful toilet roll holders, we think?

Tony Docherty, playing around.

Moving towards the middle of the year, Hopetoun enjoyed an energetic visit from the Trash Test Dummies who went wheelie crazy, Ravensthorpe District Art

Group “Felt” like they needed to “roll on” doing what they do best to create some gorgeous pieces with Felt Artist Lynley Campbell, and the Rags to Riches project was born.

Mel, taking felt art very seriously.

In the latter half of 2016 Hopetoun received 2 visits from experienced Botanical Artist Penny Leech whose whimsical style enchanted beginners and further inspired our already talented local artists.

Lovely ladies enjoying good company

Within the wonderful Wildflower Show RRAC teamed with FORM to offer a photography workshop with photographer and excellent teacher David Collins, and to chat one evening with the “bloke who painted the silos” Amok Island. The Rags to Riches Exhibition was showcased throughout the Wildflower Show, and the project went on to inspire members of Esperance Community Arts to host their own ongoing Rags to Riches project – recycling fabrics that would otherwise end up as landfill. The Tepees of Hope amazed locals and tourists alike, and in conjunction with the Rags to Riches Exhibition attracted 694 viewers.

Currently being displayed at Esperance Community Arts Centre, the Tepees of Hope are bringing festive season joy to our adjoining communities, and we will see them again at the Hopetoun Community Centre in January.

The last RRAC show of the year, The List, went off with a thought provoking bang as audience members partook in an intimate evening of theatre, good food and good company.

Simon and Cooper clowning around.

Throughout 2016 RRAC brought in 4 touring shows; Fringe World, Everything Must Go, Trash Test Dummies, and The List, 12 workshops; including writing, painting, sewing, photography, wood sculpture and dance, and one exhibition. RRAC employed 2 people, and proudly partnered again in 2016 with The Hopetoun Dance group, who ran another successful year of dance classes including jazz ballet, jazz funk, mini movers and the ever-popular acrobatics classes.

Overall 1091 Participants were engaged, 1128 audience members were delighted and over 1200 volunteer hours were spent delivering RRACs annual artistic program. As we all know, without our volunteers the show would not go on, so a very heartfelt thank you to each and every one.

Messy work during the Mystery Project sewing workshop.

Elisa, celebrating botanical art.

Thank you to our sponsors; Shire of Ravensthorpe, Country Arts WA, Lotterywest, First Quantum Minerals, Landmark Ravensthorpe’s Kyle Forsythe, and Wesfarmers Federation Insurance’s Darrell Panizza. Very big thanks also to all the groups, organisations and individuals that have partnered and worked with us throughout the year making for a fun and fulfilling calendar of events.

Once again throughout 2016, the RRAC team spent many hours on grant writing, governance, personal development, and inter-regional communications, all in the name of bringing our community together through culture and the arts. Proudly, funding is spent in our community and with our local businesses. We love what we do, and already a very exciting 2017 Artistic Calendar is already well under construction, so stay tuned to Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Councils Facebook page, and this blog for updates.

Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council receives core funding from Country Arts WA, which receives funding from the State Government through the Department of Culture and the Arts and Lotterywest.

2016 Country Arts WA Exchange

Fairbridge Village, Pinjarra

Committed to creating better connections across WA and to assist in building skills and capacity across the regions, Country Arts WA have been facilitating the annual gathering of regional arts workers now for six years.

Middlemore House, our home away from home.

This year, held in the Karla Booja region we began the Exchange on 14th November by acknowledging the Noongar people as the first traditional custodians of the land on which we were meeting.

Throughout the 2.5 day exchange, RRAC members; Ainsley Foulds, Fay O'Brien and Coordinator; Kirsty Duffy attended a series of Open Space Forums, Sharing Stories Workshops, a Finance Workshop, as well as Funding Evaluation follow ups and Funding Program discussions. Constructive and informative, the sessions allowed discussions and input from regional groups. Delegates had a chance to raise important questions and input as much or a little as they felt comfortable.

Fay, Ainsley & Kirsty

In particular, we shared  information about our journey as an organization including our governance model, getting to know our community, how we make use of technology to unbind us from the restrictions of living in a remote area, how we celebrate our achievements, how we partner with other local non profit groups, and how we continue to overcome committee burn-out.

Credit goes to all of the regional arts groups that attended the Exchange.

From Albany to Derby and beyond, a great bunch of regional arts workers, including paid workers and volunteers, showed passion and integrity during discussions.

Thank you to Country Arts WA for continuing this important networking and professional development opportunity. It is very clear that there is an overwhelming importance and love for regional arts.

Ricky Arnold speaking to the delegates.

Discussion Board

There was even fun and games. Concentration was high.

And..... peacocks.

Travel was made possible by Country Arts WA and Lotterywest Funding.

Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council receives core funding from Country Arts WA, which receives funding from the State Government through the Department of Culture and the Arts and Lotterywest.

Buses and Sunsets

Who remembers laughing until tears emerged at the Jerdacuttup Hall in March?
How about dancing your kilt off at the Ceihidh in September?
Did you attend the 2016 Ravensthorpe Wildflower Gala Dinner, and ride the bus in from Ravensthorpe?

Throughout 2016, thanks to Lotterywest, a free bus service was able to be offered to our community so they could attend community events hassle free.

Jerdacuttup Show 'Everything Must Go'

Photo credit Dene Bingham Photography

The bus transport service we provide allows our community members to more easily access Artistic & Cultural events throughout the year, contributing to an overall sense of belonging and well being, as well as individual health and well being.

We would like to take the time to thank Lotterywest as one of our funding bodies. They hold a vision of 'building a better WA together' and with the funding Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council received in 2016 we have helped to address issues such as driving at night, driving long distances, drinking responsibly, and accessibility to remote regional events.

We look forward to partnering with Lotterywest again in the future, and cant wait to bring another exciting Annual Artistic Calendar of Events to the Shire of Ravensthorpe in 2017.

Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council receives core funding from Country Arts WA, which receives funding from the State Government through the Department of Culture and the Arts and Lotterywest.

Regional Arts Policy Priorities

It's a big deal.

In 2013, Country Arts WA conducted the Vote Arts campaign which called for tangible and public commitment to regional arts and resulted in the injection of $24 million funding into regional arts and culture through the Royalties for Regions Creative Regions Funding.

In addition to seeking a recommitment of this funding, Country Arts WA staff and its Board took to the steps of Parliament on Wednesday 19 October to launch the Regional Arts Policy Framework. This policy was based on the direct feedback and opinions of regional Western Australians from the Regional Arts Policy Priority Survey which identified the key areas of priority for regional communities.

You can view the results from the Regional Arts Policy Priorities Platform Paper within the following link.

CAWA November E News

Please take the time to approach your local Member of Parliament - and those candidates who may be running against them - to talk about how you value the role arts and culture plays in your own community. And how important it is that all political parties need to recommit to the current levels of funding (Priority One) and consider the badly needed increase (Priority Two) we have outlined. Bale them up in the shopping centre, at the sports match where their kids are playing with yours or over a flat white at the local coffee shop. The more people who raise the need for Regional Arts funding on a one-to-one basis, the better chance of success. There is nothing like a groundswell of support to sharpen the mind and focus of a politician.

During January Country Arts WA will again be launching their Vote Arts campaign to provide a simple means of writing letters to local members - but this final step of raising their awareness works better if they've already had local conversations.

Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council receives core funding from Country Arts WA, which receives funding from the State Government through the Department of Culture and the Arts and Lotterywest.